The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1910-01-27
RURAL SCHOOL
HOW CAN THE INSTITUTIONS
OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN
NORTH DAKOTA SOLVE
THE RURAL SCOOOL
PROBLEM?

al MlnOt was the centering OF the at
tentlon of all educators Upon the i'm
portance of the Rural School in the
educational economy of this state. The
county superintendent at their con-
ference last August said: "We believe
that the most important single edu-
cational interest in North Dakota is.
the rural school," The State Educa.
tional Association at Minot said, "We
recognize the rural school as the most
important factor in the education of
the state''. That being accepted, it
would appear that the rural school
deserves larger consideration at the
hands of those who determine the edu-
cational destinies of this state, who
mould the educational thought and
train the educational leaders of this
state. There is an insistent demand
for our institutions of higher educa-
ton to grapple with the problem of the
rural school and solve it. We do not
mean to say that these institutions are
not doing much to help in this great
work. Our Normal Schools are pro-
viding special courses for rural school
teachers. Our Agricultural College is
pushing the teaching Of. elementary
agriculture in the rural school. The
University men are giving much time
and thought to the consideration of
this problem. The committee of seven
is made up of men taken largely from
those who teach in the higher institu-
tions. These things are good, but
they do not reach the seat of the diff
Guilty. The Rural School needs many
specific things, w shall not recount
them here, but most of all it needs
stimulation. This stimulation can
come only, in our judgement, thru
state aid. State aid for the rural
school means, first, Standardization,
second, closer supervision, third, slim
ulation of interest in the rural school,
and as a result of these three things
will come all the other improvements
which are so essentially and vitality
necessary.
Ten years ago our high school sys-
TEN was scarcely worthy the name, to
day as a result of the stimulus of state
aid our high schools rank among the
very best in the northwest. We have
earnestly petitioned for a little aid for
rural schools at the last three sessions
of the legislature. We have met with
bitter opposition, always in the upper
house. The committee on appropri-
ations in the senate is composed wiGh
few exceptions of men who live in our
towns and cities and who represent
then our special interest which is usu-
ally some state institution. We readi-
ly recognize that the demands for these
institutions during the past few years
have been heavy but withal these de-
mands have generally been just. We
have been proud of u growth as a
state. We have been gratified with the
wonderful development of our state
educational institutions, yet we firmly
believe that the most pressing demands,
at least for heavy appropriations for
permanent improvements, have been
met for the present, that there is not
now any valid reason why the State
Educational Institutions should alb
s0rb all the funds available for appro-
priation for educational purposes. A
careful study of appropriations made
by the legislatures of 1907 and %
shows that 81, 345, 009 was appropriated
to eight state educational institutions,
namely, the University, the Agricul-
tural College with it's experimental
stations and work, the two Normal
Schools, the Normal and Industrial
School, the School of Forestry, the
Science School and the State High
School. This vast amount was large
ly for permanent improvements. Add
to this practically 1920, 600 more raised
by direct tax for maintenance for the
years 1907 90 and 10 and you have
81, 1855, 900 expended by the state upon
higher education in four years. This
is proper. Not a cent too much. How
ever, let us not forget that the rural
school is the foundation upon which
all this superstructure must rest. II
the rural school is weak the whole
educational system is weak. The in.
situations of higher learning can helI
solve the rural school problem by say
ing to the next legislature, we individ'
ually and collectively ask that wher
the amount set aside for aducation is
determined upon, that first of all moi
less than $50, 900 shall be set aside as
an annual appropriation to aid tc
stimulate the rural school and thus
solve the rural, school problem. We
commend this to their earnest con
~sideration.