Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-01-14
Superintendent Winans' RECON-
mendatfOnS.

mendationS.
The law of Kansas makes it the duty OF
the state superintende nt of public instruc-
ton to give in the biennial report "plans
for the management and improvement of
common schools" Following are the re-
Communications offered by Superintendent
Winans:
First-State aid to the amount of $50 an
nually should be given to each county hold
ing a normal institute of at least four weeks,
regardless of the number enrolled. County
aid should be made compulsory, instead of
being optional, as it now is.
Second-The state board of education
should have its membership enlarged so as
to include representatives of our city schools
and country schools.
Thlrd-The permanent school fund should
be reimbursed in the sum of S115, 800 by
Legislative appropriation, and certain bonds
now held by the state treasurer should be
cancelled and destroyed.
Fourth-Section 1, chapter 900, laws of
1889, ought to be SO amended as to provide
for the annual school meeting, in cities of
the third class, at an earlier date than the
last Thursday in July. In these cities from
three to twelve teachers are employed. and
it would be better for the schools, and the
teachers, if teachers conld be employed at
an earlier date than is possible as the law
now stands. Such a change in the law is
now asked for by the district boards of many
of these cities. principally on the ground
that under the existing law cities of the first
and second class are able to employ the best
teachers before the annual meetings are
held.
Fitth-As the law now stands, the county
superintendent has no legal right to disor-
ganize legally formed school district. I
believe that county superintendent should
be empowered to disorganIze school DIS
tricts, provided there be no bonded indebt-
edness, subject to the same limitations as
apply in the formation of new districts.
Sixth-lt is quite evident that the law re-
lating to compulsory attendance at school is
susceptible of improvement. have yet to
learn of any very general attempt to enforce
the law, so wholesome IN Its purpose. The
reason for the non-observance of the law
may be found in the law itself So many
ways of evading the law are in imated that
it would be very difficult to compel the at
tendance at school of children whose parents
or guardian do not, for any cause, choose to
Seventh believe that the legislature
should, at the earl est day practicable, restore
the mill levy by the state. to be distributed
as the annual school fund is now appor-
toned. And if the Legislature would make
the levy mills or even mills, their action
would go quite long way toward correct
ing our present unequal and unjust distribu-
ton of the money raised for the support of
our schools by the district plan of taxation.
Eighth-The time has come in the history
of our state for the establishment of truant
schools for the already large and constantly
increasing number of pupils who are on the
streets when they ought to be in school.
Ninth-Thoughtful school men everywhere
agree the opinion that wise grading of
our country schools would secure more sys-
tematic and better work than is being done
at present.
Ter th-The matter of school text books
is being much discussed. AS in the report
from this Office for 1889-'90, again express
the opinion that the best solution of the
problem involved would be that school dis
tricts, townships or counties be authorized
to select books for term of years, and that
these books be furnished free to all pupils de-
string to use them. Such law need not in
terfere with the present county uniformity
law