Reorganization of Schools is Clearly Explained  

Reorganization of Schools is Clearly Explained –

3 Communities in Merge Plan.

The School Reorganization Committees of Marshall, Fulton and Starke counties met at Culver on Thursday evening, May 12 to hear a most important report on the possible unification of three school corporations of this area.

Local school advisory committees of our

Union township,
Aubeenaubee township of Fulton county and
North Bend township of Starke county

have been engaging in joint meetings during the recent weeks to consider the possibilities and advantages of a consolidation involving these three townships.

Since such a proposed unit would meet the minimum enrollment standard of 1,000 pupils in average daily attendance required by the state reorganization program, the three local township committees set up a plan which would provide for a school corporation of approximately 1,250 pupils in grades 1 through 12. Combine Valuation $12 Million

The combined valuation of such a unit would be somewhat above #12 million, with a current school bond obligation of approximately $50,000.

It such a unit were created, all pupils of grades 1 to 12 of North Bend township would attend school at Culver, as would the high school pupils of Aubbeenaubee township. The grade pupils of the latter township would continue to attend the school in their present building at Leiters Fords. This building is comparatively new and is in excellent condition.

At a recent meeting, the three local school advisory committees made plans for the circulation of petitions in the individual townships in order to determine the amount of favor of voters for such a proposed consolidation.

Hundreds Sign Petition

As the evidence of support for the proposal became clear from the number of signers, the Marshall County School Reorganization Committee was asked to invite the County Committees of Starke and Fulton to meet to hear a report on the proposed unit.

Such a meeting seemed important because of the fact that the plan would have to be accepted by each of the three county committees and be made a part of their total reorganization program.

At the May 12 meeting Ed Secor, superintendent of schools of Bremen and chairman of the Marshall County Committee, presided.

He called on Eugene G. Benedict of Union township, William Cripe of Aubbeenaubee township and Paul Borg of North Bend township to explain the pal and to express the desire of their local committees that the proposal be considered favorable.

Leiters Banker Favorable

Chester m. Bowersox, of Leiters For, chairman of the Fulton County Committee, speaking as a citizen of the Aubbeenaubee school corporation, presented a report of the many advantages which the proposed merger would offer to the children of the area involved. He emphasized the close relationships among the three corporations and urged that the factor favorable to such a consolidation be given sincere consideration by the three county committees.

Frank McLane, Culver, of the Marshall County committee presented information regarding the potential enrollments, valuations, etc. and explained that the Marshall County Committee had learned of this plain i n a meeting with the Union township school advisory committee in April.

County Superintendent Expains

To acquint the committees of the other counties with the procedure of the Marshall County, Committee Mr. McLane pointed out that this group and visited each of the nine school corporations in the county and had received indications of the reorganization plan preferred by each local advisory committee.

Many Favorable Factors

Though the Marshall County Committee recognized the favorable factors of such a proposed unti and would give it sincere consideration, it realized that its jurisdiction involves only one of the three townships included in the plan.

Because the proposal submitted by our Union township group involves corporations under study by the two other county committees, it was necessary for the three groups to meet to receive a complete explanation of the local proposal.

North Bend-Knox Situation

Members of the Starke County committee, including Frank Pluver, their chairman, explained their reasons for feeling that North Bend township might be expected to become a part of the Knox school corporation. It was pointed out by Knox officials and members of their school board that most of the North Bend high school pupils now attend Knox High School as transfer students.

Since each county committee must consider the townships involved in this proposal in setting up their own county plans, it was urged that the proposed consolidation be studied carefully by the reorganization groups of the thee counties.

It was agreed that further meetings of the three county committees would be necessary since the proposals for consolidation of other areas in their counties would be affected by this three-township plan.

May 18, 1960 Citizen