The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-03-22

ure to send the pupils to school.
While, in the judgement of the depart
ment, this is in a measure a step back
ward, still, the demand from the rural
districts. has been SO great for
change that it has seemed wise to the
legislature to make this change.
Senate Bill No. 129, better known
as the high school aid bill, carries
with 1t an annual, appropriation of
$4,000 giving $500 to firstclass high
schools, $500 to second class high
schools, and $500 to third class high
schools. This measure had rather a
stormy career. largely owing to the at
TACK made upon the measure by the
Of education and city superin-
dent OF Grand Forks. Fortunately,
the legislature was not moved by the
speclous arguments advanced from
this source and stood Loyalty by the
measure and the principal involved in
it. Anyone who knows anything about
the high schools in North Dakota
knows that the state aid has done
more to increase both the number aud
the efficiency of the high schools than
any other educational legislation COM
bined. During the coming biennial
period it is confidently expected that
the number of classified high schools
to be maintained i'll any community
in the state, Of 500 people, provided
the community is wide awake and
progressive with respect to education
III matters.
Senate Bill, No. 144 makes it posi-
BILE to annex territory to the special
district. even though that territory he
situated III another county.
Senate Bill 15S and 159 are
measures designed to change the
name Of the Manual Training school
at Glendale to the State Normal and
'dustrial school and enlarge the
scope of this school SO as to include
the training of teachers. These meas
ures are in accord with the recon-
mndations of the department made
over year ago and in our judgement
will establish the school at Glendale
on permanent and proper basis. and
is i'll keeping with the spirit of the
present legislature which was to def
nitely prescribe the scope of the edl-
cational institutions.
Senate Bill No. Ice increases the
limit Of compulsory attendance to
three miles and provides that wher-
ever school facilities are not otherwise
provided for children residing beyond
the three mile limit, transportation
shall be furnished by the district.
Senate Bill No, 163 carries the gen.
eral amendments to the school laws,
the principal ones of which are:
First, reducing the time which the
candidates for the county superin-
tendency shall have taught in North
Dakota from three years to one year;
Second, it gives the county superin-
tenGent the right to withheld the state
and county tuition fund from districts
which do not maintain six months
school or otherwise provide school IA
cilities for the children of the district;
Third, 1t allows the separate depart
ments in graded and high school to
be counted in making up the summer
school fund. 1t reduces the maximum
rate of interest ON school bonds from
Z to 5 per cent, cuts out the provision
which requires a population of 200
people in district in order to issue
more than $1,000 worth Of bonds and
bases the bond issue solely upon 5 per
cent of the valuation;
Fifth, 1t increases the amount which
can be expended for the erection and
equipment of a school house in Ger
tain instances from $500 to $1,000.
Senate Bill No. 207, better known as
the library commission bill, is a meas
ure which creates a library commits
sion and defines it's duties This. in
our judgement, is one of the most Inn
portant educational measures which
has passed this session, or any other
session, inasmuch as it definitely fixes
the place of the library work in our
state and will place in charge of this
work throughout this state a thor
oughly trained librarian. The library
commission will take over the educa.
tional reference library and the sys-
TEN of travelling libraries. 1t will Or
ganize d legislative reference bureau
and in every wayspossible assist in the
development Of library work through
out this state.
Senate Bill No. 800 slightly modities
the present charter of our normal
schools, the principal change being
the designation of the head of the
normal school. changing it from prin-
cipal to president.
Senate Bill No. 1893 is the result of
the educational conference which was
held in Bismarck from Feb. IL to Is
and definitely fixes the scope of the
work in number Of our educational
institutions. The normal department
of the university is eliminated and
the teachers college substituted with
the proviso that all work in the teach
ers' college shall be above the grade
of secondary schools. Normal school
work is limited to two years beyond
the work of the secondary schools.