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Show Consolidation of School Districts The consolidation of common school districts into a consolidated consoli-dated district of the first class has been considered in Sanpete County a number of times during the past six or seven years. Each time the movemennt has failed because of some defect in school laws, or because the question lias not been prope rly understood, un-derstood, probably for both reasons, but more especially the former. - The recent legislature through the influence of State Superintendent Super-intendent x. C. Nelson and other prominent school men, modified modi-fied the school laws relating to the subject of consolidation, so as to remove all former obstacles that might hinder the progress of schools under the new system, and it is now left to us to accept or reject the plan proposed. Supt. A. J. Reese is helping the movement at present and it is proposed to consolidate the eleven common school districts of North Sanpete with the North Sanpete high school district into what is designated as a county school district of the first class, with seven representative districts, from which seven members of the new board would be elected, each member from his own district. The representative districts are proposed as -follows: Fountain Green District No. 1; Moroni District No. 2; Wales District No. 3; Spring City District No. 4; Mt. Pleasant District No. 5; Fairview District Nc. 6; Milburn and Indianola District No. 7. We are urged very strangely by the school authorities of the state and school men from counties where the new system is operating to adopt the new plan. Can we hold out against the movement longer when we know that Sevier County on the South, and every county north of Salt Lake, including Salt Lake County Coun-ty are working under the proposed plan, and that Utah County on the North is taking steps in the same direction? ,We have been told by consolidated counties that they have increased the efficiency of their schools in general from a 100 to 200 per cent, and that the cost of maintaining the schools has not increased. No increased taxation for schools could result under consolidation, consol-idation, as the tax levying powers of the board would be exactly the same as undsr our r i ssnt system. The last time consolidation was attempted it was found that sufficient revenue could not be raised; hence the old plan was continued Under the new law relating to this question, an amount of revenue can be had, equal to the amount mat can te raised under the present form, and this will provide ample means -for the maintenance of the schools. No reasonable objection can be raised agamsi the proposed movement. It is a step in the right direction, and should receive re-ceive the support of all the qualified electors living m North ban-pete ban-pete It cannot betonsidered a local movement, out one of state wide importance. It is no longer an experiment; it has been thoroughly tried and found beneficial in every way. Sanpete will be in the rear educationally if it does not adopt the new plan as those counties that have adopted it are forging ahead at a rapid pace, and they are calling to their slower sister counties coun-ties to follow them. . The new law provides that a majority of the qualified electors elec-tors living in the proposed district must sign a petition to the ! county commissioners asking for consolidation before they may grant it Supt. Reese has sent forms for petitions to each school district and it is understood that these are now being circulated. There will in all probability be a good majority ot the people sign the petitions and there is no doubt but that the county commissioners com-missioners will respect the wishes of the people. |