The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-09-05
.DFV|NF Announces HIS
CANDIDACY FOR SURfR|N-
TFNDENT OF SCHOOLS

UCISI WOIuS VI CuC 0f,olS CulOI 01l
who entered school, 26,O99 drop out
fall by the way side, from the fourth
to the eighth grade. The buildings
are erected, the teachers employed,
money expended, but what of the
5000 who estrayed from the fold?
These are truths that should COM
r4and earnest thoughtful considera-
ton and arouse every educator, citi-
zen and legislator in the attempt 70
ascertain the Nause. correct the
wrong and remove the evil.
1t requires no trained, experienced
educator to fully grasp and realize
the great fact that the real work Of
education in this or any other state
must and should he done in the Ell.
ementary grades. They are the root
to the tree; tn. foundation to the
Srperstructure.
IN the expenditure Of this Vast
sum of money, in the building Of
these thousands Of schools, what is
done towards an education to meet
the stern, every day requirements
of the 90 per cent of our school pop
ulation who have not and probably
never will secure the benefits Of
High school and college course. ID
q large degree the answer is moth
ing-nothing at least, towards fitting
them for the actual necessities Of the
every day. practical life which the
thousands must of necessity pursue
The boys unframed towards some
useful livelihood and the girls un-
trained for the housekeeping duties
and responsibilities. The boys inc
fficient for some practical wage earn
ing employment and the girls inem-
Cent for the real tasks of life that
must and will come to them. We
pour in the money we erect the best
buildings that the world knows, but
the results do not square with the
vast sum of money expended. This
unfortunate humiliating fact, 4 gen.
orally admitted by every practical
educator and by every intelligent Oh
serving business man. ,,r
In the above stated conditions i
have been speaking, more especially,
of the children who live in our towns
and cities, where there is every in
centive for the best possible results
by reason of modern, we'll equipped,
professionally trained teachers, and
a nine months term. When, how
ever, you turn to study Of our So
called District Scholastic schools
Of the farm, the condition there
presents a picture that to say the
In response to the several petitions
least, is truly pathetic. The children
of the farm who constitute two-thlrds
Of the states school population 10
not average beyond seventy days per
year, for six consecutive years. or
putting it in another way, 400 days ]
Add to this fact the picture Of q
little lonely school building stuck Mp
on plot Of ground, treeless, shrub
less and fenceless; the long dreary
road that the little feet must travel
in the hot glare Of the summer sun,
and the nipping blast Of the winters
cold, and you have the seat OF edu-
cation set aside for the farmer and
his children, together with the brief
number Of days Of school attendance
they get to prepare for the active
duties and responsibilities OF our
complex driving competitive Twenti-
eth century life. Take II up and
down and an around 1t stands at best
crime against childhood and IL