The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1913-05-23
$500 Per Year
COMMISSIONERS REFUSE
TO DIVIDE ARLEE DISTRICT

In an opinion rendered We'd
nesday the county commissioners
refused to divide the Arlee dis
trict No. q, which comprises the
entire Flathead Indian reserva-
tion in Missoula county. In their
refusal, the commissioners sus-
tain Mrs. Pearl T. Marshall, for
mer county superintendent of
schools, and Mrs. Edna Reinhard,
present county superintendent of
schools. Both these officials re-
fused to divide the district. The
petitioners all of whom live in
and around the town of Arlee,
appealed to the county commits
sioners. With the decision on
the part of the commissioners
rendered, the action is final,
there being no appeal from this
decision.
The following is the opinion of
the board:
"The district is one of the
largest school districts in Mon
tana. The local situation prevail
ing therein is peculiar because of
the fact that only recently has
the Flathead been thrown open
to settlement, by citizens of the
United States, and as a result
there are at present in the school
district very large number of
citizens and residents who have
children of school age, and whose
children are attending school,
and yet these same citizens and
residents are not at present tax
paying freeholders. The tax
able property situated within
this district is concentrated to
a very great degree in the south
ern part of the present district
the portion Of which is sought to
set aside as Jocko district No. 46.
There are at present within
school district No. %, a total of
approximately 1,10O children of
school age. In the proposed new
district there are approximately
24O children of school age
about one-fifth of the entire
number of children of school age
residing within school district
No. %. In the portion of this
school district No. % which
would be left, were school dis
trict No. 46 created, there is
comparatively little property tax
able for school purposes. There
are at present in that portion of
the district a large number of
school houses which were built
with private capital. owing to a
lack of funds available for their
construction, in the possession
and subject to the control of the
school trustees of that district.
however, as the district in now
composed, the funds raised from
taxation of all the property in
the district have been sufficient
to provide teachers for. these
schools. Outside Of Roman and
st. lgnatius it is very doubtful,
in the event of division of the
district, whether schools could be
maintained because of a lack of
funds available as a result of
taxing what property would be
left within school district No. %.
1t is safe to say that at least $50
school children would be de-
orived, as a result of division of
school facilities, and it seems
likewise certain that all of the
SOO-odd children of school age
low residing north of the pro-
posed northern boundary line of
he new district would be serious
y affected in their school work
md educational facilities by the
reation of the desired district.
The Arlee district is the larg-
st school district in the world,
nd it's area is about half of that
i the state of Rhode Island.
hose who sought to divide the
istrict live in and around Arlee.
t was sought to divide the lower
fth Of the district.