Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-03-31
Echoes Of the Legislature No. II.

items of legislation passed during
the recent session of the legisla-
ture, is what - termed, "The
State Aid Bll.s We do not say
this because We were mstrumen-
tai in pushing the bill thru both j.
houses, but because throughout
the state, as well as by Gov.
Stubbs and other prominent men,
the bill was hailed as a step me
the right dierction. o
For several sessions a similar
bill has been introduced, but
without success. The bill was
originally prepared by Supt. f.
Senter Of this city, undfr The di- .
erection of State Supt Fairchild
and a committee. o 1t was re
drafted several times. After we
had introduced it in the house,
passed it through the committee
On education, and sent il to the
Ways and Means committee. II
was again revised, reported out
passed the house by a vote of 80
to 25, and through the Senate
by a vote of 26 to 5.
Our work in the house and SEN
ate was at all times ably second
ed by the state officials, by the
members of the committee on
education in both hOuseS, and es-
pecially by Representatives, Kyle
Carney, Brown of Kmgman, Sem
atOrS Robertson, Huffman, Potter,
and many others. q,
So far as Barton county is con-
cemed, no state aid will be re-
ceTed. Several of our dStActs
will be extended to seven months
terms however. We were aiming
for the betterment of the. rurl
schools of the entire state, in
stead of any particular cOmmm-
lty. Among the questions that
may be asked, concerning this
law, we find the following.
=
Why the rural schools needed
assistance. BE cause they had
had n0t kept step with the spl@-
dst lSOgrss made by onr state
III the last fifteen years. .
Because, under the old system,
they did not afford to the boys
and girls of the country that
cardinal principle Of our cOnsti
tution-equal opportunity TO all.
For in practically every organ
zed town in the state well grad
ed and wisely supervised schools
were provided for iine months OF
every year.
WhRe of the 1853 rural ds-
tricts 1861 districts, or nearly one
third OF the whole number main
tanned school for six months or
Tess.
The school census of the state
for 1910 shows a total of 5l6,06l.
OF this number 242.lS7 are in the
strictly rural districts, 1858 per.
cent of the whole. If we add to.
this those young people who live
near or in the smaller villages,
supporting schools of 2 or 3 teach
ers and offering no high school
pnviladgeS, the total proportion
cf rural school pupils may props
erly be estimatey at 60 per cent,
of the whole, or 309,636.
\ most important part OF. our
school population.
Why a minimum term of seven
mOnths! Every consideration. of
the needs Of the rural schools
seemed to indicate that there
; should be a minimum term of sew.
en- months. This is still 1.-TWO
; months short of the amount of
schooling afforded in the average
town or city. When we consider
the early age at which many Of
= the youth Of this state. leave
school. the argument for "A long
, er term is apparent.
The course of study for the
common schools of the state per-
pared by the State Board Of Ed
ucatiOn is now in Use in opracs
, ticaHy every rural school. This
course Of study is based upon 8
years work of seven months
each, 80 that such schools a. have
: a shorter term than seven months
!. find it extremely difficult TO reap
the advantages of such systemat-
le and uniform work as is out
lined IN the course of Study
named. -
Again, a minimum term of sew
en- months would enable the pa-
pills TO complete the course in
S from one and One-half to three
4 and three fifths years earlier thai