Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-01-14

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granted. In few years the men who now In.
habit the home will have passed over into the
unknown. and anything might do at the
present unthinkingly, in the interest OF
economy, which we feel at this time, might bf
q cause of regret in after years
Educational Institutions.
The public school system of Kansas is the
best evidence of the character or -ear peopli
and the best promise of future. That TIT
percentage of illiteracy is lower and the aver.
than in New York and the New England states
where great wealth commanded admirable edu.
cational facilities before our state was founded
Is most gratifying to our people We SHOULD
this admirable system, crowned by the Severai
institutions OF higher learning, did not appeal tt
state pride. In order to achieve that genera,
Intelligence which is essential to successful
citizenship it is absolutely necessary that We
should maintain a system of public schools.
that shall give the youth OF this state ample
opportunity to fit themselves for the duties
OF citizenship In dealing with the educatiOna
institutions of the state no niggardly hant
should be used, whether you touch the humble
country school or enter the halls of the grea
state institutions The condition Of the timeI
demands strict economy, but the economy tina.
would take from any child the right and priv.
fege of receiving education is false economy
against the best interests OF society and detri
mental to the future of our state. Some Of tht
chief educational institutions, notably the STATE
university and the state normal school, which
are reported crowded, will ask for certain i'm
provements and additional buildings Severa
localities will ask that normal schools be e.
taDl1Shed. Should you conclude that another
normal school is necessary, 1 would suggest
that 1t be located in some portion of the state
Of the largest population and in some central
city Of that section The school property of
kansas, including buildings and grounds,
is valued at s1O,l45,t3l. The bonded
Indebtedness Of the school districts
S44.o4o,7OS. Sixteen thousand eight hundred
and thlrty-Seven persons were examined for
teachers certificates, Of whom i, 1853, with an
average age of 20 years, received certificates
Only $50 districts have failed to maintain pub
tic schools three months One hundred and
i've counties held teachers Institutes, each OF
which has an attendance of over 80 members.
These institutes cost S3S, 7766 60 The school
system is the pride of our state. AS Sparta's
strength was not in her walls, but in her men,
so the wealth of Kansas lies not in her treas
Try, but In her StorehouSeS OF general 1ntelh-
gence. We may not have amaSsed such vast
fortunes as boosted by the countrys
bropoliS, but thank God that every boy
1ren or Kansas are not shipped to eastern
states to be quartered upon others, that our
aame shall become a by-word and kissing in
The ears of the republic.
Permanent School Fund.
The state permanent school funds have
have reached the magnificent sum of Sc S53, 987.-
10, the greater part of which has been invested
in bonds The intent and purpose OF the law
governing the purchase OF DOnQS Win THIS 1unQ
was to buy none but the best and those which
the interest and principal would be promptly
paid should suggest that the attorney-gen-
9ral, II necessary, be empowered to collect the
interest and principle on these delinquent bonds,
possible and II not possible to collect in full,
oy and with the consent of the executive coun-
I'll to compromise on the best terms possible
for the interests Of this fund.- the proceeds to be
turned into the permanent school fund, as pro-
vided by law. There is another evil worthy of
your attention in connection with the
investment of the funds by the school
fund commissioners. It has been practice for
this commission, instead OF dealing direct with
the authorized authorities Of the different coun-
ties and municipalities, to do business with
some third party, and in several cases to which
my attention has been called unnecessary COM
missions have been paid the third party, which
has left the matter open to suspicion that there
was a conspiracy to defraud. My attention has
been called to one transaction where, in trans
fer of S1OTO0O OF a certain county's bonds the
were made to pay over SIC, 900 which
went into the hands of some intermediate par
ties. I would recommend that it be made a
penal offense for the school fund commissioners
TO transact their b.siness with the different
counties, municipalities and school districts
through third parties
The University of Kansas.
The University OF Kansas has a faculty OF 81
instructors and an attendance of 9l5 students.
The institution utiliZes six buildings for educa-
tional purposes and enjoys income OF Sl0a. 600
per annum. Apparatus and libraries to the
value of $500 900 at the disposal of the stu
dents. The museum contains S107, 900 worth of
property. The students come from "a Kansas |
counties and from every walk of life, the largest
number, of course, being from farms. Almost |
One-half of them self-supporting. The an
nual income is less than that OF the universities
Of Iowa. Nebraska. Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, |
Michigan, Minnesota, California, or
other similar institution. The rapid increase
IN attendance during recent years has made it |
1if2scult for the university to keep pace with |
the demands of the students. The board Of re- |
gents makes very earnest petition for the |
building of a chemistry hall. If the legislature
decides to erect this building, it is the inten-
ton to devote the present di;ninutive chemistry
building to the school of pharmacy, which at
present appears to be in rather unsettled con-
1ition to house room The time has evident |
y been reached when larger quarters for the |
department. OF chemistry, at least, and prob |
ably for the workshop OF the |
school Of electrical engineering, have
become absolute necessities I COM
mend the requests OF the regents for more
room, to the serious and thoughtful considera-
ton of the legislature. The university Of Kan
sas was founded with the purpose Of giving the
youth of the state q liberal education at home
The idea was that our children are as much en-
titled to educational advantages as those of
in which Weather parents are
able to give their children better advantages
than could secure. Only intelligent citizens
Fan maintain republic and believe it is still
d settled principle of the commonwealth of
Kansas that her people shall be as well pre-
pared for the duties of citizenship as those of
any state in the union
Agricultural College at Manhattan.
This institution has faculty of "a members,
and attendance of 6f7 students. twO-thirdS
Of whom are young men The students come |