Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-01-09
Crowds Fill Rouse
Continued from Page u

i \CO0tElued . Page u
ficers and all Institutions Of the State
should be held to strict business meth.
DDS and accountability.
At some future time during the
present session of this le- islature |
may wish to present to you for your
thought and consideration a message
or messages upon the subject of the
finances OF the state, and also as to
other subjects that | believe should
be brought to your attention. You
and have come into office, with the
exception Of those senators who are
hQldovers, at the same time, and
have not the best idea or understand.
Ing as to the financial affairs and con-
ditlons of the state. ! have some
times thought that 1t would be bet
ter ere the legislature. instead of
meeting Immediately after the cleo.
ton OF q governor and state officers,
to meet the year following. Then
the incoming officers might have the
opportunity to thoroughly inform
themselves as to the affairs of the
state, its needs and its financial con-
ditions, and thus be able at the con.
vening Of the legislature to intelli.
h"utly present their views to the leg
islature for their consideration.
There are certain subjects or prob.
lens that are confronting you and to
which I wish at this time t., call your
attention.
Education
The people of this state are deep
~ interested in the education of their
children, M the United States cen.
sus reports of 1910 show that North
Dakota occupies q most enviable posi-
ton, in that illiteracy in this state is
almost nil and that the state stands
well at the head of all Of the states
in that every citizen has at least
some education. l believe strongly in
rural education and in the nonso,idat-
ed country school, tor the reason that
where schools are consolidated in a
school township into one school rath.
or than into three or four or more,
that there is the opportunity to en-
plov more and better teachers and to
give the pupils a much better chance
.or education where they can be di.
vided into classes and grades than is
possible where they are divided into
many classes under one teacher in a
little country school. By having
stronger rural schools, the day may
be at hand when they shall educate
the children for country life ipstead
Of educating the country children for
city life. One of the problems of to.
day IL to keep the farmers upon their
farms and to keep them from drift.
ing to the towns and cities, and one
of the main reasons they advance for
leaving their farms is that they may
have the chance to give to their chill
dren better education than the coun-
try school affords them. The consol-
idated country school will take care
of this to a large extent, and at the
same time will afford a social center,
which is a necessity in a state like
ours through the long winters, and
where the people of a community may
have the opportunity to get together
for social recreation and enjoyment.
Many Of the High Schools In the
small towns in the state are opened
too early in tie fall and before many
Of the boys, at least. can well be
spared from the work which they
have to do upon tho farm, and it
would seem that if they were to com.
mence their activities about the first
of October rather than earlier, that it
might be better, less expensive and
the attendance would be more uni
form. $500
The high school should be the peo.
pies academy helping to equip for
LIES work the boys and girls who
cannot go away to school. The cOurs.
cs of study and the terms Of the high
schools should be so arranged as to
meet the needs Of and accommodate
the young folks both of city and sur.
rounding country. Efficient and prac-
tical high schools must sooner or la
ter relieve our state Institutions from
doing secondary school work.
One OF the big items of expense to
parents are text books. We should
have a uniform system OF text books
for the state, and | believe that the
law could be SO framed and SO safe.
guarded that there would, not be the
chance for the people to become the
prey Of any trust. ,n .@.
Institutions
BY recent laws the penal and char
liable institutions have been placed
under the care Of a Board of Control.
The normal schools at Mayville and
Valley City and the new normal at
Minot are under the guidance of a
Normal Board of Control. 1t will be
well to follow carefully the reports
from these boards, that you may de-
termine for yourselves as to the work.
ings of the laws and as to the bene-
fit the boards are to the people of the
state. The University, Agricultural
College, School of Science. School of
Forestry and Industrial School are
each under separate boards of trus.
tees, and l would call your attention
to the report from the Educational
System Commission, and recommend
that you give careful consideration to
the question of unifying and classify
ing the educational system Of the
state. The state institutions r a
heavy burden to the taxpayers. Con-