Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-03-17
new SCHOOL LAWS.
Changes That Have Been Made By the
Legislature in the States
School Laws.
Superintendent Halland Embesaies the
Provisions Of the Change in
q Circular.
Educators Are Pleased With the Action
Of the Legislature Touching
Education.
SCHOOL LEGISLATION.

lfl-tZ4
There were many important changes
In the school laws Of the state enacted
by the last legislature, in which there
will be general interest among the
states educators. These r tersely
and Complementary summarized in.
a circular to the educators 6f the state
soon to be issued by the state super
intendent. The educators are pleased
generally. that the legislature, in it's
enactments, deferred to the recon-
mendations Of the educational associa-
ton, and made such changes as We're.
believed by the educators to be for the
best interests Of state schools.
Under m amendment of the old law
relating to the organization OF school
districts, these may be organized here
after without the existence of 5000
worth Of taxable property in the dis
trict. Under this amendment it is
possible for settlers on government
lands in the newer regions Of the state
to organize school districts, provided
they have the necessary number Of
school children, thus giving them an
opportunity to receive aid from the ap-
p~ortionment of tuition funds made by.
the state and giving them the privilege
Of legally establishing schools. The
credit of the districts is protected by
a provision keeping their Indebtedness
at the old rate of five per cent of the
assessed valuation. The law also pro-
vides that townships having in their
limits cities of not less than 800 inhab-
itants may withdraw and organize as
separate school districts independent
of the cities. These provisions of law
are already in effect.
Hereafter districts adjoining nor
ganized territory must admit to their
schools pupils residing in the unorgan-
lied territory and If parents or
guardians are taxpayers in the school
district, their children are entitled to
school privileges free, even If not resi-
dents. Under the new law the gem
eral two mill tax for educational pur-
poses will be apportioned in each
county. Heretofore this two mill
tax was paid by all counties into the
state, and there a general app0rtion-
ment was made in accordance with the
number of school children in the state.
Under this arrangement many of the
counties of the state, such as Pierce,
Logan, Eddy, Burleigh, Kidder, Ram
sey, LaMOure, Stutsman, and other
counties, paid in much more under the
tax than they received back, and the
law. accrued to the benefit of one or
two of the big Red river counties,
which profted many thousand dollars.
Under the reapportionment, the two
mill tax is paid BY each county into
its own treasury and then apportiOned
according to the number of school
children in the county by the county
superintendent.
Rural school districts under the new
law are permitted to vacate schools
erect central schools, and arrange for
the transportation of children to these
schools. TwO-thirds Of the votes of
the districts affected are necessary to
make this arrangement.
The district school censu through
the state under the new law will be
taken on the first day Of June Or with
in twenty days thereafter, instead of
the present time, except in the case Of
special school districts. Another
amendment to the present law requires
that school boards may, whenever
deemed necessary or advisable, select,
adopt, and purchase text books and
supplies for the schools under their
supervision, and whenever requested