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Some it has been deemed unconstitutional in its efforts and plans. Be that 

 as it may, let nothing deter the nation and the states from approaching the 



present day educational outlook with great 

 freedom of thought and the true spirit of co- 

 operation for the best for all those concerned, 

 that ignorance may be overcome and every 

 citizen may have and be required to obtain 

 that education which will fit him to meet life's 

 requirements in the most satisfactory manner 

 to himself and those depending upon him. 



Usually I am proud to be a citizen of Illi- 

 nois. Again, I wish I could belong to Iowa, 

 Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, or some other of our 

 states that have had a practiced and more de- 

 sirable attitude towards its rural schools. The 

 Illinoian, when he becomes informed as to our 

 position in regard to our rural schools, should 

 be disappointed and full of chagrin. If he is 

 not, he needs some kind of a bomb exploded 

 under him to awaken him from his ignorance 

 and lethargy. 



Lately I have been reading of what has 

 been accomplished by other states, and my full 

 sympathy is extended to the rural boys and 



girls of Illinois that they belong to a state so 



rich in its agriculture and manufactures and 



Mrs. H. M. Dunlap. minerals, and yet are burdened by a seeming 



neglect of its parents and educators in our 



rural schools. Fundamentally parents are responsible for the schools, and 

 not our educators and teachers. Parents can have just what they are will- 

 ing to pay for and work to secure. 



WHERE ILLINOIS STANDS. 



The only way I have of showing Illinois' position in regard to her 

 rural schools is by comparing her with other states. Facts are disconcerting 

 at times, but they should make us think, and we should work them out to a 

 logical conclusion, whether we want to or not. So treat the factors in 

 regard to Illinois' rural schools and I believe we should have a great 

 awakening that would soon place our state along the side of some of our 

 neighboring states in rural education. 



The first consolidation of one-room school houses for the definite 

 purpose of securing better educational facilities was in Montague, Massa- 

 chusetts, in 1875; almost fifty years ago. Today just one-fourth of Massachu- 

 setts schools remain to be consolidated. 



Slowly the idea spread into Connecticut, Maine, Vermont and Rhode 

 Island. It reached Indiana with her first school in 1889, and Ohio in 1892. 

 Those two states have certainly found them a success, as they lead in point 

 of numbers of such schools of all the states. 



We find the work has progressed very slowly, as most of the work has 

 been accomplished in the last ten years. And now comparisons must 

 follow, that I may show Illinois' position before the nation. In 1921 Indiana 

 had 1,000 consolidated schools Illinois had 15! Ohio had 800 Illinois had 

 15. Oklahoma, a new state comparatively, had 240 Illinois, a much older 

 state, had 15. Mississippi, one of our southern states, limited as to finances, 

 had 625 Illinois had 15. Tennessee this last year, in face of all financial 

 difficulties, built 48 consolidated schools and has, all told, 308 Illinois had 

 15. Iowa, with no better roads than Illinois, had 400 consolidated schools 

 and Illinois had 15 and so I might go on naming every state in the 

 Union as. being more progressive than Illinois. A. B. MacDonald, writing 

 for the Country Gentleman, January 22, 1922, places Illinois the lowest in 

 point of interest and advancement in consolidated schools. 



