Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1904-02-25
Educational Notes.

~ study or tle annual SCHOOL report
made to the State Superintendent
last year reveals the following inter
eSting facts Out Of a total school
enumeration of j,Ol2, there were 4,025
pupils enrolled in the schools Of this
county. The average daily attendance
was 1923. The average length OF
school term was little over % weeks.
The total amount of money expended
for school purposes, not including
cost Of buildings and furniture, was
S42 1872 SO or an average cost Of $40. 35
per pupil. Experience shows that as
a general rule the work of schools
having an enrolment OF less than
twenty pupils is not as satisfactory as
may be desired. The enthusiasm of
both teacher and pupils in a small
school is killed while the cost Of main
tanance per pupil is very large, There
were four schools in the county last
year with an enrolment Of less than
ten, the average cost per pupil being
$22.05, and the average length OF term
20 weeks. In 26 districts the enroll
ment was between 10 and 20 The
average cost was S14,4S while the av-
erage length of term was "a weeks.
There are 129 organized districts in
the county. This number should be
cut down to 100 or less. Then would
we have larger and stronger schools,
longer terms better wages and better
teachers. 1t is a fact that where
large school is found, that a finer
school spirit is manifest in the com
munity and greater pride felt by
the patrons in their school than in
smaller and weaker district.
One OF the serious problems now
facing the schools is that Of taxation.
A large majority OF the districts are
each year making the tax levy the
full limit Of the law, viz. twenty mills
In some instances this will not raise
the required amount OF money. While
the wealth If the county has increased
perhaps loo per cent. during the last
ten years, yet the total assessed valua
tOn of the county is 100000 less
than in 1893. AS the valuations go
down the rate Of levy must be raised.
If all property were assessed at its
real value, or 4 mills on the dollar
would raise as much money for school
purposes as 20 mills does now. how
much better showing this would he
when q sale is being made to an invcs-
tor from an eastern state AS the as
SCISSORS will soon meet to Tx the basis
for the next two years, it is time for
all who are interested in the success
of our schools to urge upon the assess
OrS some relief from the present cOudi
tinn. 1t is not necessary that the tax
es be raised except in very few dist
riots for IL the valuation be raised the
raj es 90 down corrcSpondingly.
Alfred MoSely, Head of the MoSelay
commission from England which re-
Gently passed through The United
States inspecting our school system
writes an interesting article ON Amer
lean Schools 10 the February number
of Worlds Work. He says that the
people Of the United States spend a
marvellous amount Of money on their
public schools, endowing education
more laviShly than any other people
in the world. But he adds to this a
second conclusion thai they do not
spend enough; that salaries TO teach
erS are not sufficient for he service
the country desires and should have.
Another noticeable feature of our
schools is that all classes enter the
public school together, with no harm |
full results TO either, and with many
benefits. In England the average boy
gets an elementary education, enters
the trade Of his father or one his
father has chosen for him, indepen-
IDENTIFY of his fitness Tor it. Here the
wonderful opportunities Of the masses |
to 20 on into higher schools and col
legeS, securing their education practi-
cally free, render buy immeaSurably |
better able to choose a calling for
which he is fitted. The manual train
ing in many schools, too, discovers
latent aptiludes. Girls have better
opportunities here than in England
The training system for teachers was
a very prominent feature OF our
schools. One thing in which America
fails is the matter OF intoxicating The
the power of correct aud accurate
English speech Children gave un-
answers and we're not
corrected. Mr.. MoSeey was so well
pleased that he placed his two sons in
the HonkinS Grammar School al New