23 8 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Lessens the expense and equalizes the cost; it protects the health and 

 morals of the child and makes the introduction of the study of agri- 

 culture and other industries possible; it enhances the value of farm 

 property as a whole; it brightens and broadens country life; it pre- 

 serves its virility unimpaired and rationalizes the movement toward 

 population centers. Such difficulties as are found, are trivial or 

 transient or both and Mould not stand in the way of any commer- 

 cial enterprise for a moment. Consolidation of country schools is 

 the solution of the problem of agricultural education. No school 

 that has once tried it has ever gone hack to the old way. 



In our neighboring State of Ohio, particularly in the Western 

 Reserve district, consolidation has been tried, and is giving entire 

 satisfaction. Speaking of the work in Ohio, Hon. O. E. Bradfute, 

 former president of the State Farmers' Institute, in a recent inter- 

 view said: "I do not think I can advocate too strongly the plan of 

 the centralized school. It was not an easy thing to bring about this 

 idea. There are many people in Ohio to-day who are afraid to tackle 

 this question, but I can say with confidence that we now have a 

 nucleus, especially up in the Western Reserve, from which we can 

 work, and the idea is fast spreading all over the State. We have 

 established enough, so that we know the schools are bound to be 

 a success. I can truthfully say, that in Ohio we are beginning to 

 regard centralization, as something like the measles — catching." 



I sincerely hope, friends, that the germ or microbe, may be wafted 

 across the border into Pennsylvania, and that every farmer in the 

 State may become so inoculated with it, that an epidemic of consoli- 

 dation will sweep over this entire Commonw 7 ealth very soon. 



I have shown by the most reliable testimony that consolidation is 

 proving all that its most enthusiastic advocates claimed it would ac- 

 complish, and what others can do, why not we of Pennsylvania? Is 

 this grand old Keystone State, to lag behind in the march of educa- 

 tional progress? As Dr. Schaeffer in one of his reports well says: 

 "Our American farmer should be made to realize that the public 

 school is his very ark of safety, the bridge across which his little 

 ones may reach place and power, and higher planes of usefulness. 

 He should demand school advantages for his children equal at least 

 to those of the city, that will equip them for a fair chance of success 

 in the race of life." 



The question that. now presents itself is, What is the best method 

 for the farmer to adopt to bring about this desired end? The answer 

 is easily given. Simply agitate the subject of consolidation and elect 

 broad-minded, intelligent, progressive men — and women school di- 

 rectors. There are, and have been two potent influences tending to 

 prevent the realization of the possibilities of our public school sys- 

 tem. One is such a development of the public conscience, as allows 



