View source for 1956-11-06-sc-p1-consolidation-of-spokane-county-schools

'''November 06, 1956 Spokane Daily Chronicle Page 1:'''
<blockquote>
[[file:1956-11-06-sc-p1-consolidation-of-spokane-county-schools.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]'''School District Plan May Cut Number to 7'''

A plan for reorganization of
Spokane county’s 36 school districts
that may ultimately cut
the number to only seven was
revealed today.

The peek into what, may some
day become a reality was afforded
by a report prepared by the county
committee for school district
organization for the state board of
education.

Van W. Emerson, county superintendent
and secretary to the
committee headed by Ted G.
Reames, Mead, said the report
was required by state law to provide
the state with a comprehensive
plan for changes in the
school district organization.

Reducing the existing number of
school districts from 36 to 7 could
be accomplished through consolidation
of all the districts into the
following seven groups:

Otis Orchards, Central Valley,
Trent, Orchard Park, Pleasant
Prairie and Foothills; Cheney,
Medical Lake, Amber, Windsor,
Four Lakes, Garden  Springs,
Marshall, Hayford and Sunset plus
about three-fourths of Occident
district; Deer Park and Riverside;
Spokane city, Nine Mile Falls,
Orchard Prairie, Warsaw, Great
Northern, and Moran plus about
one-fourth of Occident; Four
Mound, Indian Prairie and
Central with Reardan in Lincoln
county; Prairie View, Plaza,
Spangle and Glenora, and Latah,
Fairfield and Waverly.

'''Freeman and Mead were
recommended to be left as
they are, although it was
pointed out that in the
foreseeable future Spokane may grow
northward to take in a large
part of Mead. At that time the
rest of Mead might be
combined with Riverside and Deer
Park, it was said.'''

“Although hearings have been
held on the Valley phase of this
consolidation, most of the other
plans are yet to be discussed,”
Emerson said.

“The plan submitted to the state
board was prepared to meet with
the requirements of the law. It is
by no means settled as a definite
program of reorganization.”

“Deer Park-Riverside consolidation
was recommended for future
consideration because of the
proximity of the two districts and the
anticipated population growth in
both. The combination would
provide broader curriculum and more
efficient and economic operation.

“Consolidation in the Valley
would correlate the curriculum of
all the affected schools, permit
better utilization of facilities,
permit improvement and expansion of
special services, insure economic
strength and more economic
operation, more efficient bus
operation and more nearly meet the
criteria established by the
consolidation laws.”

In reference to the Central,
Indian Prairie, Four Mound
situation, it was pointed out that
Central’s annexation by Reardan and
Nine Mile Falls was approved by
the state board on September 28.
Indian Prairie already is
non-operating and the children
are being sent to Reardan.

“There is a possibility that some
of the area involving Prairie View,
Plaza, Glenora and Spangle may
sometime combine with part of
northwestern Whitman county,” he
said.

“The Latah, Fairfield, Waverly
possibility carries with it the
consideration that this area may
eventually combine with
northeastern Whitman county or with
Freeman to the north. Freeman is
composed of consolidation by
Lindbergh, Rockford and Sunnyside.”

It was pointed out that Moran
will become a part of the Spokane
city district on June 30 and Nine
Mile Falls, Great Northern and
Orchard Prairie and Warsaw
held on the Valley phase of this
consolidation, most of the other
already are sending high school
pupils to the city.
</blockquote>
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