The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-11-18
OUR CODE
PROMINENT EDUCATOR or THE
STATE OUTLINES SOME or
ITS SALIENT POINTS
RURAL SCHOOL WILL PASS

Give Place to a Commission
Plan Embracing County
Outside of Cities
Sioux Falls-w. M. Mair, superjn-
tendent OF schools for Minnel aha
county, who has taken an active in
terest in educational matters in the
state, points out much of interest re-
lating to present and proposed laws
affecting the sane. He says:
No n acquainted with the rural
schools of South Dakota will claim
that they are perfect; no one will
claim that they are highly eficie I.
The high schools of the state have
made much greater progress than the
rural schools, and so sadly neglected
are the latter, SO meagerly are they
supported, and so ineffieient have they
become that for the last few years
educators have been greatly interest
ed in their real condition and inn
~provement.
There can be no doubt that the
time has arrived for a forward move
ment in the rural schools.
They are but little improved over
the schools of a quarter of a century
ago.
Consolidation has been discussed.
State aid has been suggested.
The elimination of the election OF
county and state superintendents from
politics has received some attention.
But none of these plans have been
adopted or very seriously considered,
and not until the present hour has a
really important and serious attempt
been made to take hold of the prob
lem and solve it for all time.
The people of the state probably
do not know that the most serious
and important piece OF legislation that
will be proposed to the legislature al
Pierre next January will concern their
schools-yes. that little district school
out in the country.
1t should attract attention of every
citizen OF the state and afford them
a topic for discussion for the next
three months. Every citizen should
read the proposed school code; every
paper should discuss 1t upon the edi-
torial page.
1t is a matter of the gravest i'm
portance, and | wish that this fac
| could be sufficiently impressed on the
mind of every one in the state.
In order that we may have a fair
understanding of the purpose Of this
code I shall in the plainest language
possible state its most salient fea-
lures. | shall do this without discuss
ing the merits or deficiencies of the
plan. What we need at the present
time is a fair understanding of the
code, and this l shall now attempt te
give.
The new school code is the result O.
a years work by a committee APP
pointed by the State Teachers assoeia.
! ton a year ago, to consider the ru-
raj school problem, and TO draw uT
a plan for the solution of the prob.
lem.
The committee spent a great deal
OF time and money in an effort to col
lect reliable facts concerning the ru-
raj schools. and in the prepal alton and
publication of the code. At the meet
ing of the association In Huron last
week, the committee made its report
For nearly two days the report was
gone over carefully, nearly every para
graph and section being debated by
the educators. At the conclusion Of
the debate 1t was adopted by them
and will come up before the next ses-
sion of the legislature under the lead
| ership of Superintendent Bigelow o.
Lead who is a candidate for the leg
islature, and who Is going to Pierre
for no other purpose than with the
desire OF calling the serious attention
OF the legislature to the condition Of
our rural schools. and the imperative
necessity of improving them.
He is an able man, and will make
an impression upon the session. There
can be no doubt about this. This much
should be said about the man who
will lead the fight for the new code
He will have strong backing, anc
those who think that what he pro-
poses is all a joke. will be sadly mis-
taken when they read of what takes
place when he begins operation IN
Pierre.
And now after this long introduc-
ton what Is the code? Just this. The
code proposes to destroy the Local
SClOOl DOdEu III tHC luidi uAoeiASto
making the entire county, outside
cities OF the first and second class, the
school district,
This will make a county district
over this district there will be five
commissioners, elected by popular
vote, who will serve a tsrm OF five
years, one to be elected each year,
This board OF five commissioners will
have absolute control Of all the
sihools in the country, the power to
levy he school tax, to spend money
for school purposes, TO hire teachers
and attend to the general work thai
would properly belong to all school
matters. The local district win have
one representative who will report to
the board concerning the condition
and needs Of his school. He will be
known to the local director" He
will have no vote whatever. This is
perhaps the fundamental difference
between the present system and the