The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1912-12-30
Report of State Superintendent
of Schools Is Made Public

superintendent of Public Schools
Taylor has issued the following re-
port:
The law providing for state aid to
rural, graded and consolidated
schools went into effect July 1, 1911,
and has been in force for the last year
of the period covered by this report.
This law provided for the APPOINT
ment of an inspector OF these schools.
To that position was appointed n. c..
Macdonald of Valley City, who en-
tered on the discharge of his duties
July !, 1912. He has rendered a
comprehensive report which will be
published just as soon as money is
available for payment of it's pubIfca-
ton.
requirements for classification and
also the conditions imposed by the
state department of education was is
sued, the same being made a part OF
this report.
The next biennial report will show
the particular workings of this law
and the results attained. l am salts
fled that the law has fully vindicated
itself and the benefits from such a
law properly administered will be
very marked in very short time.
During the year just ended the
number Of schools that met the re-
quirements is as follows:
First Glass graded schools ...... is
Second class graded schools ...... IS
Consolidated schools ..... IL
First class rural schools ........ 35
Second class rural schools ...... 81
Total ................... .17O
This is a remarkably good show
ing. Indications are that for the
school year ending June 80, 1913, the
number of schools that will meet the
requirements will be twice as large
as was the number last year. This
means that the appropriation for this
purpose must be very materially in
creased by the legislature of 1913 if
this work is to continue. A more lib
eral appropriation must be made for
the expense of the inspector as the
amount now allowed ($500 per year,
is wholly inadequate to enable
him to properly discharge his duties.
l am also of the opinion that one per-
son cannot properly inspect all the
schools that will apply for aid during
the next two years. The matter of
increasing the number of inspectors
should be carefully considered by the
legislature and suitable appropriation
be made for the payment of salaries
and expenses.
recommend LHaL Lne legislature
appropriate the following named sums
for state aid to rural, graded and
consolidated schools and for the pur-
pose of making proper provision for
inspecting the same:
For state aid to graded
schools ............,......$ 5000
For state aid to consolidated
schoois E......:r.. :...... $4,000
For state aid to rural schools. $4,000
ri or Of
inspectors t....... 5000
This makes a total appropriation
of $4,000 for. the above mentioned
purposes. .',- :. =" ".1 r
am also of the opinion that chap
ter 35 of the session laws of 1911
should be amended so as to make it
possible for the smaller and weaker
schools to. meet the requirements. AS
our laws stand at the present time, it
| is easier for a school to secure class
ification as a third class high school
with maximum state aid of $500
than it is for a graded school to Sc
cure classification as a graded school
| with maximum state aid of $3.50.
| The provision of said chapter allow
| ing only one school in leach class to
be classified in each township should
be amended so as to make it possible
for one schools in each sclass in each
district to secure classification and
aid in the counties operating under
the district system. @
Particular emphasis should be plac-
ed on the consolidated school and
wherever conditions are such that
such a school can be successfully
maintained, the people should be en-
couraged and assisted iil establishing
and maintaining such a school by q
| liberal grant of money by the state.
Each consolidated school in a ru
raj district Should be aided annually
in the. SUM fof $500.
No school should receive aid ! in
more than one class. Al school aided
as a graded school should not receive
aid as a consolidated school. / trust
| this important matter may have the
most serious consideration of the
state legislature.
Department. Of Public instruction.
The twelfth biennial report of tn,
Department of Public Instruction GOV,
| ers the period from July /, 1910, tx
| June 30, 1912, inclusive. Durins
| this period the educational forces o1
our state have been active and be.
lieve have accomplished much tha
will be permanently beneficial. TIL,
first six months Of the period covered
| by this report were a part of the tern
of Superintendent Stockwell, who re
| tired from the position of superin
tendent OF public instruction on JAM
| 1911. The work done by Superin.
/ tendent StockWell in his official capa
/ city is well known to the people q
our state and the beneficial efforts o.
his strenuous labors will be felt foi
many years to come.
The present incumbent took charg,
1 of the Office Jan, L. 1911, SO this re