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Friday, September 15, 2023

Winston-Salem Begins Work on Consolidated School District, Sept. 15, 1923

School Consolidation in Forsyth Endorsed

Winston Salem, September 15—School committeemen representing practically every district in Forsyth county met at West End graded school this morning and endorsed the proposed plan of county side consolidation as provided for by new school law enacted by the general assembly of this year. The plan presented was worked out in a survey of the county conducted by Prof. J. Henry Highsmith, state supervisor of high schools, who was assisted in his work by Prof. T.H. Cash, county superintendent.

The meeting was presided over by J.F. Griffith, chairman of the county board of education. He stated that it had been called to consider this county wide plan for consolidation—a plan which he believed would place Forsyth in the front ranks of education among the counties of North Carolina. He urged the committee and other officials to study carefully the details of the plan and to give the board their co-operation in working it out.

The first action under the new plan will be the consolidation of the schools in the vicinity of Walkerton. This work is scheduled in part for this year but the carrying out of the full plan is not to be started until 1924-25. However, where conditions permit, a school may consolidate now. For instance, a school that is slated to go to some place where there is a modern school building and the roads are in good condition, this consolidation ?? take effect at once, it stated.

Professor Highsmith spoke particularly of the operations of the law, stating that the county board is operating exactly in accordance with the provisions of the new act. The law states that no district shall be formed, abolished or consolidated except under a county wide plan he explained. ??a plan may be carried out by beginning in the sections that most need it.

Professor Cash stated this morning that the organization of a county-wide plan of operation of schools is urged for two main reasons: efficiency and economy. He said that he regretted that the plan was not put into effect in Forsyth before any special tax districts were established because in many instances lines were run just to carry an election which resulted in districts being irregular and uneven, and the people poorly ?? with regard to the school ??. Such conditions often causes a ?? of the school to lose sight of the great objects for which the schools are established.

The main question to be considered in consolidation, said Prof. Cash, is that of establishing an efficient school. Often the most considered question is that of location. However this makes very little difference since children living within a mile of the school are supposed to walk while those farther away must be transported.

From the front page of the Tri-City Daily Gazette, Sept. 15, 1923

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