Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-06-17
Nebraska
PKlNLlPAL SPARAS' RECORD
New Head of Chadron School Long in
the Work.
FOUR YEARS IN STATE OFFICE
Has Taught In Number of Schools
throughout Nebraska--State
PenitentIary Earning
Money.
(From a STAFF Correspondent.)

LINCOLN, June 16.-(Special )-Joseph c.
Sparks, who was yesterday elected prin-
slpal Of the Chadron Normal school, has
been in the office of the state superintend-
snt for the last five years. having charge
Of the work of county certification and
being also a member o fthe board of ex-
Rminers which passes on applicants for life
certificates. Mr.. Sparks came to Me-
Sraska from Illinois in 1885 and since that
time he has taught in the following
schools after, his graduation at Nebraska
Central college: Greeley, for two years.
Orleans, for three years; Fairmont, for
four years, and Aurora. for five years. He
was picked up by State Superintendent Nc
BTien to inaugurate the work under the
certification law and he was highly recon-
mended for his present place by Attorney
General Thompson, who has known him
Tor twenty-five years. Mr.. Sparks has a
wife and three children.
When he was state superintendent Jasper
l.. McBrien wrote of Mr.. Sparks:
Mr. Sparks Is an able organizer and a
strong disoiplinarian. He Is courteous to
all and yet firm without being partial. He
is systematic, thorough, endowed with rare
common sense, and abreast the times on
all educational problems. His work as
president OF the state examining board for
county certificates has given Nebraska a
unsurpassed in any state and the equal
In every particular in efficiency and thor
oughness to the United States civil service
commission. Were the state of Nebraska
educated up to the point of paying It's
public servants a salary commensurate
with the service rendered and our funds
would warrant it. would pay Mr.. Sparks
such a salary as to place his services be-
y yond the reach of any Board OF Education
in Nebraska.
l,,yt of ~ hn
ernor Indicate that the state penltentiarS
Is almost "self-sustainlng' again. The re-
port shows that at this time the receipts
from the $50 convicts employed in the
broom factory produce for the state $35li
monthly; from the 100 men employed In the
shirt factory the receipts are $1625; from
heat and light furnished the state, 1924
from cash and miscellaneous S310 a tota
of S5,ST7A The maintenance, including 6
payroll Of $3.50 and coal, $1,000, is 5000 &
month This would leave the institution
running behind. only $122,56 month. 1t Il
reported that $3.50 extra had to be paid fo
coal last month because the warden wal
unable to secure the coal under contract
but had to buy 1t at retail in the city, anC
that the increased cost of meat, based oil
the same number of convicts year ago
had amounted to 1915.
Donovan Resignation Received.
The resignation of John Donovan, men
ton of which was made a few days age
has reached Game Warden Guilus and ha
been accepted. Mr.. Donovan was consd
cred one OF the best deputies the gam
warden had and he had several importan
catches to his credit. Mr.. Donovan wi
devote his time to his newspaper at Madi
son. probably taking a hand in democrati
aaaa-
politics pf1c,yrer
.,... Good News for Wayne.
It is possible that Attorney Genera
Thompson may decide that the State Nor
NAL board has a right to use that porto
of the $4,000 appropriated for the purchas
of the Wayne Normal school, unexpende'
t, pay for the maintenance of the inst
triton. The board required only $4,000 {
the appropriation to buy the school an
nothing was appropriated to maintain
So unless the parties from whom it wa
bought keep the school running it will
necessary to create a deficiency until tn
next legislature convenes or close II
school.
The attorney general looked up the la
ths morning and. while he has not full
determined, It was his off-hand opino
that the balance of the appropriation cou
bs used to maintain the school.