Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1882-02-15
glad to state that teachers wages are

@"n"oe eApeCt PERSONS W quarry
themselves for the profession Of
teaching for such small wages, as
many districts have paid in time
past. Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming,
Montana, in short all of our neigh
boring states and territories pay bet
ter wages than we do. And of
course, the best teachers go where
they are paid the highest wages, 9TH
er things being equal. As regards
teachers, the old maxim, ''the best is
the cheapest is certainly true. BY
paying fair wages. we will not only
induce good teachers to come to us
from abroad but we will also COM
pei ell " homo ITO stamp improve
ment Oh tfe wings of time ''''s y
/ There are few suggestions l wish
to place before the people for their
consideration and l hope for their
action at the next school meeting.
l. Try to have at least six months
of school during the year and have
the terms continuous.
2. Select some good textbooks and
allow no others to be used in the
school.
3. If you have no title to your
school house site, obtain it at once.
T. Plow around the school house
and set out shade trees. This will
also serve as fire-break.
5. Insure the school house.
6. Provide hitching post for WIS.,
itors TO tie their horses to.
Z. If you intend building. do not
make your room less than ten feet
high, and if possible more. Have
plenty Of windows, that the two
great essentials, light and ventilation,
may be provided for.
8. Furnish the school room com
fortably. Teacher and scholars do
much more work when well seated.
8. Provide copy Of Webstcr's Tn
abridged Dictionary for the use of
the SCHOOL.
10. Provide, if possible, black board
space sufficient for fifteen or twenty
pupils to work ut the same time.
IL. Furnish Il Register" for your
teacher aud see that it is used.
Many more suggestions might be
made, but let all act for the best in
terests of our public schools and Ia
bor for their improvement.
With these PREDATORY remarks I
submit the following notes of my
impressions of the schools visited by
me during 1881.
District No. 4S. Visit made Jan
uary 9th; A. Y. Lindblom. teacher.
Seventeen scholars were enrolled,
embracing all but four of the per-
sons of school age in the district
Ten were present, the attendance be-
ing lighter than usual on account Of
storm.
School house needs furniture,
there being no facilities for writing
and the benches being very uncom--
Portable.
Order fair; industry fair; scholar
ship medium.
District No. IS was visited Janu-
ary 9TH. Twenty-Five scholars were
present out of an enrolment Of
twenty seven. John Ring was teach
er This district has built a new
school house but it is not completed
and was very cold and uncomforta-
ble. No furniture except chair and
table; scholars seated on boards.
Order fair; industry good; scholar
ship medium. All the scholars
were of foreign descent and under
surrounding circumstance were do
ing very well. Teacher was earnest
and dignified, and with more school
ing and experience will make a very
good teacher. There was some dis
turbance occasioned by scholars
leaving their seats frequently, to ask
the teacher questions. This should
not be permitted, as it diverts the
attention Of the entire school.
District Both, March Oath, 1881.
Oscar f. Lawson, teacher; % enroll
ed, % present; classes heard in
! reading, writing and grammar
The writing was well executed and
| principles seemed to be thoroughly
understood. The grammar class
was we'll advanced.
There were also classes in physi-
ology, history and composition,
which were doing fine work.
Three of the scholars were ex-
teachers. 1t was evident that the
teacher was giving the district his
best services. This was one Of our
best county schools and was well
advanced. The attendance had
been very good, averaging eighty
FIVE per cent Of the enrolment all
through the winter. Order, indus
try and scholarship very good.
| District No. 3 was visited May