Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1903-05-22
GEN. sEADLE on the CONFERENCE.
He Writes q Vigorous Opinion
About the Educational Com
terence At Canton.

About the Educational Con.
terence At Canton.
He Pays State Superintendent,
G. w. Nash q Handsome
Compliment.
Col. Arthur Linn: Your earnest 80
licitation of my views upon the educa
tional conference that closed today
shall have hasty response
There are eras in the developments OF
this state in educational lines no less
than in civil and social organization.
In the nature Of things the first work
was organization and in that there was
made that was temporary and change
ful as the early population spread slow.
ly over the prairies or began to central.
ize in cities and towns. When from
1876 to 1885 the state was rapidly occu-
pied east of the Missouri and in the
Black Hills we happily secured the
township district ~ the rural school
corporation and unified the. local inter.
ests by giving permanent boundaries to
the school unit.
The settlers came from various states
and applied old customs and habits to
the school business The laws unfor-
tunately were frequently changed in
plan OF in detail; not always improved.
The county superintendent drew and
secured the enactment Of a law in 1901
that gave better, but not entire satis-
faction. There is need yet for gener.
al and still more careful and complete
revision, upon the township plan.
In the cities and towns there was
equal diverse. variant and independent
legislation and organization There
has been progress here toward greater
uniformity in these respects and the
powers and administration Of boards Of
education and their policies have be.
come closely similar whether indepen-
dent or under general law. The cour-
SEES of study under these boards have
been diverse, at least no two alike. In
to these cites and towns have been COM
ing new people as superintsndents,
and board members and the
efforts Of all have blended into this
local diversity.
Decentralization, local independence
and custom and all other influences to.
ward variance reached their climax aft
Or statehood became established. The
constitution was the conservative force;
another was the fixed and permanent
character Of the population. Since
better times began in 1878 the public
mind has turned toward permanent
ind better plans. Exchanges Of opin.
on have been more free and candid.
The localities were no longer 30 unlike.
The older and the newer educators have
become acquainted The great school
fund and public land endowment point
70 q common interest and agreement.
Conceding that all the many efforts
1t reform were honest and urged by
sincere men and women. that the local
efforts bare good fruit generally and
viewing the splendid aggregate power
of educational work in the whole state,
the time had manifestly come for tha
great beginning toward final unity In
system, plan, courses of study and the
application Of all talent and energy to.
ward the perfection of uniform work.
With the hour came the man. Hon
g. w. Nash came into Office ne state
superintendent At this opportune time,
Jaw the conditions, the tendencies and
needs, organized the movement with
Judgment and led 1t to suc-
cess.
As the revolutionary war won poll
tical independence, the war Of 1912 was
made for commercial freedom. that of
lS61.65 for national unity which did
not before exist, so the conference at
Canton. May 1915, gave this great
,tate educational unity.
1t is and will be Of historic moment.
Toward that conference all past influ.
,nces tended and from 1t great future
:esults will flow. The educational
mind of the state is directed toward
cooperation in the plans
here made. Time and . common in
;erest will improve upon the plans
here laid We 60 forward with com.
non enthusiasm in q general and COM
non interest, and the advance will be
:apid and the gain invaluable.
The splendid spirit shown in that
Meeting by every member will spread
ike genial contagion of ideas and
A common cause will
make the service of every member
hereafter contribution to the common
rood. The state association will re.
iect in it's meetings the new life and
ION. fraternity of aim and talent will
,erve and promote the common welfare
hat has been given TO personal and
ocal aims. The old county Of Union
1as common cause with the new
county of Campbell. Yankton and Sioux
Falls strike hands with Aberdeen and
Deadwood: Hot Springs with White
Rock. There Is all justification for
upon the meeting and its
high promise.
!. The handsome city of Canton was q
wholly fit place for plighting the troth.
,ementing the union and starting the
lew crusade At Canton in territorial
lays some councils were held that later
made the school land policy success
n and through the Sioux Falls consti,
;ntional convention of 1885. The con-
'erence was entertained In most
,racious and admirable way. Duties
tept DR.. Young and myself from the
pleasures of the evening. The cordial
greeting and reception by Canton and
he fine spirit of its people added their
Incentive to earnest purposes of the
members of the conference and contri-
9uted to its unselfish labors and har-
nonious action. Canton has new
riends and warmer friends all over the
tate.
In his boyhood home. now grown to