The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1903-03-31
SCHOOL MONEY TO LOAN
The State Board Has About $500, 900 to Loan
the School Districts - Communication from
Treasurer Hastings

Treasurer Hastings
The state land board has on hand some
thing like 5000 III school funds de-
rived from the sale of public school lands.
This money they desire to loan to the
school districts of the state at low rate
of interest on long time loans. The mat
ter was referred to Treasurer Hastings
who submits the following communica-
ton:
l am in receipt Of a communication
from the state land board calling atten-
tion to the fact that they have consider
able money on hand which can be in
vested in bonds of school districts. Said
bonds can run one to 10 years, bearing
FIVE per cent interest. After making a
trip through the county last fall and see
ing the dilapidated condition of some of
the schoolhouses, the uncouth, uppainted
affairs, with furniture of the most primi-
tive character, am forced to the belief
that the wisest thing a number of our
school districts can do would be to apply
for some of this money. / am not criti-
cizing harshly the early settlers who
built these houses. They had an uphill
fight for the first few years and many
houses were built entirely by contribu-
ton; but the people are better off today
and can afford better buildings, better
furniture and better wages. Build new
houses where advisable; where the frame
is good, put on new siding; paint your
buildings, have good floors, put in good
furniture, have plenty OF sunlight, keep
the room warm and pleasant with good
ventilation, make it attractive and ven-
ture the assertion that there isn't a school
teacher in Nez Perce county but " ho will
say that the scholars will learn so per
cent more in given length of time and
easier than in poor buildings Put in
lamps, buy an organ and make the school
house pleasant and attractive place for
all the neighborhood. Plant trees,
shrubs and flowers, make the surround
ings beautiful. Have an air of refinement
| anu SuituiC III thC oShOoi lOOAhS anu , va
will have, leaving your schools, better
boys and girls who will make better men
and women in the world
Don't be afraid to run in debt a few
dollars. But don't bond or 10 years and
make no arrangements 10 pay the princi
pal. Pay say 10 per cent each year. One
b auty of this loan Is that whenever you
have $50 or $Ioo TO pay on the principal
you eau do SO. Parents think tins mat
ter over seriously, The national govern
ment gave you magnificent sum to
assist i'll the education of your children.
The state is doing its utmost to erect and
maintain buildings and schools for train
ing teachers and it is up to you to pro-
vide suitable quarters.
Your elections come off in June. Won't
you vote for the improvement of your
school houses? There is no getting
around this fact, that no matter how me-
nial the occupation the person with the
better education is the one who succeeds;
and another fact is that what made this
great and glorious country of ours SO
great and glorious is our public school
system But as I said before, you must
make the school house more attractive to
get the fullest result of the teachers en-
deayors.