The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1909-11-04
NEW SCHOOL LAWS TO AFFECT
HOUGHTGN CO. INSTITUTIONS
Board Of Education OF a High School
Must Now Have Five Members
Tuition for Pupils TO Other High
Schools From Districts Where There
Are Not u Grades Must be Paid.

I Another session OF the salnVflng 81
the county school officers OF Houghtor
county was held yesterday Afternoon
in the kindergarten room OF the high
school for the purpose OF listening 4
the eNpounding OF the meaning Of the
new school laws by Hon. L. l.. Wright
lof Ironwood. state superintendent OF
public instruction. The meeting was
held in accordance with a late ruling
of the legislature. stating that the su-
lperintendent Of public instruction must
call a meeting Of school officers once a
year and instruct them in the school
laws.
one OF the most important features
Of the new laws dwelt upon by Hon.
Wright was the qualifications which
go TO make up a high school The in
Istitutlon must have ten grades and a
board of education consisting OF five
members. number of Houghton
county schools are going under the
name OF high school which are not
complying with this ruling of the legis-
lature.
a new law which will affect a larger
number of schools is that in case there
are not twelve grades in a school, the
amount Of their tuition 10 the nearest
high school must be paid by the school
board from the district money till they
complete the high school course. A
large number Of Houghton county
schools have less than twelve grades
high school education pay their own
tuition TO the school board of the near
est district. The old law made the
paying Of the tuition optionable or
the part OF the board while now it is
compulsory.
1t was expected that both Mr. Wright
and Deputy state superintendent Kee-
Ter would attend the meeting yester-
day, but Mr.. Keeler was unable to be
present Mr.. Wright conducted the
meeting along very informal lines and
anyone present was invited to ask
questions whenever he chose.
At the forenoon session. Mr.. Wright
took up the changes made in the school
laws by the last legislature, most of |
which applied to rural schools. Many |
points that were not entirely clear to
some of those present were explained |
and tho numerous questions asked !
showed that the school officers were |
deeply interested and are seeking to do
their fun duty by the schools under
their charge.
Primary School Money.
At the meeting in the afternoon, Mr..
Wright took up the proposed changes
N the school laws which were likely To
'ome up at the next legislative session.
md recommended that Houghton
county school men be on their guard
% protect their interests. zone thing Il
hat is certain to come up during the
lext legislature" said Mr.. Wright sis
he plethoric condition of thc state pri-
nary school fund. Though in the up
Der peninsula counties no more money |
s received from the state than can
DC wisely expended I'm teachers salar-
es. a very different condition prevails |
below the straits. where i'm some town
ships there is as much as $4,000 on
hand that cannot be used and the
amount is increasing each year. In
he whole state at the close of the
school year last June, there was APP
Jroximately $4,000 900 i'm the township |
reasuries, distributed from the state
primary school fund. which had not |
been expended. The amount which the
state is required to appropriate each |
year is steadily increasing and the
'unds Of the township treasures are
bling up proportionately. The law
provides that all this money must be
expended for teachers salaries.
There is a feeling all over the state
hat this law is wrong and that some
,hange should be made In consc-
luence, / expect every member of the |
next legislature To come to the session |
with some sort OF bill regulating this |
'o-called evil. For my part. I should |
dislike to have any part of this fund |
Inverted into other channels, but would |
advise a regulation Withholding furth-
n appropriations TO those townships |
which have unexpended funds on hand. !
until such funds had been expended. |
This would give the fellows who are |
up-to-date schools funds |
with which to carry on the good work.
md do away with the useless fund |
hat has piled up in the townships |
where a less liberal school policy has
,cen followed.
School Book Laws.
Another question that is likely to
'ome up at the next legislative session /
= that Of cheaper school books. Where
he working population move from one {
place TO another as often as do the
mining men of tho upper peninsula ,
md the tenant farmers of the lower
peninsula, the cost OF school books is
hardship TO the parents. Represent
rive Straight at the last session ex
iibited two Biographies OF the same |
Iind and by the same author, one of |
which had beer purchased in Indiana |
or seventy-five cents and the other |
N Michigan for si.25. This Is a con-
crete instance OF the problem this |
state has to meet.
I'm Indiana they have a maximum |
price law. specifying the most that |
nav be charged for any given text |
,ook. Upon Investigation. I have found |
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