Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1881-12-28
ELK POINT PICKINGs.
Schools In ~ nlon County y-Interestlng
Stasistlcs-Good Men-Pollsics-AP Po.
lisical Tale -Matrim0ny-The Boss
Orumbler.

Schools In ~ nion County -lntercst1nS
Stasisslcs-Good Men-Pollsics-A Po
lisical Tale -MatrimOny-The Bos
GPunlbler.
Sp~cia, corrsspcdsnccs, Yanksos Prsss.
We wish to open this correspon
dence from Union county with refer
ence to its schools. The common
schools of our great territory should
be the pride Of every citizen as they
are making our young people better
and more interesting as they step W
the ladder of years to manhood and
womanhood, besides building fol
the future something Of infinite val
ue to Dakota in statehood for gener'
ations to come. OF course consider
able is TO be. expected Of such 9
county as Union, with It's age and
people, and it gives us pleasure to
note that she is in condition to
equal every expectation in the point
of schools and the general standard
of education among her people.
The county now contains sixty-four
organized school districts, giving en-
ployment to seventy-six teachers.
During the last school year there
were enrolled 1866 scholars out OF
the 2,643 Of school age. Certainly
a good percentage. The cost Of run
ming the the schools for the time in
dicated was $4,000. The average
wages paid was-males, S2S per
month-females, $21.64; though
during the present school year the
wages are IS higher. In the county
fifty-six good comfortable school
houses have been erected, valued at
$4,000, with school apparatus val
ued at s2,50O. Forty-one Of the
districts are out of debt, while the
total Indebtedness of the twenty
three, which are yet owing, is only
s5,348.
The above is certainly good
showing from any standpoint a per-
son wishes to look at it. 1t is an
evidence of the taste of the people,
besides showing a carefulness in the
management of the finances. Mr..
f. C. Ericsson, the superintendent of
schools, informs us that there is
scarcity ofgood teachers in the coun-
ty, and that he will guarantee good
wages and pleasant schools to the
right kind of teachers.
Elk Point, one of the oldest towns
in Dakota, the home Of churches,
shade trees and cozy residences, is
pretty place to visit. 1t is the home
Of many good men-some of the
best fellows in the world. There
are few not SO good, but the minor
ity is so great that they are not no
ticed in the general make up. Elk
Point is the home Of more retired
ministers of the gospel than any
four other towns in Dakota, which
may account, to some extent, for
the moral status Of the place. 1t is
also the home of Hon. J. "A. Wallace
known among his neighbors as
Tweed" and the great politician of
the slope; Here to we find the Hon.
4. w. Miller, dyed-in-the-wool DEM
crat, hut a good lawyer and a CON-
panionable fellow. Another demo-
crat and co-worker of Mr.. Miller's
and also resident of Elk Point, is
Hon. Geo. Stickney, the present
treasurer of Union county. Mr.. S.
is one of the Oldest settlers Of Dako-
ia, and some years ago figured prom
inently in Dakota politics, but of
late years has given his attention to
raising fine stock. 1t is in Elk Point
and only there, that we find such
big-hearted fellows as A. O. Rings
rud, G. F. Mallahan, Alison Bovee,
J. NJ. Talcott; H. H. Blair, M. Hoff-
man and and score Of others.
For some years politics in Union
county have been as much a mys-
terry as most mince pies. No man
has been dead certain of anything
until after election. Generally vo-
ters have smoked plenty Of cigars at
the expense of ambitious candidates
then voted as they pleased. This
was done to much for the good OF
the republican party in the county
and this style Of voting went SO far
that an entire democratic board held
long sessions and drew good salar-
les during the last two years. This
year, however, the republicans woke
up TO and got control of affairs
again.
In this connection it may not
be amiss to give political history
to show how some things are done
politically. Immediately after the
Milwaukee road got control of the
Dakota Southern the company ex.
pressed q desire to get connection al
Elk Point with the Sioux Falls
branch by tearing up the latter line
from West6eld to Jefferson. But il
wanted Elk Point to do something