RESPONSIBnJTY 

 In early iall and late spring, Granger 

 pupils eat in the class room. Aiter lunch 

 they cooperate in cleaning. In winter 

 months, cold lunches are supplemented 

 with a hot dish served in the basement. 



furnish more and better equipment than 

 would have been possible in the four one- 

 room schools," School Director Fraley 

 said. Equipment includes automatic oil 

 heat, running water, inside toilets, elec- 

 tric lights and a kitchen for preparing 

 hot lunches. 



"We feel, too, that it pays to hire 

 the best teachers we can afford. If you 

 have a well-qualified teacher, the chil- 

 dren take a greater interest in their work 

 and learn more. I like to see our teach- 

 ers stress reading. If a pupil can read 

 well and fast he can study more about the 

 things he likes. 



"Sp>eaking of reading," Fraley con- 

 tinued, "we had a church meeting here 

 the' other night. We took turns reading 

 the' Scriptures. I was surprised to hear 

 some of the younger folks stumble along 

 as they read. The older folks read 

 smoothly without any trouble. It seems 

 that young folks don't know how to spell, 

 either. Maybe that's why they can't read 

 well." 



Mrs. Stella Klein, who teaches the four 

 upper grades, stresses reading. Some of 

 her pupils have read 18 books already this 

 year. She asks them to turn in simple 

 reports so that she will know which books 

 they have read without wasting pupils' 

 reading time in writing long, detailed pa- 

 pers. She permits the young folks to 

 "sell" the books they have read to the 

 others and, although she does not require 

 this type of oral report, most pupils like 

 to give them. 



Both Mrs. Klein and Miss Mary Hou- 

 bolt, the primary room teacher, have had 

 three years of work in teachers' colleges 



after graduating from high school. In 

 addition, they are taking correspondence 

 courses. Both hope someday to have 

 college degrees. Mrs. Klein, a native of 

 Iowa, has taught at Granger two years. 

 She received her training at Iowa State 

 Teachers College, Cedar Falls. Miss 

 Houbolt, now in her first year of teach- 

 ing, is a graduate of Joliet Junior Col- 

 lege and has studied at DeKalb Normal. 



Teachers' salaries in rural schools of 

 DuPage county range from $105 to $125 

 per month and are probably higher than 

 in many other Illinois counties. 



Another factor making possible the 

 consolidation of the four country schools 

 was good roads. Without them getting 

 younger pupils to school would have been 

 a problem during most of the year. How- 

 ever, all homes in the district are less 

 than three miles from the school, ot 



REPOBTER 



Albert Krummen, Jr., 13, practices a half 

 hour o day on the typewriter in the Crosier 

 schooL He is in eighth grade and gathers, 

 writes and edits news for the Naperrille 

 lownahip school paper. 



within walking distance for the older 



pupils. 



In listing the disadvantages of con- 

 solidated schools in general, County Su- 

 perintendent Morgan named transporta- 

 tion first. 



"When busses are used children are 

 kept away from home too long. Pupils 

 who live the greatest distance from the 

 school are usually the first to be picked 

 up in the morning and the last to be re- 

 turned at night. This is especially dif- 

 ficult for the younger children." 



But at Granger transp>ortation is not a 

 major problem. Roads are good in the 

 district and parents cooperate. One fam- 

 ily takes all the children on their road 

 one week and another family the next. 

 By taking turns the responsibility falls 

 to a family about once a month and sel- 

 dom becomes burdensome. 



While combining school districts may 

 have its advantages, it is not necessary 

 for well-rounded instruction. Take the 

 Crosier school in district 81, DuPage 

 county, for example. Although much 

 smaller than the Granger district, tax 

 rates are lower. With an assessed valua- 

 tion of $197,222 the rate for educational 

 purposes is 52 cents, the rate for build- 

 ing, 25 cents. The cost per pupil aver- 

 ages around $215. 



The Crosier school's modem brick 

 building is just as popular with com- 

 munity organizations as its larger neigh- 

 bor to the south. It contains one class 

 room, a large, light basement dining 

 room and a kitchen. It is equipped with 

 electric lights, toilets, gas, and running 

 water. 



Mrs. Gladys Healy, the educator-in- 

 charge, is doing a commendable job with 

 her seven pupils ranging from 1st to 8th 

 grades. "Teacher" is not a fitting des- 

 cription of this peppy young woman. She 

 is a "big sister" to the youngsters. 

 (Continued on page 30) 



CLASSHOOM - - - ' 



Mrs. Klein and her 14 upper grade pupils pote for a picture in their light airy 

 school room. One of the advantages of combining schools is to provide rooms of thi* 

 kind with proper desks and better equipment. 



APRIL 1939 



21 



