The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1903-01-09
County superintendent Fare.
well

With some degree of pain, in a men
tai way, the editor and superintendent
approach the time when he is to lay
down the relations he has borne to the
county schools for four years. These
have been four eventful years for him.
The associations that have been form
ed, the experiences met, the criticisms
encountered, and the words of APPROX
al from many, have all contributed to
make the period of time profitable and
largely pleasant. Teachers have been
loyal: they have, as a rule, taken sug-
gestions pleasantly: they have tried
faithfully, most of them, to meet the
demands in professional way. All
this is appreciated. But now the time
is here when all these relations must
be laid down to be taken up by a sue
cessor, in whom he has large conf
dence and for whom he hopes the larg-
est success.
The present superintendent began
his work as an officer expecting to ac-
complish many good things in the way
of progress. He has learned now that
it is not an easy matter to get persons
to think alike even in regard to pro-
gress, what makes it or how to obtain
it. 1t is with little chagrin that he
looks back over the path and sees SO
many cOrpses strewn along the path
representing his ideals, his plans, his
best thought. These are cOrpses in
general because they met some one or
more who thwarted his ideals and
plans. In other words the ideals
would not 90 until more people would
think alike.
Among the things he wanted to ac
cOmplish were: regular attendance of
all the children in the country, better
teachers, and more months of school,
larger pay for the teacher who is work
ing now for less than the cOmmOnest
labOrer when her expenses are taken
into account, better books and a bet
ter supply, regular teachers meetings
with a strong professional spirit, the
best and most useful summer school
in the West, better teaching of the
academic work in the schOOlrOOm,
scores of graduates from the country
schools seeking admission into the
city schools, etc.
In regard to attendance, there has
been a little Improvement, but many
fathers were found who thought it
more important for their boys, and
often girls, to herd cattle, plOw or do
some other work that made dollars
for them, than to get an education SO
he could be self-suppOrting when he
becomes mature. Better teachers were
coming, but as soon as they became
valuable they got married or went in
to other work, though there are a few
who have kept to the task and have
become efficient. Ia regard to the sal
airy matter the outcome was disappoint-
ing in the extreme, for the teachers
themselves defeated it by bidding
against one another, Offering to take
a given school for little less than
another because it was near home or
some zone else" The teachers meet
ings have been in general satisfactory:
thanks to the teachers who made them
so. May they grow in usefulness.
The summer school has grown beyond
all expectation, and is actually the
best that can be found in this part of
the country. This is due largely to
the contributions of the different
cOunties for its support. It's history
is only begun.
The actual teaching in the school
room has been at about a standstill
on account of the influx of teachers
every year. There have been many
graduates from the schools, but not
more than a fifth of what there should
have been. The length of the term
has been increased in few districts
to seven months. The book question,
however, has settled itself very salts
factorily The supply has been
wretched until this year, but as eighty
two of the schools have free books
this difficulty is at an end.
The ex-superintendent has not lost
single whit of his interest, and
though failure has accompanied some
of his projects, he still believes the
time is here for the carrying out of
these things, and he bespeaks for his
successor the same kind treatment and
support that has been accorded to him
by most teachers and officers. The
School Messenrer.