The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-02-24
CONSOLIDATION OF RURAL
SCHOOLS NEEDED TN IN. D.

complaint to make at all abcu the
drive back n forth; instead they
! seem to enjoy it. 1t appeals to them
far more than a walk Of a mile or so.
or long open rides in ordinary wagon
boxes.
Drivers routes extend I'VE and one
half miles at the furthest. This makes
some of them start by 1920 o'clock in
the morning to reach school by $3.50 or
8 O'clock. Most of the children start
about s o'clock. Some have to walk
to the bus, from a few rods UP to a
half mile. This is probably a mis-
taken policy, but so far no complaint
seems to have arisen over it. Ex-
perience in Illinois is that routes
should not extend owe four or five
miles, with the rigs driving up to the
ch1ldren's homes. At Doran school
closes at 3:45 o'clock, and all the chill
dren reach home between A and 5
o'clock.
The second n third grades, in one
room, have seventeen enrolled, with
fourteen present on the day Of inspec-
ton. Miss Purdon's room enrolIs thir-
ty-two, and Principal Sonquist's about
twenty-five. Some first year high
school work in his room; eventually
the school is to carry the first two
years of an agricultural high school.
In order to secure state aid, the
building had to be erected and equip
ped on lines approved by the state
superintendent. The heating, lighting
and ventilation are all arranged from
the standpoint Of sanitation. A flush
ing system and septic tank, like that
used at the courthouse at Forman of
this state, will be provided next sum-
mer. In the fall me or more standard
transportation rigs will be furnished.
making the children's rides more com
Portable to a marked degree.
The movement for this school be-
gan with Mr.. Davis, the Doran banker,
whose children have been obliged to
live at Wahpeton to get high school
service. After some agitation they
held an informal meeting, at which
County superintendent Granger Of
Wilkin county was present, and every
body expressed himself freely. A straw
vote was taken in a hat, yes or no
for consolidation. Practically all in
the village naturally were for it, while
of the outside districts one was two
thirds for it, another about evenly d.
vided, and a third rather strong
against it. Hence a petition for an
election vas circulated leaving out the
opposing district, and the three other
localities voted themselves into a new
consolidated one.
This years added cost of higher
teachers wages, increased length Of
term, wages of janitor and drivers,
and annual 4 per cent on the. $14, 900
loan from the state for the pulldlng
makes a total added yearly expense
of about $1,000. To Offset this the
state furnishes $4,000. Thus only, as
above stated, about $500 additional
money has to be raised by direct tax
levy on the twenty-four sections, of
the district, or 2 to ~ mills on the
dollar of assessed valuation. The
service is immeasurably improved ove
the old kind.
Not only is the amount of service
rendered by teachers, and it's quality.
far ahead this way; but so are the in
terest and enthusiasm Of the scholars,
One notes with pleasure their radiant
happiness Is they tell you that they
like the new way far better than the
old one. A.
Each recitation room is lighted
from one side only. but the light
from that side is abundant. Each
room has slate blackboard, ample
deep and high. over the boards run
bands and burlap, a foot or so high.
~affording handsome backgrounds for
samples of the pupils work, such as
drawings, maps samples of the
girls handiwork in sewing. In each
room is a library case built into the
wall, with glass doors annd large
drawer space below. Separate cloak
rooms open from each room, large,
light and high, with strong coat
hooks and a rack for overshoes un-
derneath each hook. The upper
rooms have suspension globes; all
have wall clocks and several large,
glass-covered handsome framed en-
cravings. Attached Il the wall in
each upper room is a wooden holder
on which rests an unabridged diction-
airy, always in place. Each seat is
separate from the desk behind, thus
preventing the old jolting which
1 I'LL VI OS al lGLllGAAIpGI Al lie OlQ-
style school desks Those at Doran
are very light and strong, being guar
anteed for thirty years. Both seats
and desks are adjustable to the size
of any scholar needing one.
For some time North Dakota edu-
Gators have realized that Minnesota
has been understanding this state in
public school matters. BY next win
ter sentiment ought to be strong
enough to repeat at Bismarck the
enactment of some improvements
such as this Minnesota n under
which Minnesota shares for the COM
mon good this great step forward IN
school matters around Doran. Thus
the time would be FASTENED when
100 of the schools of Richland coun-
ty, which too truly are now behind
the times, would be abandoned for
twenty up-to-date eficient schools,
truly adapted to country needs. Pos
sibly this county will need to retain
fifty or more Of the oneeroom variety.
because of local difficulties. But the
added value to all of the change
from 100 to twenty demands that all
the people share to some extent in
the added cost of their construction
and maintenance, or that the state
tuition fund be Invested to some ex-
tent to such ends. Possibly it would
be wise to provide for the state aid in
all such cases, and for additional coun-
ty aid when especially high standards
were maintained. Within a reason
able time two-year agricultural high
schools would then be developing