The Red Cloud chief., 1876-04-27

Only - have ca e.tel taxes during
,bc pas: yssr l.r ,he szg-en. o.: 'hs.r
t,gcLcT-. o. these there rera bat -@o
G.s..ic ; IN [ raised acsv: twenty
dollars.
The total humber Of scholars report
ed il. male jjG, females. ASS, OF 1854
in all, which is some 20O more than
were reported a year ago. The NUN
Der that attended school wa 3i3 males
and 800 females, making go altogett.-
er, or 6lt per cent. CT the whole hun
Der Of children.
There are ten districts which main
tained school six months or more.
The total amount paid teachers was
male, teachers, S2l24 90; female
teachers $ls2s.74t. The average
wages per month of teachers was male
$500, females, $3.50.
There are 81 school houses in the
county. Ofthe,e 1 are stone, I brick,
IL frame, and ~ log dugout aud sol
houses.
# VA be readily seen from these
figures that schools are mainiv in
> pioneer state. There is a large
amount Of railroad land ia the county,
which causes the country at present TO
be somewhat thinly settled. The on
troversy as to the title Of these lands
has prevented the taxes levied upon
them from being paid. A number Of
the districts have bonded themselves
In large amounts to build ,c'.Ooi
houses, .epending on the railroad
lands 70 pay the taxes. The hardness
Of the railroad lands to pay taxes has
caused divisions to escape the burden
of taxation. Under the law as il Is,
when a majority become disconnected
or DESTROYS of Sinking their duty, it Is
only necessary to get up a petition,
and a new district is formed without
reference to the interest of the schools.
One Of the newest districts 50 formed
has but one person within the school
age, and she is a married woman. This
repeate1 division of the school districts
has, Of course, diminis ed the wealth
Of each district. There is no district
in the county that pays its teachers
anything like ~reasonabl. wages. The
highest salary paid is forty dollars per
month, and that is paid only to Que
teacher. The other teachers are pad
mere plttahces.
While this state fittings continues,
it is useless to expect good teachers.
School directors are apt to easOn IN
this manner, Labor Oi every kind Is
cheap here, school teachers must ex-
pect poor wages as we'll as the rest.
Good teachers will never comc here on
such inducements as this. Make-shitts
eau be employed at poor prices. but
not teachers. We can count on our
fingers all the genuine teachers of the
county. In fact, the small number of
professional teachers Ia the county
makes it necessary fe7 the Superln-
tendept to grant certificates to those
really unde>ervIng, that the schools
may be supplied.
The remedy for these evils consists
in preserving the districts entire as far
is possible. 1t is far better to put up
with soMe Inconvenience, to have
fewer schools, but have those good.
Another thing to be deprecated is the
practice of bargaining with teachers,
Of receiving bids for the education OF
the young anu hiring the cheapest
t.acher. Each school district should
determine the highest wages it can al
ford to pay. and theu employ nonc but
the best that can be secured. The
suit between the railroad company and
tie government will be determined
soon, and no matter in what way, it
will bring taxable, property into tbs
districts. We cannot afford to be
| stingy or small minded when the edr.