Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-11-28
A REVISION OF School LAWS
reetng at Helena Outlines Some of the Necessities
of the State Schools--Crticism Invited From
Trustees and Taxpayers That Adj
ustnlent May be Proper.

be refunded mt ! per cent, with a
premium, and some districts could
wipe out all floating Indebtedness by
this process. The new law will pro-
vide for the refunding ofboth redeem
able and maturing bonds.
There was some discussion of a
plan to make every district absolute.
ly independent, but this did not meet
with favor, although future develop
ments may require such law.
1t was decided to so ochange thelaw
that districts having "a population OF
more than 1900 shall be districts OF
the first clpss, entitled to seven
trustees. The present population
limit for districts OF the first class IL
1900, and the change was made to
benefit Helena and Anaconda, which
have fallen below the limit.
1t was also decided to recommend
that no teacher shall be employed
who does not hold n certificate, and
the employment Of "a teacher not
holding a certificate shall he mis-
demeanor upon the part OF the
/ trustees. The clause In the present
law, which was introduced by mis-
take, which prohibits trustees from
employing teacher for more than
three months, will be recommended
for repeal.
1t was also decided to recommend
that each county superintendent be
allowed mileage Of 10 cents each way
while travelling on official business.
| The present law makes no provision
for the expenses Of county superln.
tendents. In some counties, Il the
superintcndents gave proper atten-
! ton to the schools, their travelling
expenses would exceed their salaries.
So bad is this condition in some coun-
ties that the salary of the county
superintendent Is OF really less value
than the smaller salaries of teachers,
and the best teachers will not be
county superintcndents.
1t WAS decided to recommend that
whenever II new district IL created
L1d il il proposed to issue bonds fpF
the building Of "a school house there
shall be submitted to the electors az
the same time the question of de-
termining a site for the school house.
Under the present law the trustees
choose the site, and ii two OF the
three trustees live in one end of the
district they are prone to locate the
school house near their own homes,
regardless of the location of the
homes oi the majority of the pupils.
1t will also be recommend that at
every school election the polls shall
be kept open continuously from II.
m. until Sp. m. At present the polls
are open from a. m. until noon and
from p. m. until 6 p. m. and many
workingmen areunable to vote, while
ii the desired change be made. they
may vote at the noon hour or after
they quit work for the day.
Some Of those in attendance at the
meeting were In favor of making II
compulsory upon trustees o close the
schools of their district while coun-
ty teachers institute is in session.
Superintendent Largent showed how
great hardship would have been
worked upon the Great Falls schools
last fall II the institute had been held
at the scheduled time and the schools
had been forced to close again after
they had been closed for several
weeks on account OF smallpox. Others
cited similar instances aud it was