Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-02-03
MARTINS EDUCATIONAL BILL

Grand Forks Thinks II Would, II
Enacted Into Laws cripple the state
p University and Weaken All Educa-
tfonaI Institutions.
The Grand Forks Herald represen-
tative in Bismarck has this to say of
Rep. Martins measure amending and
re-enacting the present normal school
sections of the educational law: IT,.
Representative Martin, who is a
member Of the board of trustees of
the Valley City normal school, has in
troduced bill, which, while innocent
enough looking, would be far-reaching
in its effect. The bill amends all of
the sections relating to state normal
schools, and under certain conditions
allows normal schools to issue degrees
the same as the university of North
Dakota. Most of the sections of the
normal school law are re-enacted un-
der the terms of the measure, and it
is further provided that when the en-
rollment of any normal school of bona
fide students shall reach 400, as Ger
titled by the president and confirmed
by the superintendent of public in
struetion, excluding from such num-
Der all pupils in the model school the
students Of any summer term or spe-
cial students in music, the board of
trustees of any normal school and
the faculty thereof shall have the
power to create and organize a nor
NAL department, to fix it's courses of
study and to confer appropriate de-
grees. Another new provision pro-
vides that when any normal school
shall have created a normal college
department, the president of such
normal school shall be ex-oficio pres
ident of the normal college depart
ment and ex-officio member of the
state school board.
At a recent meeting of the state
high school board, which consists OF
the governor, the superintendent OF
public instruction and the president
of the university of North Dakota, del
egations from the state normal schools
appeared and asked for representa-
ton on that board. Under the terms
that they demanded recognition il
would mean that every state educa
tional institution would have the same
privileges, and it was figured that 6
board SO augmented would not be o.
any particular benefit to the high
schools of the state, for the advance
ment of which the board was created
While the bill of Representative Mar
tin only includes two normal schools
Valley City and Mayville-it is fig
ured that this will only be a starter
that will result in all of the minor
institutions having representation or
board that has only to do with high
school and university matters. The
high school board voted against in
creasing the number on the board
as has been done on former occasions
and the new bill followed closely or
this refusal.
While there possibly wouli not be
the greatest objection at this time tc
the issuance of degrees by the normal
schools, it would have depressing eff
feet on the growth of the university
an institution that in a more dist.nc1
manner reflects the educational
growth of the commonwealth. The
bill would allow the faculties of nor
NAL schools to fix the same studies as
the university prescribes, issue the
same degrees, and instead of having
one institution of the kind in a state
that is not abundantly able to care for
1t, there would be three, and it is
doubtful if any of them at this age
would be able to do more than strug.
gle along more helplessly than now.