Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-03-31

HN1, OAANoN IVY NO o. y
whom We plead, the very flower
of our youth, are to become our
neighbors tomorrow. They are
to take their places in the great
world of >actiFity in an age that
Is becoming every moment more
complex. and more exacting. To
be prepared for even. the usual
ayOcationS OF life they must have
"a firm and solid foundation Of
training In the schools.
If the state is under any obi
CATION to foster end promote the
educational and Moral training of
the youth, surely t could no long
er overlook or neglect this great
body of young people who do not
enjoy equal educational OppOr-
tunitieS. What we would see in
9 a nation, we must first put into
our schools. And, if we would
have good schools we must have
good teachers and adequate time
In which to instruct. A term OF
seven months or more will satisfy
the element of time, and attract
more earnest teachers, while nor
NAL training in high schools will
prepare them better.
. The problem is not local In
character. It does not follow
that because district is small,
or the value of the real estate is
'.lOw, that the duty Of the state
to the child is thereby in the
least diminished, or that the child
ltsaf should have poorer educa-
tlOnal advantages than the child
rem in more favored districts.
-. Public schools are supported
Ter the general good. The state
. Is therefore equally interested in
the educational welfare of every
district within its borders.
The state has established and
maintains generously schools for
the. afflicted without regard to
: locality. 1t supports by large ap-
preparations great educational
schools accessible to all without
regard to location. Is it not
right and proper then that the
6 state should at least assist the
weak districts and provide a
minimum term of seven months
regardless of location to the phys
q aeally and mentally sound boys
and girls who are not common
school graduates, TO the end that
they may have a more nearly
equal opportunity?
- Why State AidH Becausk IN
many cases a seven months
school is a financial impOSsibilty
unless aid comes from some source
outside of the district. Nor is
this condition confined to the
. western part of the state. Ills
g districts representing "a per ct.
Of the counties are unable under
any reasonable levy to support
"a seven month school.
The people of the state expect
the legislature to exercise every
. care in levying upon the wealth
of its citizens and to. keep the
appropriations we'll within the
reasonable bounds. But, at the
same time, they expect party
pledges to be redeemed. They ex
. pect the platforms relating to
elementary schools to be crystal
4, hEed into law. This cannot be
: done without money. 1t is wise
and righteous policy that pro-
'.videS for, the higher training OF
. such of our youth as can avail
themselves of its training. But
the duty of the state does not
stop there. The logical point of
= attack in any system of educa-
ton is the elementary school. We
must lay a firm and strong foun-
datiOn.
- Every State in the Union, save
eight only afforded aid to the
public schools. Kansas was in
the list of eight,
O The law reads as follows:
House Bill No. 572. By FEEDER.
An Act.
Prescribing a minimum tern
for district schools and fol-
schools in cities of the first and
second class, and providing fol
state and county aid for districts
which cannot support such term
and regulating the formation Of
i new districts, and repeating chap
ter 431 Of the Session Laws o.
1909 Q
Be it enacted by the Legislator,
of the State of Kansas:
Section l. That all school dis
sticts IN which provision is no