The early experience with trancportation which certeinly were not
sstisfactory, the early discussion of similar srranzements at —any
points afdd the eerly locction of so large a number of high schools at
neturel comrunity centers, have mede it a very difficult task for the
school suthorities to overcome the vary natursel pri&e of locel com-
munities in thelr own institutions So the reorganizsiion of the schools
of Loudoun County although on & conservative and slowly evolving basis
has been & painful process. |
But why close one-room end twoeroom schools and hsul children to
larzer schools? Why close high school departments?
e cannot reason thet consolldetion is>an economy measi rée Therg
mey be iscleted ceses where money i1s savedes It 1s possible however,
to operate & county system with 1ess ‘eachers where small schools are
brought into larger centers. It may be of interest to examine relative
conditions thet will zive us e gictufe of whet has happened &n respect
to costs of trm sportetion and teachers' saleries over a term éf years.
In the year 1988-20 which precedes most of the consolidetion of
schools in Loudoun Courty there were a total of 33 one-room teachers,
10 two-woom teachers, 58 otbei elementary teachers end 34 hich school
teschers in ¢ hizh schools or a totel of 135 white tenchérs. The aversge'
dally attendance was 3276. In the jyesr 1938-39 the situation wes es
follows: 8 onercom teschers, 8 two-room teachers, 55 other elementery
teachers, and 33 high schools teachers or & total of 112. The aversge
deily attendance was 3505, It cen be scen that 23 less teachers cared for
319 more children dally.
Ubw in 1028-20 the smount spent for transportation was $6007.44
and in 1038-30 it was $23,375.90 or an increase of $17,368.4C. Some of
this inerease in transportation 1is directly chengeable to provision for
transportatdon in areas that have not been effected by closing & school