William Marvel: Worst of Both Worlds

John Roberts was still chairman of the Conway School Board, about 25 years ago, when we had a private discussion about the then-hypothetical new high school. John and I are both Kennett alumni from the mid-1960s, and he probably shared my sentimental attachment to our fathers' old school. We were talking about the respective cost and effectiveness of the different scenarios then under consideration for reducing crowding at Kennett, which had six grades packed into it from eight towns — and a few from the municipal moochers of Hale's Location.

I don't recall whether John personally preferred retaining all the sending towns, but he did note the economic advantages behind that option. The more students and the more communities there were paying the way, the less the cost per student would theoretically be, and the less of a burden it would pose to all taxpayers. It wasn't difficult to understand that reasoning, especially for someone who appreciates frugality as much as I do, but I suspected there might be some flaws — as there often are, even with what seems like the clearest logic.