Alamogordo news-advertiser. (Alamogordo, Otero County, N.M.) 1912-1914, 1913-02-15
The CO. HIGH SCHOOL
WHERE A COUNTY SCHOOL
SHOULD BE LOCATED
Discussed by
G. w. MORGAN
Secretary District No. 1

secretary DlStrlcJ NO.
The following is a summary of
the provisions of Chapter Z, stat
utes of 1912, providing for the es-
! tablishment of county high schools:
Sec. /. County high schools may
be established in counties having
population of 5000 or more.
Sec. 2. One-fifth of the quail
fled electors of the county, includ-
ing women, must petition the coun-
ty commissioners to call an election;
place must be named in the petit
tion. The ballots must read: For
a county high school at. :" and
Against county high school at
......." A majority of the votes
cast at such election shall deter
mine the matter.
Sec. 3. All children of the coun-
ty who have passed the eighth
grade shall be eligible to entrance
in the county high school.
Sec. 4. The management and gov
ernment of a county high school
shall be under the board of school
directors of the district in which
the high school is located and the
county superintendent is an eX-of-
| ficio member of the board.
Sec. 5. Women may qualify to
serve on the board of control.
Sec. 6. For purposes of mainten-
ance only, county levy of not to
exceed two mills on the dollar is
permitted.
Sec. z. Relates to the handling
OF the two mill levy; Not more than
one county high school shall be es-
tablished in any county of the state
during any one year. When an ad-
diitonal county higf school shall be
established 1t shall receive during
the first year not to exceed one
third of the money then in the high
school fund, after which the funds
shall be divided in proportion to
the number of pupils in each school.
See. 8. Expressly state that cost
of site, location of building, and the
lost therefor, shall be borne entir-
Lely by the district wherein the high
Uchool is located.
Sec. 8. Authorizes districts to is
sue bonds to pay for building and
site.
Sec. 10. Expressly provides that
manual training. domestic science,
the elements of agriculture. and
commercial science, shall be taught
in county high schools.
Nearly every county In the state
Of New Mexico is now engaged in
yetting a county high school estab-
lished under the law enacted by the
last legislature. In few counties
otero county included. there Is a
spirit of rivalry as to where the
school should be located. Howev-
er in most instances the county seat
is conceded to be the logical and
most advantageous location. The
high school bill was one of the
most progressive and modern meas
ures in the interests of the public
schools that has been passed by the
New Mexico legislatures. In gen
eral way it was patterned after sim
liar bills in several other state:
where the plan is found economical
and best to equalize the opportuni
ties for all children to obtain higf
school education.
. We will assume that a majorit!
OF the people of Otero county are
progressive enough to want the bes
educational advantages for the Dhil
dren and that a large majority II
the county concede that higl
school is needed.
That being so, the question arise
In the mind of every qualified elect
or in the matter where the schoo
should be located. Now the pur
! pose of this article is to convinc
} the voters that Alamogordo is tn
! most feasible location for count
/ high school.
LIST. In justice to the situation
District number one which In
! cludes Alamogordo. has been doin
z high school work for a number o
years and three years ago institut
e ed an accredited high school course
D There have been graduations froI
. that course the past two years an
0 this year a class of eight will grad
e uate. The school has been open {
9 all qualified pupils from over tn
q county, free of tuition, and the IL
cal taxpayers IN ulSlflcI Nos nav
borne the burden. Many student
& have availed themselves of this oI
! portunity and where families haV
: moved in to get the advantage
2 higher instruction for members
8 the family the younger pupils hay
II crowded the lower grades. to u
i detriment of those living her
& However, there has been no obte
T. tion, because the several board
T. Sacked by the business men, ha'
,s been enterprislng enough TO adv
v cate free schools to all in the eou
1t dy and have not complained. tn
d year out of an enrolment Of 75
ui the high school 20 are non-residen
" at the present time. the greater %
n tion OF the later being from 9th
o districts In Otero county. The hi
ie school department Is about douh
st or treble the expense of any 9th
nj room.
:. District No. I at the present tir
10 has a high school building which
re entirely adequate. with possible a
'u dItions to the facilities for teac
mammal aFnl