The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1901-12-27
PLAINS THE LAWS
Supt. CouFSsy Met With School Officers
and q Long Discussion Of School
Laws Followed.
State Poultry Show Will be Held in
Mitchell Again. Dates are Janu-
uary %. 20, 80, 81.
Dakota University Orators are Heard
From by Winning. in an Indiana
University Contest.
TALKED TO OFFICERS.
Supt. CouIsey Had a Meeting With
TALKED TO OFFICERS.
Supt. Coulsey Had a Meeting With
School Officers of the County
Saturday Afternoon.

L =
sponse to Invitations OF County Superin-
| tendent Coursey. The meeting was
held for the purpo,e of some instruc-
tions being gwen to the officers in ref
erence TO toe new school law. There
are good many duties for officers to
perform, and the superintendent
thought he easiest way for them all to
come to the same understanding of the
law was TO meet in a BODY and go over
it together and in that manner each
could have somsthing Of the same in
depreciation of the law.
This was one of the first meetings of
the kind ever held in the county and it
| resulted in much good to the officers.
Supt. Coursey before going into detsiled
explanation Of the school law made the
following recommendations to the Off.
GERS with the suggestion that they be
acted upon:
|. Insurance of school property
Every school house together with the
school furniture contained therein,
| should be insured against destruction
| or damage by either fire or wind. This
is . business proposition. The few
| dollars expended for premiums might
be the means of saving at least three
| fourths OF the value of the property in
case OF accident.
| 2 Fire-guards.-Ass soon as the frost
is out Of the ground in the spring, q
good fire guard should be plowed
around each sohoolhouse in the county.
In case of prairie fire in the spring dur
ing the period of our high winds, q
good guard will usually save the build
ings, and in case they catch fire from
within, will prevent its spreading and
destroying the property of others. One
| or Two hours work around the premises
by man and team will pay good inter-
est on the Investment.
3. Black boards.-A number of our
schoolhouses are poorly or else 1nade-
quately supplied with blackboards.
Most of such buildings are plastered.
A quart or half gallon of slate wash put
on them will produce board sufficient
| for any purpose.
| the clossts djtcent to some of our
school houses, is a disgrace to the age
in which we live. In my record of visi-
tations, [ have recorded the fact that
many OF them are lying on their backs;
others have no DOORS and not few are
falling lnlo the excavations over which
they stand. [ appeal to your sense of
| justice as mature class of people to
Take this matter in hand at once, and
before he holiday vacations have closed
see that they are again put in whole
some copdiLion, and the demand of the
teacher that they be kept SOTO this
end pledge you my hearty and fearless
lsupport.
l
Ii tire-guard has been plowed around
each school house, when Arbor Day
comes each pupil in attendance will be
delighted If directed by the teacher, to
plant shrub thereon which, if it lives,
is to be named after the one planting it;
and will gladly carry water If needs be,
to preserve its life. These little shoots
| will oon develop into shade trees which.
will beautify our school-yards, furnish
shade for the children while at play,
and will assist in the preservation of
the school property by breaking the
strong prairie winds which often do 3
great deal of damage, besides the spirit
inculcated into the minds OF our boys
and girls, will blossom and bloom like
the rose. in their after years.
| g. School bonls.-The good time s
surrounding the producer, his ability
to meet his Obligations, and the CORES
ponding diminution of loans together
with the increase in out circulating
medium, have made it possible to
secure money at an exceedingly low
rate of interest. There are some out
standing bonds against a few of our
school corporations upon which the tax
payers are paying rate of interest un-
justifable by present conditions Davi-
son county is rich. She has plenty of
money now on hand, and within the
next few months will have ten thousand
dollars more, which she will gladly loan
10 any school district at reasonable
rate of interest: thus school districts
| paying high rate OF interest on their
outstanding bonds should, through their
respective boards, secure the money at
q lower rate of interest than they are
now paying, and liquidate these bonds
at once, providing the corporation or
| individual holding them are willing to
discount them according to custom for
their premature payment.
hope these suggestions may merit
your highest consideration, aad that
the several matters to which your at
| tention has been invited, will be prompt.