The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-03-22

this district is SO apparent that little or no
opposition to the measure eau be apprehend-
ed, yet a plain statement of the facts that
have led to the necessity of submitting this
act to our people, may not be out of place at
this time. The total number of pupils en-
rolled in the several rooms of the district for
the present month is 504, divided as follows
Room No. 1.....
l...........
" 3............ ...............o4
" I" Co.. 80.
|.......'. T..
WaHerville ............. ...........52
lraF0tlla. ..oZ
These figures show that every room with
the single exception of Travonia, has more
pupils than can be conveniently Or advan-
tageously handled 10y any one teacher. They
are o~vercrowded, which condition of things
is not only detrimental to the health of the
children that attend them, but is a serious
hindrance to their advancement in their
studies.
Again the school census for the year 1880
returned 1882 school census children in the
district, while the enrolment, as appears
above, shows that only 5O4-less than fifty
per celt.-attend our public schools. Half
the number of our children are out of school.
How much of This uo,-attendance at school
of children, who should be there, is caused
by the well known n,utficiency of school
room, is probably known by the scores of
parents in the district, who hesitate to force
their little ones, at the risk of their health, in
the present overcrowded schools.
The trustees have done all in their power
to relieve this pressure on the rooms. by rent
ing buildings for school purposes. They have
been, aud are still paying the sum Of $50 per
month for these buildings. This sum m
out of the school fund standing 10 the credit
OF the district, and as can be readily seen, it
absorbs. so much of it, as to materially short
ell the term of the public school.
Another and probably the most powerful
reason why an additional or larger school
building is actually necessary, lies in the
rapid increase of school census children in The
district. The following taken from the re-
port Of the district clerk, for the years named,
will show the increase for the past 70 years,
and at the same time furnishes a basis upon
which to calculate the probable increase for
the next three or four years:
School census children, S7S.......... 6lS
loI9........... SUI
=" 1880. ........ 1892
As will be seen, the increase in 1879 was a
little over 30 per cent and that of 1880 over II .
preceding wear is lust 20 per cent. At this ratio
of increase the number of school census chill
dren in the district for the next three years
may be footed up as follows:
In 1881 1881
" loeZ.... aluminium. ,.I,7l7
!"
Now, if only fifty per cent. of the children
that will be in the district during the next
three years, attend school, room must be pro.
vlded for the following numbers:
In 60
" .......... Soe
" ...-........l,lO
The fact Is thus forced upon the attention
Vi tbS Va IL uiobIlSUs tllhb O'Cy pIo
pose to provide school facilities for the child
rem that are already here, and for those that
may reasonably be expected to be here in the
future, they cannot too soon commence the
erection of the necessary additional building
The above is a plain, nnvarnished state.
ment of facts which cannot be set aside. Ad
ditional school room we must have or oul
children will be forced to obtain their edu,
cation as best they may, from the hoodlums
on tine streets. The U. g.. ". railroad will
be here during the coming summer. 1t will
= undoubtedly bring a large increase to oul
population in the shape of families who will
come to make Butte, or its immediate vicini
ty, their home. Parents of INTEL gence arr
governed in their choice of residence, in
great measure, by the school facilities that
place offers. Butte canno afford to turn sucl
from its door. The mine and mill owners
and business men of our district, want a elias.
of permanent residents to settle 10 our midst
They build up and add stability to a city
Let us invite them and retain them in oul
vicinity by holding out such superior oppor
t~unities for The education of their children az
becomes the wide-awake, prosperous, grow
ing and largest city in Montana. To do this
we must approve the act to enable our PEG
pie to build au additional school building.