The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-03
THE NEW TRUSTEES
Meet and Discuss Matters Pertaining
to the Public Schools.
sUPT. E. A. sTEERE's LETTER
Text Books and Their Merits and
the ACCESSIBILITY of Changing
Them Were Brought Up
Applications.

Butte, May 1.-The new board of
school trustees held their first meet
ing tonight, but owing to the absence
of Mr.. Mcconnell the board was not
formally organized. The question Of
employing teachers for the next school
year was briefly discussed, but IL was
thought best to defer the election of
teachers until the close of the schools
The schools will close on Friday. the
18th OF this month, and the commence
ment exercises will take place at the
opera house on Saturday. the 18th. be-
ginning at $50 o'clock in the morning.
The afternoon session will commence
at 2 o'clock. The normal training class
will graduate on Friday. the 10th. the
exercises for which will be held at the
Auditorium in the evening.
Mr.. Hoskins submitted bids for the
printing of graduating programmes
and diplomas as follows: Miner pub
fishing company, $50; Butte Printing
company, $50. There will be about
1000. programmes and 100 diplomas.
The bids were referred to a committee
with power to act.
The following communication was re-
ceived from Superintendent Steere:
Board of School Trustees Silver Bow
County:
Dear Sirs.-This department is con-
stantly in receipt of letters from vari-
Gus parts of the state pertaining TO
changes in text books. These inquiries
and statements which accompany them
convince me that while there is uni
versal desire for important changes In
books, yet there is great uncertainty
and hesitancy as to the accomplish
ment of changes or as now 10 pest
bring about the changes and yet pre-
II n ausAh
/ to make the state course OF stuuy
practicable, and to prevent hardship
| to families changing their residence
/ within the state.
| You are doubtless aware that the
new law makes it the duty of the state
board of education to recommend %
/ the legislature a uniform system OF
text books to be used In the public
| schools below the high schools. The
time at which such a recommendation
l shall be made Is not stated. but IL u
presumed that II was intended 70 %
made previous to the expiration OF tn
contract in force. The way the legis
llature left the text book matter ha'
| precipitated an emergency certainl,
not contemplated in the law, ana II Il
| altogether probable that unless SOM
steps be taken to govern the changing
of books there will probably be such
diversity of books in our schools tw'
i
that state uniformity will ever agail
be enforced in Montana.
MANY agents of book houses ar
| now importuning and annoying tn
members of boards of trustees through
out the state, and i have definite In
formation that every book concern wi
have agents here within the next tw
"The present text book law expire
July / next, and the fact is known a
over the Union. Would II not be VII
to encourage the state board or ed'
$ cation to select list of books and
make their recommendation at its Jul
meeting, and thus prevent the undesi
, | able consequences of promiscuous
1 lections? II you desire that che sta
4 board should act in accordance WI
t this suggestion, will you not adore
n me at once, giving your views l W
h then lay the matter before the sta
o board of education at it's next meetfn
Nav /. at which time said board ca
!. take steps to complete the work at
June meeting. Prompt action may
: fraueht with good results. RENAL
!. most sincerely "E. A. srEERE.
: superintendent of Public Instru
d ton"
y Mr.. Steere's letter was discussed, b
: | no action taken. The expressed Cpl
n ion of the board, however. was tn
v | there should be no change In TIE te
3 books at present, and that they shou
d remain as they now. are until the ne
e meeting of the legislature.
'e The report of Superintendent he
h. bricks showed that the. number. OF 7
m nils enrolled and belonging In I
n schools at the close of April was $3.50
" A number of bills, including the s.
v ary list, were allowed and order
ID paid.
X A committee was authorized to e
III | ploy an orchestra for the graduau
1t | exercises. and to see that the boxes
is the opera house were reserved for
Id members of the board and their Tar
lg lies.
The superintendent was instructed
III permit the promoter OF the amatt
e. opera company TO distribute tick
IS | for sale among the school children.
at II is probable that at the next me
MS ing of the board the corps OF teach
is will be selected, and the clerk ana
a. nerintendent elected. There are Sc
,n or more of applicants for the latter
rk sition, including f. e. Paxson, I
tn present clerk; w. e. Harmon, prir
a, nal of the Bozeman schools; PROBES
le NewiI of this city and many otht
ne some of whom sent their photogral
nd with their applications as an evtde
ty | Of good faith and not necessarily
prove their fitness.
1 S-
70. cAUCUsING.
= | ~r,.-srract of the Council HOLD