The Dickinson press., 1913-07-12

RTH DAKOTA, SATURDAY, ]
of Gladstone, secretary. 1t was decid-
ed to hold the next meeting in Dickin-
son the Thursday following the July
board meeting and the matter of pro-
gram was left to the county superin-
tenden.
Speaking of how to arouse public
sentiment in favor of improving the
rural schools Supt. Taylor said the
people must desire better schools.
We started at the top in this state. We
desired strong higher institutions of
learning and we got them. Then we
turned our interest to high schools and
we have fine high schools. Minot and
that part of the state desired normal
school and they have it. Dickinson
and this section will get normal
school if they are in earnest in going
after it. But while we have all these
higher schools our system is weak if
the one-room rural school is not what
it should be-.
Mr.. Taylor sees in the aid to rural
schools an incentive-a means to an
end-and in meeting the conditions
necessary to receive few hundred dol
lars aid. the school will take a long
step forward. Good rural schools will
help solve the problem how to keep
the young people on the farms. Rur-
al school director has a thankless task !;
they must maintain a good school and
yet keep taxes down. We must get over
that idea and be willing to pay for val
ue received.
Supt. Ward, who loses no opportunity
to interest people in the Dickinson
normal school proposition, had petitions
ready which during recess were sign
ed by all present.
Supt. Berg of the Dickinson city
schools made strong plea for more
efficient teachers. The school depends
upon the teacher. A good teacher is
cheap at any price and poor teacher
dear at any price. A teacher must
have knowledge of her subject, a
knowledge of the child, know how to
get the two together and have and know
how to make the most of material
equipment. Most teachers have too
small capital. Doctors. LAWYERS and
ministers spend many years preparing
for their work: teachers very few
Teaching is usually stepping stone to
something else. filler. A teacher be-
sides thorough general training, needs
continual preparation by reading and
attending .esummer courses and daily
preparation for daily classes. She
should have good humor, a sense of
the fitness of things and backbone.
Rural schools can get good teachers il
they will hire no others and if they are
willing to pay for them. And this they
should be willing to do to give the chill.
dren on the farms an equal chance with
those in towns and cities. Dickinson
pays three and half times the tax OF
one district in the county and twice the
average tax of all the other districts.
Good salaries attract and when the rur-
al districts raise The tax they should,
they can get good teachers. The quality
should 60 up with the wages. This will
advertise the district and raise land
values. 1t is now an average of 275
miles from this section to the nearest
normal school and it is great expense
and hardship for our young people to
get normal training. We are helping
to support these institutions and &c,
very little in return. If we secure the
normal school at Dickinson for which
we are working it will mean much tc
all the Slope counties and we will
have plenty of trained teachers. 1t is
a Just demand and should receive the
hearty support of all this section.
Supt. Kitchen of Golden Valley
county spoke of Golden Valley Way. y
1t has been their policy for years t.
hire only good teachers-none on per-
mits-and pay for good teachers and az
a result they have the best from all
around and many a college graduate in
their rural schools. Mr.. Kitchen spoke
of how it, was when he came here nine
years ago-when they came to Dickin-
son for everything. Now they are self
sufficient in many ways but still have
a kindly feeling for Dickinson and ex-
pect to come here again in larger num-
bers when the normal school is estab.
lished here. He paid Supt. Ward high
compliment, saying the school interests
of Stark county were safe in his hands.
President Ricnar ds said he was glad
to see so many representative men frem
all the districts present and assured
them of cordial welcome next year
and some further entertainment.
Supt. and Mrs. Melby were interested
attendants. A similar meeting was