Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-15


your editorial upon the question of
high school aid and ask for a little
space in which to discuss the pro-
position as it appears to a great ma
iority of those interested in high
school work in our state. The pres
ent high school system in North Dako-
ia dates back to the year 1891, and
the law under which the high schools
are working at present was enacted
in 1895. The first appropriation for
aid was granted in 1899, the amount
being $4,000 in 1903, this amount was
increased to $4,000 and in 1905 to
$4,000. The purposes of this aid are:
First, to bridge the gap between the
common schools on the one hand and
the normal schools, agricultural col
lege and the university on the other,
in order that it may be possible for
every boy and girl il the rural dis
tricts of this state to have an oppor-
tunity, at least, to secure high school
training free of tuition;
Second, to aid the small towns
which, by reason of limited ability to
lttax themselves; are not able to main
tain first class high schools without
state aid; j,
Third, to aid in the equipment Of
| high schools, thereby increasing their
efficiency;
Fourth, to make it possible that
some slight supervisory control may
be exercised by the state in order to
bring about greater uniformity in the
high school work OF the state.
These purposes are universally ad-
mitted and on this basis large num-
Der OF states are annually appropriate
ing increasing sums of money to aid
the high schools which is, in reality,
the peoples college.
The question of the distribution Of
this fund has never been brought up
for discussion, to any extent, prior to
this time A fixed amount has been
given to schools doing certain grades
of work, without reference to the
size OF the community or the enroll
ment Of the high school, and it should
be thoroughly understood that the
quality of the work done in the,
smaller high school Of the first class
is the same as that done in the large
high school of the first class. It is
generally admitted that the larger
towns and cities are more able to
maintain their own high schools than
the smaller towns. 1t is also a well
known fact that many Of the smaller
high schools are educating, free Of
tuition, more nonresident pupils than
are the two largest high schools in the
state. K, q
The method Of distributing the high
school aid proposed by the board az
education and the city superintend ent
OF Grand Forks contemplates the tIis-
stribution Of aid in accordance with
the enrolment OF the high school
This would mean that the great bulk
OF the high school aid would 90 10
the larger towns and cities, which are
more able to help themselves, and is
In our Judgment, absolutely contrarx
to the spirit of the law III accord
a fn with the method proposed by
4 Grand Forks, the high school In that
city would receive annually about
$4,000, or for the biennial period
30 200. The high school at Fargo
would receive about $4,000 annually
or $1,000 for the biennial period
These same schools, by reason Of taxa
ton. would nav into this fund in tho
biennial period respectively Sill $50 and
~ $50. or they would receive more
than four times the amount In return
for that naid I'M, Manv Of the smaller
towns which are now maintaining
first class 1igh schools would receive
SUMS considerable under 5000. The
res'Ilt az The nroDosed plan would
n'aAan that at least ten or a dozen Of
the smaller communities Id tfis state
would be cornpeiled To abandon their