Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-11-13

The school directors OF Burleigh
county met in annual session Friday
afternoon with about SO directors
attendance.
K. A. Ersland of Driscoll was elect
ed president pro tenn and Mrs. Nellie
Evarts secretary pro tenn. Superin-
tendent Vigness then made his annu-
al address as follows
Members of the Burleigh County
School Officers Association:
We have been told that the great
function of the American public
school is to develop good, honest and
useful citizens. This is the great
problem which confronts the public
school and l believe it is being an
swered in measure satisfactorily.
Not all the products however, become
good citizens but the great mass are.
We note this particularly in the spir-
it of awakening which is in evidence
all over; such opponents of this spir-
it as Roosevelt, LaFollette, Gov. Folk,
Hughes and the late John A. johnson
are typical products of the American
home and school training. We note
more than ever that this spirit OF
Justice and honesty is asserting it.
self.
In order to keep up this school
system the United States is using
money with a lavish hand and thous-
ands of devoted teachers are labor
ing in the cities. villages, hamlets
and by the roadside. In Burleigh
county under your care and mine are
found over one hundred such teach
ers. You have employed these'in or
der to contribute your mite to the
great educational work of the land.
And now at this time it is proper that
I should give you brief resume OF
the work in Burleigh county during
the past school year and if possible
offer a few suggestions for your con-
siderati0n. >..-
The enumeration of school children
from six to twenty years of age taken
by your clerks last June gives the
county 2,975 such children. OF these
$50 attended school less than go days
during the9year. Most of these nom
attendants' ranged from Is to 20 years
of~age: The compulsory attendance
laws have not operated. satisfactorily
owing to a. lack of prompt co-opera-
ton by one factor Or another which
were called for in the old law. The
habit of hardness is absolutely ap-
palling. II Nine thousand seven hun
dred sixty-four cases were reported
and these are not all because, several
teachers failed. to report the tardi-
ness-possibly because, they were
ashamed to- A good citizen is al
ways prompt and at his post. The
habit of being tardy in school does
not conduce to promptness and good
citizenship later in life. It is an evil
which should not prevail without a
valid cause. /. note that it is more
prevalent in one community than in
another and also that those very near
to school have acquired the habit to
a greater degree than those more re-
mote. wish you school officers
would study the cause of this rcondi-
ton in your respective districts and
see if it can not be overcome.
The reports show further 1445 visits
in the schools by school officers.
Many reports show no visits. 1t is
especially noticeable that the officers
in certain districts visit their schools
regularly at least once each term as
required by law while in other dis
tricts this is neglected. The effect is
apparent in the schools. The county
superintendent is credited with 100
visits. He aims to visit each school
not less than twice each year but the
arrangement of the school terms in