The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-01
EDUCATIONAL
MATTERS
North DakOta's School Facilities Are
the Best In the Northwest and
Grand Forks Offers Exceptional
Advantages In This Line.

Advantages In This Line.
The state of North Dakota is deeply
interested in the subject of education
as the liberal manner in which the
Legislature has established schools and
voted appropriations to sustain them
abundantly testifies. State Superin-
dent Stockwell says in his last annual
report relative to the spirit of educa-
ton which actuates the state:
We are fortunate that our work lies
in a young state. True it is that we
lack the culture and finish of older
communities. Our institutions are new;
our libraries and museums are not as
yet stored with the rare treasures to
be found in the British museum. We
have no rich art galleries or conserva-
tories; yet with all, we have much ed
ucationally, to be thankful for. We
are not hampered by the narrowing
conservatism of older states: we are
free to test the newer ideas in educa-
ton; we have young, vigorous and en-
thusiastic men and women to work out
problems and they have the breadth of
view and the clearness of vision which
means that within twenty-five years.
this young state will have a system of
free public education. from kindcrgar-
ten to university, which will compare
favorably with that of any state. Few,
indeed, are the demands made by the
educators of eur state which have not
found q ready response from our leg
islators. We have only to point to the
laws relative to the consolidation Of
our rural schools. state examination of
teachers. increased compensation for
county superintendent. meetings of
school directors. aid of high schools.
compulsory attendance. publication
of proceedings of the state educational
association, and the law providing for
fixed tax for the support of our state
educational institutions to indicate
that our legislature is alive to the best
interest of education.
He says again OF the rich endow-
ment of the schools of the state:
The grant made by the federal gov
. eminent for the aid of common schools
and state institutions was npproxim-
,ately $4,000 acres of land. OF this,
practically 100000 acres have been
sold. The sale of this small amount
has created an endowment fund for
the common schools of $4.429.021 .6s.
OF this amount $1,S18.7S4. 43 has been
paid in. For the various state institu-
tions an endowment of $1,72S.612.55
has been created. of which 1926, $50 was
in cash. On this endowment the in
terest is per cent for deferred pay
ments on land. and usually per cent
on money invested in bonds. 1t is not
difficult to see that our schools are
richly endowed. If the balance of our
lands should be sold at IL minimum of
SO an acre. 1t would create a fund of
about $33.0O0.0O.
According to the eighth biennial re-
port of the superintendent of public
instruction, the number of children of
the state of school age has increased
from 1929 to 1882. in the past four
teen years, or 175 per cent. During
that time the state tuition to the pub
lie schools has aggregated S4.237. O4O13
This enormous sum has been apportion-
ed among the 1882 organized school dis
tricts and the state institutions. The
legislature has established and is MAIN
tanning the university. Grand Forks;
the agricultural college, Fargo; the
the Normal school at Mayvillc, the nor
NAL school at Valley City. the manual
training school at Glendale, the school
for the deaf at Devils Lake, the aca-
deny of science at Wahpeton. In ad-
dttion to these there are three private
and UNCONVENTIONAL schools in the
state, the Red River Valley University
of the Methodist church of this city;
the Fargo college. a Congregational
institution at Fargo and the Grand
Forks college, conducted by the Luz
theran church in this CITY,
Taken all in all the state of North
Dakota is we'll supplied with education
al facilities and settlers may come
n the state, with he expectation that
they will be offered every educational
facility and not be disappointed. The
support of all educational enterprises