The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1914-08-14
School Notes

VII August ~ dllu 20 q opGSloi
examination for those pupils who
failed in some subjects in the
spring state eighth grade exami-
nation will be held at st. Igna-
thus, according to a letter just
received from County Superin-
tendent Edna Ferguson. A
teachers examination will also
be given there at that time, if
any one desires to take it. Mrs.
Meglasson will have charge of
the examination. Anyone in
tending to take the teachers
examination then must first
notify Mrs. Ferguson.
The Board of Trustees of Dis
trict No. % recently passed the
rule that beginners, children
who have not previously been
to school, or taught to read, will
not be permitted to enter school
after Sept. l. This is common
rule in small cities and country
schools where intelligent efforts
are being made to improve the
schools. The reason for it is
obvious. If children who cannot
read enter school later than the
beginning, in the fall, it is neces-
sary to organize another begin
ners' class, and so cut in half
the time which each class in the
primary should receive from the
teacher. Furthermore it tends
to double the number of classes
in all of the successive years.
Parents having children nearly
six when school opens may
and should send them. Where
children who have not been pre-
viously taught become six after
the beginning Of the school year,
they must, for their own good
and for the good Of all the other
children of the school, wait I'M
til the next fall to enter. So,
Darents. send yOur BEGINNERS
when school opens.
The people of St. Ignatius and
vicinity will be glad to know
that a thoroughly efficient high
school will be organized there
this year. Perhaps some may
not at first realize the tremen-
dous significance of this fact to
the permanent welfare of the
people and countay. Pupils are
wanted to make the classes large
enough to keep down the per
capita expense. Every rural
community so fortunate is to be
most highly congratulated, and
should rally to it's support and
encourage in every possible way.
Pupils wishing to attend who
live too far away to board at
home should write to S.R.Logan,
superintendent, Ravalli, who will
assist in any practicable way to
help them reduce expenses.
The recently published tax
levies of Ravalli and Missoula
counties plainly indicate that the
people are rapidly coming to
realize that education of the
country's children is one of the
chief functions of the govern
ment,' a matter of supreme i'm
portance. A uniform state tax
adequate to properly support all
of the schools, the burden thus
being equalized and the efficiency
of elementary and high school
education doubled, would be very
much better than the present
system, which overemphasizes
local school taxation. At present
some districts pay a school tax
of 81 mills, while adjoining small
districts, which may happen to
have big banks, mines, factories
or railroads within it's limits may
have better schools owing to a
very much larger income from
school taxes. and yet pay only
one mill special school tax. Still
as long as the schools must be
supported chiefly by local tax
alton, it is encouraging to see
how periodically the progressive