1956-11-06-sc-p1-consolidation-of-spokane-county-schools

November 06, 1956 Spokane Daily Chronicle Page 1:

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.