ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 197 



now the old school house had become too small, or rather the school had 

 outgrown its accommodations, and it was decided to build a new house and 

 let the old house stand to hold evening meetings, debates, Sabbath and sing- 

 ing schools. The new house was built and equipped and the school took its 

 place in the front ranks, and a new teacher was employed. The higher 

 branches were taught, and parents having pupils in these higher branches 

 paid a tuition fee of two dollars a term, and in spite of the efforts of the 

 town school, took the laurels in competition year after year. 



But in the '70's a man of wealth located a plant in the district and 

 brought in a class of men who cared but little about education, and the 

 less it cost the better., They voted to have a cheap teacher and to exclude 

 all the higher branches. When opening day came there was a regular 

 stampede of all the cream of the school for the town school, and nothing 

 was left for the new teacher but scrubs and scallawags, and in less than ten 

 years they lost their share of the school money by non-compliance with 

 the law. 



No school has been kept there for the past twelve years. The school 

 house is a "deserted mansion." The little Bethel beside it is closed, 

 property has depreciated in value and the neighborhood is not a desirable 

 one. 



It is the open school house with it stars and strips floating to the 

 breeze that gives value to the farm and peace and comfort and refinement 

 to all its surroundings. Are we guarding with a jealous care those nur- 

 series of all the noble institutions transmitted to us by the "Fathers of our 

 Republic?" 



When this method of graduating from the ungraded schools was first 

 inaugurated to induce the older pupils to remain in the school to the end 

 of the school year, it worked well. But has it not already assumed the 

 proportions of a monster incubus, and is it not sapping the very life blood 

 of your rural schools? 



And how about the pockets? Let us consult a few figures and note re- 

 sults. In one of the counties in this state, this system was inaugurated 

 twelve years ago. The first year there were eleven graduates. Last year 



