The time has come to take a hard look at the pros and cons of consolidation.

After years of talking about the advantages of combining Wallowa County’s schools the superintendents from Enterprise and Joseph want to delve into the question a little further. They have asked the Education Service District to put together a study that would shed more light on what consolidation might mean to students, faculty, and the public.

Consolidation is an idea that has been kicked around in Wallowa County for more than 40 years. In fact, Wallowa County voters have twice voted on consolidation and in both instances overwhelmingly rejected the idea.

The first time was in 1961 after the state legislature passed a law pressuring rural school districts to consolidate. At the time Wallowa County had 17 school districts, some with as few as four or five students.

In spite of a strong argument in favor of consolidation, led by some influential community leaders, including Ray Hockett, Wayne McFetridge, Gwen Coffin, Raymond Johnson, and Malcolm Dawson, the measure was crushed by a margin of more than 2-1.

The issue was revisited in 1973 when what is now the ESD conducted a series of public hearings on forming a single “administrative district.” Under that proposal, any schools which which was operating at the time would have remained open but under the direction of a nine-member board with representatives from across the county.

That measure did a little better at the polls but was nevertheless defeated by a margin of 688-489.

In both cases, consolidation passed in Enterprise but was defeated in Joseph and Wallowa, where opponents feared that they would give up local control. Opposition has been particularly strong in Wallowa, where the consolidation issue was defeated 390 to 20 in 1961.

The arguments in favor of consolidation are as valid today as they were 20 and 40 years ago – less duplication of expensive programs and a wider range of educational opportunities.

Given Wallowa’s staunch opposition to consolidation in the past, its distance to the other two communities, and its strong financial position, it probably makes sense to leave that school district out of any proposed school merger this time around.

The proximity of the other two cities and the similarity of their school programs make them viable candidates for consolidation. No doubt an Enterprise-Joseph school merger would provide some relief on the cost side of their budgets which are strained to the breaking point as a result of declining enrollment. It is reasonable to expect there would be some savings in some areas, including administration, facilities, and transportation. It is also likely some programs that are now on the chopping block – vo-ag, home ec, art, and music – might be salvaged under consolidation.

The big question is whether cost savings and educational gains would offset reductions in state funding under the so-called “Small School Correction” – a subsidy the state pays smaller schools to maintain basic programs. The two schools could lose a total of $500,000 because together they would be too large to qualify for the Small School Correction. While that is a real concern it must be considered in the proper perspective – what the legislature giveth the legislature can also taketh away. The legislature has a long history of pressuring rural school districts to consolidate and could do so again by eliminating or reducing the Small School Correction. The climate is ripe, we would think, for such a maneuver with the state running a $500+ million budget deficit.

From our vantage point it appears that Wallowa County residents may be more receptive to consolidation than they were in years past. We see more unity and less rivalry between Enterprise and Joseph which now have a common bond in the form of school budgets that have been hammered and a desire to provide the best education possible.

We believe that Enterprise school superintendent Brad Royse and Joseph superintendent Rich Graham are are headed down the right path by asking the ESD study this issue. R.S.