, 1901-12-19

anu STOWlnS state, ana TO adopt meas
ures that, when co-operated in by you
will best serve the interests of its citi
zens and place before the people on
the outside a prospectus that viii
cause them to recognize Wyoming as
the foremost state in the union, offer
ing the best inducements for the
homeseekers and the widest and most
profitable field for enterprise and in
dustry.
In order to bring about a full dis
cussion of the states advantages
your committee has placed before you
a program naming certain citizens OF
the state to speak on certain topics
which they considered the most import
ant and most desired to be discussed
One of the topics, | am glad to know
considered by the committee as i'm
portant and given a place upon the
program, is 1.-The Schools of the State
but regret that the selection of the in
dividual to present it was an unwise
one.
The amount of ground to be cover
ed, las the field is a wide one). and
the limit of time intended for the pa
per, prevent an exhaustive or full
treatment of the subject and | an
I Sldu thdl llllle SpdIc LII tllle Ia CIV
en- me for fear of proof of faulty dis
cussion.
In presenting to you the statistics
and conditions of the schools of the
state, it is found that most of the sta
~tistics that are available the
years from 1890 to 1900. During this
period. our population increased fifty
two and four-tenths per cent, while
| tho school aprcIlmopf iprrao cod ahouf
one hundred per cent, going to show
that the population gained in recent
years has been that of families and O
a permanent character
The greater number and the costli
est school buildings in the cities and
towns were erected prior to 1890, and
this fact must be taken into consider
alton in the comparison of figures
which | shall give.
In 1890, the number of schools taught
was 2S2, with an enrolment of 1875
while in 1900, 524 schools were taught
and the number of pupils enrolled was
ASP. In 1890, there was an average
of a school to every % pupils, and in
1900, an average of one school to every
81 pupils.
The amount paid to teachers In
1890 was $SS, $685. and in 1900, the
amount expended for the same purpose
was $3.50, 3S6.43. an increase of one
hundred and five per cent.
In this connection a curious fact
comes to our notice. In Massachusetts
the amount expended on schools per
capita of population is larger than that
expended in Wyoming while the
amount expended per pupil is less in
proportion, going to show that the
money raised by our taxpayers lis
more directly expended on the actual
teaching and schooling of the pupil
than in any other state. In other
| words, we don't indulge in fads.
In 1890, the average amount expend
ed per pupil vas $19.42. In 1900, we
expended $2O.53 per pupil. Massachu
sets, which is supposed to rank high
est educationally. spends $29.42 per pu
pill for all school purposes; New York
spends on an average Of $685.; Penn
~sylvania, SLIP: Iowa, $14.37; and
Wyoming's average, as stated before
is $20.53.
To give figures in full, we expended
for school purposes In 1890 1852 ,928.Se
and in 1900. we expended $312, 620.28
| or the last mentioned amount, $43,
265.27 was received from rentals or
lands donated to the schools by the
general government and was not a di
rect tax.
During the same year, the admins
~tration of the state of Wyoming cos,
$284, 551. 95, less by $28, 000.0 90 than the
cost Of the conduct of our public
schools, and the total amount expend
ed for the county governments of the
state is about the same, showing thai
the citizens Of Wyoming consider the
schools as important as the state ant
county governments.
Comparing TIE average salaries pait
teachers in other states. We find tha'
New York pays an average salary o
$61.08 per month; Pennsylvania
Sal. O5; Iowa, $34.27: and Wyoming
$51. SO. During the last few years, tn
standard for teachers has been RAISED
and this, with the liberal salaries paid
has resulted in obtaining the best tai
ent for the instruction of our schools
Up to 1890, the cost of all schoo
houses had been 1906, 1886, and ii
1900. the cost of all school buildingl
erected had reached the sum Of $453,
GOT As.
Owing to the fact that the SCHOOL,
were SO richly endowed by the gener
al government in its donation of mor'
than three million IN Of land 10
their support, our increased enroll
ment does not necessitate an increas
ed tax levy. II the state were abb
to lease all of its school lands. and C.
the rates now charged, and keep then
under constant contract. the revenue
derived therefrom would be sufncien'
to nay nearly one-half of the cost o
our public school system. not only do
ing away with the special school dis
Itrict tax. but also materially reducing
the county school tax levy.
I wish now to say something to yo'
|regarding the framework Of our publ
school system, for I believe that W
are peculiar to ourselves in u meth
od. Our school system II simply IN
yopeYa&ive unless the patrons Of . dia
ltric4 take An interest in school Affairs
Ia school meeting must be held and n
eArotlment reported IN = district befor'
share can be obtained In the genera
county school fund. or an apportior
tnsnt from the common school Ian