"In addition, these students do not have near the education and extra curricular opportunities that kids in larger schools get. I know that Palco has six girls out for their varsity HS basketball team. I guess the coach doesn't have to worry about parents yelling for playing time!"

Bigger isn't always better in terms of opportunities. My kids go to a school with 4000 kids. If you don't decide what you want to do in about 5th or 6th grade, specialize and work your behind off you aren't playing high school varsity sports (there are a few really athletic abberations who are exceptions). I realize that P-Ville, stockton and Palco won't quite have 4000.

Consolidation has occurred and will keep occurring (remember Bogue?) My recollection is that Bogue shut down (after a year of playing a girl in order to get 8 for 8-man (person?) football) and Hill City won 3A Basketball with 3 kids that would have gone to Bogue. Phil Switzer, Arnie Carter? and a kid I don't remember. Old timers like me are here to stand astride progress and yell halt.