Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-01-03
ROCKY FoRo's PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

TIN. ntiI,ii. scIIo1is sf Rocky Ford
furnish u most significant AMI reliable
index oT tile growth nf III" iuwn. They
not anly iniIcai" the mere growth uf
population. pertinent n they arr IN
that respect. hut they indicai" ais" nn
appreciation nn the part "f that i"lu'
in,lnn nf the important raTt education
plays In the w"li.b"ing II c"inihn'
nifty.
Will" population In the West Il for
ever ION the wing" ani much nf the
Iibcrnl equipment furnished under our
free public school system does not ne.
cunplish til. best results bccnus. of
the instability OF population. yet the
provision made j. such that II II the
parent who Il To blame and not the
community if u child goes without
schooling. To those who know any
thing Of conditions In the more popu.
Ioiis East II * u wcll.known fact that
school accommodation II very inadc-
utintc and most commonly 50 In the
largest cities. where taxable resources
are the most abundant. The readiness
with which u western community nc-
ccpis the burden Of taxation for school
purposes II something that does credit
to the general intelligence. especially
80 In the face Of the fact that much or
parents have no taxable property and
no abiding residence anywhere. ana
whose children do not remain long
enough In any one school for the
teacher to get apprcciable results in ed.
ucation or discipline.
But. disrcgar,ling this condition.
Rocky Ford has year by year made
generous provision for all the children
coming within her borders. The cdtf-
cationnl beginnings of lie town or coiIi-
miinity were made about fifteen years
ago In n small adobe structure situated
near what IL now the corner of Tenth
street and Swink avenue. and upon
which there stands to-day n handsome
and substantial tcn-room school house.
built Of pressed brick. stcam-hcatcd
and well equipped with teaching ap-
parntus. with recitation room. school
library. gymnasium. etc. This Is
known as the Liberty school. In 1t Is
located the high school, as well as an
elementary school in all the grades
from first primary upward.
On the south side of the town Is an
other brick school building of six com.
mOdious rooms. known as the Wash
ington building. All these rooms are
filled. and recently an overflow of the
was pi'N i"'h i'i ny
the rental of temporary premises for n
portion of the little ones in the central
part of the town. Out on the western
border we have still another building.
the Lafayette school, which provides
accommodation for children of the first
five grades resident in the westcrnmost
portion of the school district.
For these several schools n staff of
twcnty-thrcc teachers has been pro-
vidcd. three of whom are specialists in
music. clocution. drawing and penman-
ship. The others are regular grade
teachers. experienced in their work.
and all of them presided over by a gen
cral city superintendent as the direct
ing head or chief of staff. Among the
Illustrations of this special edition will
be found the portraits of our public
school staff with their names and
grades appended.
The value of Rocky Ford's school |
buildings and equipment property may !
he stated as approximately S33,5OO.
The amount paid monthly for salaries T.
is S1.43O. The incidental running eX- |
penscs of the schools is about $3.50
per month outside of salaries.
1t will be seen. therefore. that as one
of the Institutions of the city the pub /
lie schools is not n neglected interest, (
whatever may be said of less mpor-