The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1905-01-06
NEBRASKA SCHOOL MATTERS.
County Superintendents Addressed by
| Mr.. Fowler.

|
Mr.. Fowler.
At the state teachers meeting in
Omaha State Superintendent Fowler
spoke to county superintendent In
part, as follows:
Nebraska occupies an unrivaled posi-
tion in having the lowest per cent of
illiteracy of all the states in the union.
Nowhere has the value of q common
| school education been more generally
and universally acknowledged than
here, nor has the free secondary and
higher education in the state been al
together neglected.
The constitution of Nebraska, adopt
ed in 1875. declared that all moneys
arising from the sale or leasing of
sections No. 16 to SO in each township
in this state should be perpetual funds
for common school purposes, Of which
! the annual interest or income only can
be appropriated; and the interest on
these school lands sold and leased, to-
gether with that or warrants, county
bonds and school district bonds, GER
tain fees and licenses, and the state
school tax of ~ mills or less upon
the dollar of assessed valuation of all
taxable property in the state, provides
sum in excess Of 100000 appor-
toned annually to all the common
school districts of the state. This
amount will increase from year to
year rather than diminish. Local
school districts may tax themselves
, not to exceed 25 mills on the dollar
| of assessed valuation. All fines, pen
alties and license moneys are appro-
priated exclusively to the use and sup
port of the common schools in the re-
| spective subdivisions where they may
| accrue.
The constitution also states that the
legislature shall provide for the free
instruction in the common schools Of
all persons between the ages of and
21 years. Free education, including
| free textbooks and supplies, is fur
nished in all school districts in the
state. School government, organiza-
ton and management in Nebraska is
6,667 districts being responsible for
its own school. Each district pro-
vides a full course of instruction in
oil Of the eight grades or years of
work below the ordinary high school.
and many of them furnish graduate
certificates upon the completion of
this work. The course includes read
ing, writing, spelling, arithmetic.
grammar, geography, history, physi-
ology, etc. In some of the larger
cities of the state kindergartens have
been established.
When school district has popu-
lation Of $50 or more children of school
age, it may organize as a high school
district and furnish free high school
privileges to all it's pupils who COM
plete the eighth grades of work below
the high school.
We have in Nebraska eighty-fve vii
lagos maintaining High school
course Of one year, or a total of nine
grades of work; there are IT'S villages
with High school courses of two
school courses three years in length.
and eighty-four cities in the state
maintaining a full four years High
school course sometimes differentiated
into c1nr~:on' coinntiGn F'ro1ich and
commercial courses, above the eighth
grades Of common scnool work. Above
these we have as superstructure the
magnificent University of Nebraska.
with its faculty of 200 and an attend
ance of more than $500. The univers-
ity has a heavy endowment from
lands donated to the state by the
United States. and is supported by the
proceeds of investment of a perma-
nent fund, by other incomes and by
tax of 1 mill upon the dollar of as
sessed valuation of the state.
During the last school year (1903-
1900 there were enrolled in the
schools of Nebraska 2S0.000 children;
the state had 6,767 school houses, of
which thirty-five were stone, 339 brick
105 log, 273 sod, and the rest wood
or frame buildings The number of
sod school houses in the state in 1890
was nearly 800, but it has steadily de-
creased since that time, while the
number of brick buildings rapidly in
creases. The value of school district
property in the state is estimated at
s11,000,000; the total Indebtedness of
all districts at s3,2S5, 900, and the total
annual expenditures at s4,9OO,000. Ne
braska employs annually 300 teach
ers, including $3.50 in graded schools.
krens Gives Bond.
LINCOLN-Wifliam Krens of Gus
ter county gave bond for s15O0, and
was released pending the final decis-