Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-02-15
oTERo co. SCHOOL DIRECTORS.

OTERo co. SCHOOL DIRECTORS.
Addresses BY State Supt Murray, Pres
ident Ellis and County Supt.
Fenalson.
The Otsro County School Directors ~
sociation met at the Presbyterian church
Saturday morning last, DR.. E. w. Kearby
presiding, and G. ". Fenlason secretary.
The attendance was not a. large - it
should have been, the absence Of many
directors being caused by disagreeable
weather, the worst Of the season, about
the only spell which residents OF the val
ley have been obliged to apologize Tor
this winter.
At the morning session Supt. Fenlason
spoke Of the school situation In the coun-
ty, saying that the schools were doing ex-
cellent work and that harmony generally
prevailed between teachers and pupils
and school boz rlsL
Murray addressed the association ON the
reciprocal duties Of and relations OF the
school directors and the county superin-
tendent. Mr.. Murray said that when he
entered his Office he was astouiahed 20
find two school systems in operation IN
the state. There was the city schools
with fine buildings, the best OF appli-
ances, with salaries from $50 to $50 per
month, and ten months school In con-
trast he found the country schools with
poor buildings, meager apparatus, salar-
les from $40 to $50 and only four months
treatment Of the children Of the state. In
the financial centers the special district
tax was from nothing to two or three
mills, while in the country districts il was
from five to fifteen mills. He would OBJ
literate the imaginary lines which divided
the state into districts and tax
the wealth OF the whole state to support
all the schools Of the state. The district
tax should be abolished, as it is the duty
Of the whole state to educate the children
of the state-thst being paramount in
terest. The state should employ ail the
teachers, paying none less than $50 per
month and having ten months school
everywhere. The speaker deplored the
non-enforcement Of the compulsory law
and also the delinquencies Of many direc-
tors in not standing by the teachers, and
also in some cases selecting teachers from
personal or mercenary motives rather
than because Of fitness for the place.
Teachers should urge the visits Of the
county supeEintendent, and try to learn
from him the secret Of the niccess OF
other schools which be had visited The
school law should be changed 90 az 10
teachefs for the various schools Of the
county, he being acquainted with both
the schools and the teachers, and thereby
enabled to place the right teacher in the
right place. Directoes vero often negli-
gent in sending the required reports to
the superintendent. causing him unneces-
sary viGts to secure the FACTS required BY
Law. A very large proportion Of tho dis
tricts Of the state issue illegal warrants,
i 9. in excess Of the levy for the current
year. The superintendent should be
consulted in regard to such matters, q
he should have under his supervision the
tire county. In general, tho duties Of the
superintendent and the school board are
reciprocal.
Supt. Fenlason said that Otero county
vas In better shape than many others in
the state, the wages averaging higher,
none less than 80 per month, and some
country districts paying $50. Ofhcerl
and teanhers are working for the interest
OF the schools. Otero county has few
districts and much railway property
which ightens the burden Of the peoples
l
be organized and larger local taxation
necessary.
State Supt. Murray said that IL the
best talent is to be kept in the school
room wages must be paid equal 10 wha,
teachers can earn in other Lines Of occu.
patton.
DR.. Aston Ellis, president of the State
Agricultural college, Fort Collins, wa
next introduced TO the association and
delivered an address on how TO strength
en- the school sentiment among the peo
pie. He said that tho high character and
wide range Of school facilities now provi
10 the university, indicated that ths
school sentiment among the people VA
already very strong. He thought thal
school advantages might in many CASE
be moro highly valued il they were no
| 20 common, and harder work would
be done IN tho schools II the oppoftuni
ties were les easily obtained. The Unitei
States il the grandest country on th,
globe, Offering privileges and advantages
to its citizens unknown in other lands
The fcw chsnges made in the natio0a
Of the nations conservatism, which Il
ono Of its characteristics, side by nd
with its remarkably ProRressive spirit
When We get good thing We make tn
most Of il. The earliest colonists fourG
time amid their struggles for existence h
lay the foundations Of great educstiona
institutions. The spirit Of those time
has come down TO the present. - evi
denced by the fact that generally the bes
building in town il the school house
indicating large voluntary expenditure
President Ellis regretted that teaching
had not yet attained the dignity Of pro
fession, and 80 long ~ a large proportion
OF the teachers are women it cannot be I
profession. Young unmarried womer
cannot make professional teachers, and
he was glad Of it The tendency was fol
moro female and less male teacher.
Lady teachers are not in the school room
fer life. As rule they get married ani
ought to, and the sooner the better for al
concerned in some cases. And when in.
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