Show Education Consolidation ii l 1 Discussed By Groups ji Gr Group up Opposes Immediate School Consolidation Plan Editors Editor's note The follow- follow lowing article was prepared by a group of Gunnison men who offer the following reasons reasons reasons rea rea- sons to take a good look at the issue of consolidation before the school board takes ac action on It is being printed in an effort effort effort ef ef- ef- ef fort to give both sides an opportunity opportunity opportunity op op- to explain their position po- po po The new plan for consolidation of the districts district's schools would combine two high schools two junior highs and a pair of elementary elementary elementary ele ele- schools Abandonment of any school may be an inevitable casualty in the newly popularized process of consolidation We have great respect for the learned ability of school administrators and elect elected d public servants with backgrounds in serving the public public public pub pub- lic schools but Iut we submit that the proposal to abandon the Gunnison Gunnison Gunnison Gun Gun- nison Valley High or or r Junior High Manti Elementary or the Manti High School as well as the Ephraim Junior High is hastily conceived The benefits now accruing accruing accruing ac ac- ac- ac to the students of the schools would be lost forever Let us examine the proposed abandonment of any school against the following considerations considerations considerations each of which is promoted by the situation of the present school facilities PART I THE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE OF THE STU STU- DENT PART II 11 THE EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING WELL OF THE STUDENT PART III THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE STU STU- DENT PART IV THE COST IN A A. A Money B B. B Students Time and C. C Parents Contribution To be sound a proposal to transport students away from a awell awell awell well established institution must be tested against each of the foregoing values Let us treat each of the four standards in the light of the exis existing ng conditions in each school A. A CURRICULUM We should escape the thought of consolidation simply for the sake of consolidation Justification tion for crea creating ng bigger schools is said to lie in the ability to expand expand expand ex ex- fields of study or endeavor We challenge the proponents of consolidation to document in cold hard print any extension of academic training learning or objectives We have observed the results of prior consolida consolidation on and have concluded that promised promised promised prom prom- and even guaranteed expansion expansion expansion sion of student opportunity to more and varied classes has been wishful thinking Consolidation Consolida Consolida- tion of ot one relatively small school with another relatively small school has de delivered improved im improved improved im- im proved curriculum in word but not in deed B. B GUIDANCE COUNSELING As laymen we do not presume presume presume pre pre- sume to advise the board of education education education edu edu- cation or its professional administrator administrator administrator admin admin- of the immense value of guidance counseling However we respectfully call attention to its three great fountain heads for teaching opp opportunity academic academic academic aca aca- demic counseling vocational counseling and emotional counseling counseling coun coun- to promote the well well-b well being ing of the student The ability to obtain obtain obtain ob ob- tain these immense benefits is in direct proportion to the e distance distance distance dis dis- dis- dis tance of the student from his counselor Every teacher and every administrator exposed to each student is a counselor The ability to counsel with a student is limited by the inability inability inability ity of the counselor to communicate communicate n cate with the parents C C. C EVENTUAL SUCCESS OF THE STUDENT In a Farm Bureau Conference on American held in Salt Lake City recently Mr EL Cann executive from Colorado remarked j a A aMany AMany Many people think that bigness is essential to high quality education when actually actual actual- ly smallness is more conducive conducive conducive condu condu- to the development of individual individual individual in in- worth 1 RECORD OF PRIOR STUDENTS Our schools are not ashamed of their records The fact they may be smaller than some others others others oth oth- oth- oth ers does not mean that their graduates are not as far advanced advanced advanced ced as those from larger schools As great greata a number per capita of their graduates attend and complete college as do graduates graduates graduates ates from other schools large or smalL Y Snow College assemblies theatrical theatrical theatrical thea thea- musical and liberal arts productions receive a heavy contribution of former students of Manti High School and Gunnison Gunnison Gunnison Gun Gun- nison Valley High School Graduates Graduates Graduates Grad Grad- from these schools compete compete compete com com- pete favorably in all institutions of learning and in all the pro pro- To be continued next week |