The Dickinson press., 1899-03-18
Saturday, March IS, 1899.
Stark County Will Lose $1,000
Bi.AnnuaiIy by Change in School Laws.
Other important Chances.

State Superintendent Hallandhas sent
out a circular to the educators of the
state showing a summary of the changes
in the school law enacted by the 90 legis-
lature.
The law is 20 amended as to allow school
districts to be created without the exis-
tence of $1,000 worth of taxable property.
New settlers on government land will be
able now to get schools, providing they
have the necessary number of school
children, thus giving them an opportunity
to share in the public school money of
the county in which they live. The Gre
dit of the district is protected by a pro-
vision keeping their indebtedness at the
old rate of $ per cent of the valuation.
Hereafter districts adjoining inorganic
ed territory must admit to their school
pupils residing in the unorganized terri
tory and if parents or guardians are tax
payers in the school district, their chill
dren are entitled to school privileges free,
even if not residents. Under the new
law the general two mill tax for educa-
tional purposes will be apportioned in
each county. Heretofore this two mill
tax was paid by all counties into the
state, and there a general apportionment
was made in accordance with the num-
Der of school children in the state. Un-
der this arrangement some counties paid
in much more than they received back.
Cass, one of the richest counties in the
state, paid, in round figures, for two years
ending June 80, 1893, $1,000, and receiv-
ed back $4,000. For the same period
Billings county paid s361.78 and received
back S3So.8o; Stark county paid so,26o.5o
and received back s1o,664.3o. or s1,4o3.74
more than was paid out. So under the
new law this county will lose something
like $1,000 for a period of two years.
Under the reapportionment, the two
mill tax is paid by each county into its
own treasury and then apportioned ac-
cording to the number of school children
in the county by the county superinten-
dent. Upon a two.thirds vote school dis
tricts may vacate schools, erect central
schools and arrange for the transporta-
tion of pupils.
The school census will be taken in
June instead of December after this year.
School boards may select, adopt and
purchase text books and supplies for
their schools, and when requested by
.%two.thirds of the voters, they are CON-
PEELED to make such arrangement.
Physical culture will hereafter be
taught in all schools of the state re-
ceiving state aid.
An appropriation of $3.50 is made for
the purchase and arrangement of books
into travelling libraries, which will be
shipped to the various towns of the
state.
In addition to the regular %appropria-
tons now made for teachers institutes,
each county must pay from its general
fund S. for each school in the county for
the aid of training schools.
An appropriation of $4,000 annually is
made for aid to state high schools which
comply with the course of study laid
down b ythe state high school board con-
sisting of the governor, state superinten,
dent and president of the university.
The law provides an annual premium OF
a certain size to each school doing the re.
CURED work, the size dependent upon the
extent of the course of study. The plan
is similar to the one under which the
schools of Minnesota have been working
and is expected to result In uniformity Of
work and an increase in the number Of
high school pupils.