Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-18
NEBRASKA SCHOOL GROWTH
Some Interesting Fact Pound IN State
Superintendent Office.
MILLIONS IN PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND
Property owned by Districts Worth
Ten Millions. while Annual Bx-
pense il in NeiEhborhood
of Half of That.

A source Of pride and satisfaction TO the
people and a splendid testimonial TO the
public school system Of the state Is the
fact that for years Nebraska has had
within its borders the lowest percentage OF
illiteracy Of any state in the union. Today
the public schools Of Nebraska are endowed
70 the amount Of more than 5000 and
are the leaders and their ways are copied
and commended throughout the land
When the constitution was framed In
1S75 il provided for the foundation Of the
permanent school fund. A permanent
school fund was created to remain in
violate. the interest only to be used for
school purposes This fund was created
by the sale or lease Of sections 1e and IS
IN each township in the state. The schools
were to be maintained by the interest from
this fund. from the interest on warrants.
county bonds and school district bonds,
certain fees and licenses and the state
school tax Of III mills or less upon the
dollar Of all taxable property in the state.
Local districts may tax themselves not
to exceed Is mills on the dollar assessed
valuation. All fines penalties and IL
cense moneys are appropriated exclusively
20 the use and support Of the districts in
which the money accrued. The constitu-
ton provides also that free instruction
shall be given every person in the state
between the ages Of and p years Carry
ing out this provision, free text books are
furnished in every district in the state.
Growth of High schools.
School management is confined 70 the
several districts which elect their own d.
rectors. who have control Of the schools.
When a district has $50 children Of school
age it has the authority to organize a high
school and give free to the children a
years work in the high school in addition
TO the eight grades provided for In the
common school. The high schools are be-
coming more numerous each year and ac-
cording TO the latest statistics compiled in
the office of State Superintendent McBrien
there are eighty-fve illages which main
tain a high school course of one year; It's
villages with a high school course Of two
years; 101 villages with a three-year high
school course, and eighty-four villages,
towns and cities which maintain the four
year high school course.
At the head Of the high school system
Of course is the university, with its over
200 instructors and $500 students The
state legislature has been liberal with
this institution and il was given by the
last legislature altogether with the l-mnl
levy on all state property nearly 81, 900 go
for the biennium.
Fund steadily Growing.
The permanent school fund is increasing
year by year and now il is valued at al
most N,0V0OO0 in round numbers. This sum
cannot be legally diminished but il must
grow constantly in proportion to the invest
ments made by the Board Of Educational
Lands and Funds. Some of il is invested In
bonds OF other states, including those OF
Massachusetts and Idaho, while some of IL
is stu in the land which was originally
turned over to the fund by the government.
As this land becomes more valuable OF
course the fund increases.
Besides the money raised locally by tax
alton and fines TO maintain the various
schools, there is distributed by the state
treasurer seni-annually the interest on this
investment and the money derived from the
lease of school lands.
During the months OF May and December
OF the last year there was apportioned to
the various school districts total of s652,
9bl.N This money is used exclusively In
maintaining and supporting the common
and high schools and not a cent of 1t goes
60 the State university or the State Normal
schools. separate appropriations being made
for these institutions by the various legis-
latures.
The total income OF all the school dis
tricts OF the state, according 10 the latest
figures compiled by State Superintendent
McBrien for the year 1904, was s., 2SO. 2S3 OF
this sum AS90,l9s was spent. OF the
amount expended 1881. 426 was for the con-
struction Of school buildings. and this prac-
tically represents the amount OF school
district bonds issued during that year
During the same time bonds TO the amount
OF S1l6,0G were cancelled. Throughout the
entire state at the time Mr.. McBrien made
his compilation school districts were bonded
20 the amount Of s., 79O5se. while the in
debtedness OF the districts not bonded
amounted TO 1854. 49, The total value Of all
the school district property in the state
amounted to sl0gs921-
Districts and school Children.
AT this time there are 6,667 school districts
= in the state. When the figures are COM
piled for the current year they will show a
marked decrease in this number because
Superintendent McBrien is preaching con
solidation of districts. His predecessor
Superintendent Fowler, preached the same