The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-01-03
why BUILDING IS NEEDED
of Principal Ramsr Shows
a Crowded Condition in High
School Department.

The statement maze 10y the prin-
cipal Of the high school department.,
Prof. M. M. Ramer, to tue board of
education is published below by the
request of that body in order to
%acquaint the citizens of Mitchell
with the actual condition in the
high school department Of the city
schools. There is no question hut
what with an enrolment of double
the number that the assembly room
will accommodate that poor results
in educational matters will result.
How serious this has grown to be is
shown by Prof. Kramer by the failure
of a too large a percentage of STU
dents in their studies
One Of Mitchell's strong features
IN the past for increasing it's popu-
lation has been its excellent school
facilities. With the conditions as
they are there is little inducement
to urge people to come here for the
education OF their children. In the
past six years Mitchell's population
has increased at a wonderful rate,
and the opportunity for still further
charging along that line is not over
with by any means, in fact 1t is
really just the beginning. The
extension of the Milwaukee road
through to the Black Hills cannot
help but become an important factor
in making the population larger, or
new industries will start up that will
bring additional families to the city
and the schools will be crowded
greater than Yer. With the begin
ming Of e,cb school year there are
more children starting t. school than
are numbered in the graduating
classes Of the summer before, con.
s%equently There is an increase that
must be met every succeeding year.
not to mention that natural increase
of population from outside sources.
The board of education has re-
Quested the mayor to call a special
election Immediately in order that a
vote can BE- had on the question of
issuing 500. 600 in bonds with which
to erect the structure. Doubtless
the mayor will Go so and it is possible
to have iile election in February SO
that ~ the bonds carry they can be
DISPOSED OF in time to start the
buildihg uroject by April L, at the
latest, and by one year from nov
the new building will not be fal
from the day Of dedication.
Prof. Ramer's statement reads as
follows:
To The Honorable Board of Educa.
tion, Mitchell, S. d.
Gentlemen:-I desire to place he.
fore you the conditions as they exisl
in the high school. With two thing.
in view, first to have you consider
some plan by which Improvement
can be made, and second to have vol
share the responsibility for the fail
ure of about 30 per cent OF till
students
Tie enrolment is POS, with 1eC
in attendance; seniors 3S. Juniors So
oOplOL1OASSs rs duu lIcStltUcu ca.
OF these Z seniors, IL juniors. l.
sophoIuores and l6 freshmen were
failing in part or all of their work a,
the close OF school, Dec. Goth. Tn,
number Of failures has been steadil,
increasing since the halliday scissor
was adopted.
In addition to this the must,
which has been the pride Of the cit,
for a number Of years, has had t,
be neglected, since we can now CIV,
1T but one period a week instead o
three as formerly.
The sessions begin at $40 a. NJ
aud close at 4:O5 o. NJ, with onI
an hour and ten minutes at noon
We cannot extend this time at efthe
end and as a consequence nearly al
general exercises have teen aban
doned.
There are other serious losses also