The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-06-24

such certificates have been issued
during the past year regardless OF
the fact that the winter was an I'M
usually hard one.
Graduation.-For the biennial per
iod beginning July !. 1902, and ending
Jure 30, 1904, % young people have
been graduated from our common
schools and admitted at township
expense to the various high schools
of their respective neighborhoodS.
Quite a number have also been grad
uated flom our high schools. Many
of them are amone u ablest teach
ers, while some have entered Dakota
University where they are making
management of President Nicholson.
Institute.-We have reduced the
institute to six days. Eight in
structors are employed. None teach
over two branches, and not over
three recitations a day. Each one
gives only the rea of their best
%endeavor. This has made the lnsti-
tute an attraction instead OF a bore.
The results justify the change, and
we believe the plan to be ideal.
During the period covered by this
report, two nice classes have been
graduated from the normal institute
they having completed a four
years course OF instructor in a salts
factory manner.
Reading.-Over 200 per cent OF our
teaching force has been enrolled in
the reading circle work during the
past year. Mann's "School .Recre-
atiohs and Amusements'' and Eel
ements of Morals by Janet, have
been taken up and thoroughly
mastered. The Reading Circle books
have heen the basis for the work
done in teachers meetings. Dav-
ison county was granted a IS cash
prize by the State Reading Circle
board. This makes four times in
succession We have been favored
thus.
Prosperity. There are many evi.
dences OF prosperity among our
schools. Only five districts out of
thirty-four have outstanding bonds,
and these are nearly paid eff. Mt.
Vernon has opened another room
and added another teacher. They
have raised their principals salary
from $50 per month in 1902 to 800 for
next year. and have adopted a three
years high school course. Ethan
has built an addition to their school
house, added another teacher and
adopted a one years high school
) course, which will be increased to
the tenth grade next year. LOOMS,
a little station seven miles north OF
Mitchell, on the c. NJ. Il st. Paul
!, railway, mot incorporated), expects
to builu an addition to their school
house, during the summer, and es-
tablish a two department school in
September. The centralized high
school feature of the law, will no
doubt be taken advantage of ty at
least three townships next year.
The agitation is already On in earn
est.
School Otficers.-A full quota of
102 school officers, is maintained con-
. %stantly. AS a general thing, they
, are the most conservative men or
women in their respective districts,
!, and muck of the success of our
schools is due to their interest and
Judgment. Their annual meeting is
largely attended, and their interest
is in great evidence. The pay of
each member is too small, but no.
ticeably so with clerks. They draw
The same salaries as treasurerS. hut
are compelled to do five times as
much work. This feature of the
law needs %remedying. Practically
all OF the books of both clerks and
treasurers have been checked over by
myself, and have been found i'm
splendid condition.
The Newspaper aud The School,
Monday morning OF each week. from
September l, to June 30. IL full col
umn of educational news is SEM from
my office to each OF six papers i'm the
county. In this column are recorded
teachers marriages. deaths; personal
mention of me1itOriouS reports of
teachers and scholars: names OF
, those TO whom certificates OF award
have been issued, each week; an
nouncements of all school entertain
ments, teachers meetings-also pro-
grams for the same-and many other
things that keep the general public
thoroughly posted on all education
al affairs. besides, d growing inter
est in current history is cultivated
among the children. AS from one
to three of these papers pass into
each home in the county each week,
this feature or our school work has
grown into wonderful popular favor.