Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-01-10

population OF the institution for $2,-
$50, or about Eve and one-half per cent
interest on the money now asked for
buildings and maintenance. At the
price charged for the maintenance of
cur blind under the Iowa contract we
could educate Ill students with the
money now asked for maintenance
alone at the Gary institution. This is
greater number Of blind children
than I hope we may ever nave.
A measure was pushed through the
legislature in 1895 locating a school
TOR the blind at Gary upon the deciding
Of q certain tract Of land to the state
By the town. The last legislature made
IN appropriation for the maintenance
of the institution which | should have
vetoed had tlere been any other alter
native than to allow the blind to go
without care, but as no appropriation
was available for use unuer the IOWA
contract ! reluctantly approved the
bill.
When the governing board wen. to
Gary to arrange for opening the school
they found no suitable place. The
building which had been so generously
donated to the state as an inducement
for the passage of the appropriation
W00 al ~ IOOhcTy WHICH Ldu DttH tl
one time used for a court house in the
early days of Deuel. county. 1. was
entirely inadequate and unsafe and
when the people of Gary were appraised
Of the Discrimination Oh the board to
open an institution in such quarters.
they erected a neat brick structure,
which was fitted up with steam heating
plant, school furniture, etc. BY utiliz-
tAN tho nlI frnr,,f huiIJ;nv fDc Jnrrnf
tory purposes for the boys, the school
Will accommodate thirty pupils, there
being twenty-five now in attendance,
Oeven of whom have been admitted on
contract with the state of North Dako-
b. The buildings were formally Civ
On to the state by the citizens of Gary
an April 20 last and were accepted by
the governor and the members of the
board of charities and corrections.
The board was fortunate in securing
the services of Miss Dora Donald OF
iowa, who is exceptionally well quail
ded for the position of superintendent,
and the school Is meeting with excel
lent success. The institution is Of
in its infancy and as it grows
will require yearly more help. 1t is
equipped for work; has no fire
insufficient land; nj cows
10 furnish dairy products: no carriage
Ind horses to afford the children
1eaithful exercises and recreation, and
many other things almost indispensa-
,le in an Institution CT this kind. What
)ver difference of opinion there may
10 regarding the policy of establishing
public institutions at a time so
or In advance of the real necessity for
hem, once established lhey should be
properly provided for.
Miss Donald estimates the necessary
appropriation for buildings and main
for the coming two years at
"a 1000.
STATE SCHOOLS.
Appropriations should be liberal for
the schools Of the state, as failure TO
appreciate the demands or our young
men and young women for improved
educational Facilities may result in los
Ing their patronage and eventually in
the loss of their citizenship. The diff
ference between the cost of maintain
Ing good schools and inferior one is
30 little that there should be no hest
fancy In making appropriations suffl-
large to place u state insti-
upon an equality with the best
of other states.
Wisdom would have suggested the
consolidation of our educational sys-
tenn at one point, but have gone to the
extreme In the opposite direction.
Schools were located pursuan. to local
demands instead Of in response to a
eound educational policy. The tenden-
cy to a multiplication of Normal
schools should be curbed, as it means
q large number of inferior educational
Institutions at a vast and ever increas-
Ing expense to the state.
At the last session Of the legislature
q bill granting 10000 acres of public
land for a Normal school at Aberdeen
was passed. The bill was vetoed. An
other bill was introduced and passed
changing 1t to a school OIL technology
which finally became a law by limi-
tation. A bill making a similar grant
Of land for a normal school at Water
town was passed and vetoed. I do not
regret the passage Of the Aberdeen bill.
To allow the institution to be located
In the north part Of the state was to
eorestall a combination in some future
legislature which would have created
q brood Of needless schools. The site
Tor the Aberdeen school Is well select
ed adjacent to the best residence part
Of the city. I have no doubt the in
gtitntion, II properly managed, will be
prosperous and largely attended from
the start.
cannot endorse the Springfield Nor
NAL, that portion Of the state being
~abundantly provided with similar edu-
caticnal institutions already. At pres
emit 1t is a puny local school which the
rgents unwisely recognized without
reason or authority after the legisla-
ture of 1897 had refused to make an
appropriation for its maintenance.
THE MADISON NORMAL.
The Madison Normal, under the able
management of Prof. Beadle and it's
competen. faculty, is now in very
nourishing condition with the largest
attendance during its existence.
The new dormitory seems to have
been built with a view to getting the
creates. amount of space rather than
with an eye to architectural uniformi-
~ and beauty. The building has three
stories and a basement. Unfortunate
" the appropriation was insufficient to
complete the building for occupancy
this season owing to the high prices
which the trusts have extorted for
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