The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-09-25
MOORHEAD SCHOOLS
IN COMPARISO n

PRESENTED EXHAUSTIVE
FACTS TO COMMERCIAL CLUB
RELATIVE TO GENERAL CON-
DETIoNs OF CITY SCHOOLS.
AT the meeting OF the commercial
club. Tuesday night, superintendent
| Edwards of the Moorhead Schools
read a paper which generally covered
! school conditions inc their relation to
the proposed desire Of the people TO
erect a new high school building
which shall meet all Of he wants
and requirements Of the city for q
long time to come. Following the
reading of the paper the commercial
club voted to get behind the proposed
new high school proposition and
authorized the appointment Of a COM
mittee to work Jointly with a COM
| mittee Of the board Of education. Mr..
Edwards began by saying:
The move made by the board Of
education looking toward a new
building makes the subject Of the
growth of the high school of particular
interest at this time. The earliest re-
ports on file at the office are those
Of 1899. when the total enrolment
for the year reached forty-seven and
the number of graduates for the year
was two. Five years later, in 1904,
the enrolment had increased to
seventy-eight and the number Of
graduates to eleven. During the next
five years, the school seemed to have
made very little growth as the en-
rollment in 1908 was eighty-six and
in 1909 but eighty-seVen, while the
numbers Of graduates reported were
thirteen and ten. There had been
larger classes graduated in one or
two instances and the enrolment had
ferent years, but the real growth IS
fairly represented by the above
figures.
'In 1910. the high school began a
more rapid growth, the enrolment
that year going to ninety-two and the
graduates to nineteen. In 1911, the
enrolment reached 120 with thirteen
graduates, in 1912 enrolment was IA
with twenty-five graduates and in
1918 the enrolment reached 172 with
twenty-three graduates. Under pre-
sent conditions the high school en-
rollment must remain between $50 and
200 as all possible enlargement has
beer utilized by the board Of educa-
ton and accommodations are now
taxed to the limit. The enrolment,
this year, starts at about $50 and will
TedCn ABOUT 10. Lie 61ouualCS SLAAS
year will number about forty which
will set an entirely new mark for the
Moorhead High school.
How About the Cost7
eve are all pro. of Moorhead's
higher educational situations n
anxious to see them continue to grow
and prosper. There is no institution,
however, that comes closer to the peo-
pie and in which a community may
take more pride than in a good high
school. The requirements for high
schools have greatly increased during
the past ten years and the increased
cost of living has made the cost Of
J equipment and cost of teaching much
higher. The question may be honestly
asked, can Moorhead afford an up-to-
date high school, considering the in
creasing needs n cost?
Since 1899 the income from the
state has increased about $4,000. In
1899 the assessed valuation of this
district was $S45,279. The present as
sessed valuation is $1,360,160, or a gain
Of $514,S S1 or 81 per cent. During the
past five years the increase in assess
ed valuation has been $138, 100, not a
large sum it is true, but this increase
is practically equal to the total as
sessed valuation of Kasota where a
high school Is maintained. If the same
ratio of increase holds good for the
Il next I'VE years., LHS III case va
amount to $149,617, giving the district
an assessed valuation of more than
81, 500, 900. A study Of the figures for
the past five years convinces one that
the increase will be greater than the
above figures.
Potent School Figures.
":Moorhead's special school tax in
1899 vas 17.8 mills. Five years later.
or in 1904, it was 10 mills. In 1903, or
- 49, a.I ~ 1~N&hn- fxro ~
was IT'S mills, while in 1918 the rate
was 1877 mills. This rate proved a lit
tie too low to cover improvements
that seemed necessary n he rate
will have to be increased temporarily
to cover deficit and payment of loan
school rate compare with districts of
about the same assessed valuation?
Against our special rate of 1877 mills
. for last year, we find that Alexandria
has 1T: Anoka, IS; Bemidji. 1873;
, C~rookston, II; Detroit, PIT: Fergus
+ Falls. 13.l; Little Falls, l2.2; Monte
video, 19.5; Thief River Falls, rs; East
Grand Forks, 48. 1t ought to be said
> in the case of East Grand Forks that
the cixy is using the money derived
from licenses TO pay the cost of city
expenses and the former city rate has
been added to the school rate while
! the schools Of East Grand Forks are
being put in first class condition.
Effect on Tax Rate.
How would the building of a new
high school building affect our tax
rate? Mortified has almost the same
assessed valuation as Moorhead and
last year they moved into a fine new
high school building that the city had
needed for a long time. Their spe-
cial school tax in 1911 was 1873 mills,
r in 1912 it was 1856 mills. Bemidji built
= a new high school building in 1910.
t causing the school rate to increase to
20 mills. In 1911 their rate was 1913
mills and in 1912, 1874 mills, indicat-
e ing a. return to normal.
t I'm 1907 the high school inspector
reporting upon the work of schools OF
: the state said: The Willmar school
e is one Of the happiest in the state. A
e comfortable, attractive high school
0 building has been erected on the east
0 side Of the block in which the ole
buildings stands. Willmar now ha
e school facilities unsurpassed by any
: town in it's class Willmar's specia,
school rate that year vas 1875 mills
In the 1910 report the inspector again
writes: 'Willmar surprises ano
c pleases the state by deciding to erect
o an industrial building in the rear Of
f the new slightly high school building
e The new building is to include a gym,
I-,e;,,po chons rpprnS FOR dnrneSfjf