The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-06-06
DIR. MAcpoNALp,s ADDRESS.


day night, the president of the school
board, DR.. A. D. Macdonald, felt i'm
PEELED to cut short his address. There
fore The Bee is glad to be able to sup
ply the deficiency by presenting here
with the address in full.
DR.. Macdonald said:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men and Members of the Graduating
Glass; was asked by the manage
ment of these exercises to present the
diplomas to the graduating class, but
I discovered this afternoon that l am
down on the programme for an ad-
dress. had thought on an occasion
such as the present, when probably
for the only time in the year
the school trustees are brought
face to face with perhaps a
majority of those who are directly in
terested in the schools, it would be
proper for the trustees to make a
short statement of the general stand
ing of the district in order that each
and every one may have clear con-
ception of the business end of the
school affairs. AS general thing too
little attention is paid to school mat
tiers by the tax payers. They believe
they pay taxes enough and usually
kick but little at what the trustees
give them for their money. Now to
begin with let me tell you that last
year you did not pay taxes enough and
as consequence this district is to-
day in debt. The only levy made for
school purposes, aside from the spe-
cial one which is always made for
paying interest on the bonded indebt-
edness. was the general levy of four
mills. Besides the money thus receiv-
ed we have other sources of revenue,
such as fines, receipts for rentals or
sale of school lands, and per cent Of
receipts for the sale of all public lands.
From all of these sources there was
received last year $7,147.1O, which to-
gether with $324.18, on hand, made
total of $7,471.2S with which to run the
schools during the last school year.
Now we employ eleven teachers, at
salaries ranging from $50 to $50 per
month, making a total of $500 per
month or $1,000 for the school year
of nine months. We have also paid
up to the present $500 for janitor's sal.
aries, $1,000 for furniture and miscel-
laneous accounts, such as rentals, re-
pairs, stationery, cutting and hauling
Of wood, ETC., 500 for library, $3.50 for
wood and $3.50 for taking the census
and for clerks salary. It takes but
little calculation to show that we are
behind. We have avoided the press
ing need, however, by deferring pay
ment of the teachers until December
for the last months salary. This we
did at their own suggestion, and after
the fullest discussion as to the wis
dom Of having nine months school or
at eight months. We
Wal receive in short time about
$46O from the state as our share of the
famous 100000 so called corruption
fund, which the last legislature decid-
ed should be divided among the
schools Of the state. This will make
us about even, except for the $500 sal
aries which is carried over, and must
be paid out of this years receipts.
AS you know. it has become neces-
sary to build another school house.
The $4,000 bonds which were voted.
sold well. bringing premium OF
$1.216. We have bought on easy terms
a block of land on the west side of
town, in very desirable locality, on
which we will build at once a four
room school building. The plans have.
been accepted, and on Thursday night
of this week we hope to let the con-
tract under the stipulation that the
building shall be finished in time for
the opening of school in September.
Now, as ! said, we have had eleven
teachers employed in the past year,
but the increase in the number of pu-
pills will demand the addition of two
more to the staff of the coming year.
All these things will make our school
taxes somewhat higher this year, but
l am sure that for SO laudable a pur-
poses the trifling additional amount
will be cheerfully paid. We have
tried to keep the various departments
up to the high standard they have al.
ready attained and l believe that the
work of the various grades will be
found to compare very favorably with
that of previous years.
To the members of the graduating
class, in presenting the diplomas, l
have but word to say. Some of you
today finish your school life, while
with others this graduation is but a
stepping stone to the higher grades of
training. But to each of you the re.
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