Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-01-10

sentation Of the conditions Of these schools
nj this time impossible.
Among the matters of importance at.
traelng the attention od the executive ia
lne llInaed part then printed was the ref
erence TO the value of educatiou-Qot AZ q
local matter, but as a matter OF national
lmportance. The value Of education cam
mol De overestimaf ed. We all recognize It
as the chieI corner stone upon wuIcs our
Structure OK government rests. We believe
that none but IN educated people can long
sofeIn themselves successfully. Ii is the
broader recognition Of this principle thst
mas shaped our liberal educational laws:
nat ihaSes the people willing TO pay taxes
Tor the SUPPORT Of the schools.
c,,apss ,egisiataIs OF lsVl. section 70 OF sub
county commissioners shall ut the time of
nhhklhg the annual assessment and levy Of
aaAes, te'y a tax OF one dollar on each
eiector IN the county Tor the support 4 tue
connson school, and u further general tax
or z mills on the dollar upon all taxable
pp0peros IN the county. to De applied TO the
received from the state constitute aud be
known as the county general school fund.
Sec. - provides that the county superin-
tehdent snail On or before the second Muu-
days In January, April, July aud October
OF each year apporuon the money Ina the
county treasury belonging TO the county gen.
efaI school fund To the several public
school corporations within the county. in
proportion 10 the number OF children Of
school age residing therein. He shall also
"L'SiS VI III CeuuLy treasurer In
favor OF che several school treasurers OF
the county, for the amounts apportloned to
for.
This law was evidently intended for the
purpose or rendering aid to the poorer,
sparseIy settled districts, and Is a wise and
Just Just provision The auditor in his report
declares that reports received from the
various counties Indicate that this tax, In
many instances, Is altogether ignored, and
that In some counties only a part Of this
amount Ia layiRH WhilA fha apu nttER
that these taxes shall be levied by law
ought to be enforced and that tax collected.
Either this or the law should be repealed.
l hope you will give 1t the attem ion which,
In your wisdom, you deem Il to demand.
The delay In presenting the report Of the
superintendent Of public hstruction is
impossible longer to delay the printing CT
the message for the purpose OF being able
70 present to you more fully the condition
OF our public schools and their demands.
This omission can only be supplied By ref
ereRce to the report OF the superintendent
or public instruction herewith submitted.
Agricultural College.
In addition to the appropriation Of state
Iunus Tor the biennial period ending June
81, 1894, the college received from the gov.
eminent under what is known as the Nor
rill law, S37, 200. This sum less a balance
OF $3.50 remaining In the hands OF the
treasurer or the board Of regents July /,
1894, makes $50, T0I. II TO be added TO the
expenditures or the college for the two
years. In connection with the college Is
the United States experiment starion for
South Dakota, wholly supported In its or
binary expenses by the $1,000 per year
granted by the general government and
known as the Hatch Fund. The amount
OF $4,000 has been received from the treas-
urer Of the United States during the past
two years and has been carefully expended
for the purposes stated In the law.
University.
The university Of VermilIion suffered a
great loss nv fire. In ncfnhor 1QnQ tko
main building being destroyed with the
greater part OF the equipments. There be-
Ing no FIND anS t for the repair Of the loss, Clay
took steps toward reconstruction and
equipment. We are Informed that they
have, with a few contributions from nom
resident friends, already expended about
$4,000 and will probably add a small
amount. Deeply as the loss was regretted,
" was c2tsEEa!.cd III conference between
tie board of regents and the executive,
that while no obstacle should be put In the
way OF. reconstruction, no official cogniZ.
ance OF the same could be taken giving
any obligation either expressed or Implied
The normal school at Madison and Spear
fish have been blessed with more than
usual prosperity during the past two years.
Inc schools are about equal in equipment.
teaching force and number Of students,
on the part OF the state.
They are a credit 10 the state, and are
each year granting diplomas to young men
and young women who are among the best
teachers In our common schools.
school of Mines.
The school of mines situated at Rapid
City has during a part of our existence as
q state been the subject of serious contro-
versy. The number in Attendance has usual
ly been small, considered out Of all proper
ton TO the amount of money expended.
II Is true that this idea has been enter
tained chiefly by those who do not thorough
ly understand the purposes OF the school.
1t Is gratifying to be able to state that
notwithstanding the considerable saving
which has been made under the efficient
management Of the board of regents, the
school was never In so prosperous a con-
dillon as now. About a year and a half
ago a reorganization OF the working force
of the school Of mines was had and DR..
V. T, McGlllycuddy was put I'm charge.
New life seems to have been infused into
the institution. 1t has been run upon bust
ness principles. The corps OF teachers is
an efficient one, and the number OF stu
dents nearly double what 1t has at any time
been during any period Of its history. In
trust will in the future, under wise govern
ment be made to serve the purposes for
which Ii was created.
There is unusual activity In mining circles.
prospecting Is being done all through the
wonderful Black Hills, New discoveries
are made, requiring new assays. An assay
made by the school OF mines as TO the value
or any mining property ought to carry
with It absolute guaranty OF its correct
ness. 1t Ought to be as much entitled to be-
lief as any document emanating from the
sCCTclkTH oI state nearing MS SiBlaIIte
and the great seal. There IL n large amount
of machinery and apparatus In the school
OF mines for the nse OF the students, rep
res emitting as already given Sl4.2JS.
! invite your attention particularly to a
consideration Of this institution. because
of the deep interest l feel In the develop
ment of that most marvellous portion OF our
state in which II has Its home.
Geological Survey.
In March, 1898. under the provisions of
chapter 3S of the Session Laws If 1898, the
regents appointed Prof. ]. L. Todd of Yer
million, a g~eOlOgist OF wide reputation, 10
assist In such part of the work requil ed as
IL deemed practicable. Prof. Todd has per-
formed his duties with zeal and ability SO
far as he was able under the limited appro-
priatiOn. His report Is herewith presented,
together with the report OF the board Of
regents. to which your attention is resDect-
fully invited.
Much misapprehension exists among our
neopIe as to these higher Institutions OF
learning. Many OF you have come TO take
your seats in this legislature, fresh from
the discussions which have been carried on
among the people, stimulated by the utter
ances Of the press.
The people OF this state are proud of
their schools, and rightly so. IL IL shall De
claimed that we have more high schools
than we need, the answer Is that they were
received from territorial condition, and are
regarded as the best evidences OF q high
-.... ~ ,,v,ii1asfnp 70 tha uhnia Qnprnnri.