Bismarck tri-weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1875-1881, 1877-07-06
Tho New School House.


The New School House.
In the limits of this brief article it is
unnecessary to advert to the many rea-
sons sohy the school house should be
built. OF these overy citizen who feels
Al interest in the town, and every pa.
rent who values the welfare Of his
child. undoubtedly has full apprecia-
ton.
/ shall merely consider the question
of ho,o it is to be done. In all the long
series of efforts looking to the accom>
plishment of this end, there have here-
tofore been two grand obstacles to en-.
counter. The first and most formida-
BILE Was, lack Of funds, and the second
Was found In the apathy, indifference,
stupidity, or whatever.it-is Of the peo.
pie, that has thus far barred all con-
csrted or intelligent action.
!: The first Of these obstacles is now
happily overcome. Thanks to tho Leg.
islature Of the territory, ample provis.
ion has been made for fund sufficient
to meet the outlay. The tax receipts, l
believe, do not more than cover the
current expenses Of the school, but
there is q clause in the school law, of
which I should like to have . judicial
Interpretation. It reads as follows:
p Sec. 81. The county Treasurer shall
collect al moneys due the county for
school purposes from .1Gnes, tS,ft ftitvflt
or proceeds from tho sa1t Of Ssrtdys, and
he shall pay the same to tho said dis.
trict treasurer - provided BY this act."
3. Now l am ignorant Of law, but do
claim to have : thorough understanding
Of the English language; hence, if this
law means what it says, then is or
school fund. largely gamer from these
sources.
But having once, upon rainy Sum
day, read the whole of that inspiring
volume, "The Revised Statutes of Da.
kota," was painfully impressed with
the belief that many of those sternly
worded edicts-the herd law and the
usury law, for instance,-were put in,
like : novel writer's description Of the
scenery, merely to "fill up" and it is
more than probable that this canon of
school law comes within the same cate.
eory. and like them;will be ''more hon.
orsd in the breach than BY the observ'
ance." :, a..
But leaving that question to the care
If the legal fraternity, I shall briefly
give nv views Is to the kind Of school
house We require: The Legislature hav-
ing wisely provided that this edidce
shall be Of brick, there remains moth
ing to be said upon that point, but the
question of its size and interior sr-
rangements are yet to be decided. The
statement of the wants and require
ments of the school itself will form the
best criterion by which to judge OF
these. :.a,. 1,..sg a---F5
There are already in the town Of Bis
marck upwards Of one hundred children
Of school age, eighty Of whom are in
attendance upon the public scnool.
Our population is rapidly increasing,
both by immigration and otherwise.
Hence our school house must be large
enough to accommodate not only those
already here but a rapidly increasing
number.
Two rooms, at the very least, are ab.
solutely necessary. As I have stated
in previous article, the interest of
the school imperatively demands that
it should be graded, and the pupils sep
arated and classified according to their
age and requirements. Two depart
ments are needed-the primary and sec
ondary.
In time we can have Union school,
comprising four departments, including
these two, with the addition of the IN
termediate and high school, in which
the course OF study can be so arranged,
and the discipline be made SO perfect
that pupils at the age of sixteen, grad
uting from the high school, will be lit
ted to enter any college in the land, or
to enter at once upon the active duties
.oflife.
Now don't roll up your eyes, oh re-
.luctant taxpayer, and say that ! ar an
planning piece Of extrayagance fo!
on q pay for. Far from it. For the
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