The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-24

The First Report Of Elementary
School Inspection, prepared by State
School Inspector N. c, Macdonald. has
been issued.
This is the first report Of its kind
In the state and one of the first few
in the United, States. 1t comprises
the first and second annual reports Of
the state inspector Of consolidated
graded and rural schools for the two
years ending June 80, 1913. The re-
port gives much specific information
including statistical data based upon
the personal inspection of 38l schools,
nfty-seyen being consolidated. eighty
one graded and 243 rural. The lack
of such information has been one of
tn. principal reasons why the rural
school is the laggard in the educa-
tional procession. The report con
tains lao pages. divided nearly evenly
between written and statistical mat
ter; forty pages of which deal with
consolidated schools. In addition sixty
pages have been omitted from the re-
port, for the material had been pub
lished before in special pamphlets.
The principal topics treated are
briefly outlined as follows:
Statistics.
There are eight statistical exhibits
WIZ SiNS oSll SV,OuV Sl0IISllSdI
items concerning the schools inspect
ed. There are eleven tables and ta-
diagram pertaining TO salaries, at
tendance, eighth grade and high
school competitions, tax rates, lists Of
consolidated schools, etc. Then in
addition there are comparative foot.
note tables which give some useful
data for all classes of public schools
in the state. These represent the
first attempt to give in detail such
data for all rural schools.
illustrations.
The material is illustrated with
some thirty views pertaining to
school conditions, among which are
poor attendance of country boys and
consolidated school activities.
Rural School Teacher.
A plea is made for more and better
trained and paid teachers in the rural
schools; for a foot-note item shows
that a majority Of the rural teachers
have completed only the eighth grade
and hold only a second class element
airy certificate. This is described as
a plain cas- of the blind leading the
blind" Also, the average annual wage
is given as $35S.26; or on the twelve
month basis as the report states 1t,
tho %princely salary of $29.S5 per
MONTH" In the schools inspected
these conditions are better of course,
but these are the conditions in the
majority Of rural schools.
Country Boys.
Twelve pages are devoted to the
subject of country boys in relation to
poor attendance. It is shown that in
the schools inspected 1,426 country
boys were kept out of school in viola
ton Of law for varying periods of
time. some Of which were over three
months; but for all rural schools in
forty-tWo counties reporting, 16,252
country boys between the ages Of s
and Is inclusive were kept out of
school sixty days or more in violation
Of law. One diagram shows
that only Z per cent Of the country
boys completed the eighth grade and
only one-half Of / per CEN completed
the high school. These conditions are
analysed in the report and are char
acterized as appalling and brutal"
The specific remedy suggested is the
enlightening and %arousing of the pub
lie conscience to the necessity of Sc
curing a better enforcement Of the
compulsory attendance law.
Rural School Attendance.
This topic is introduced in the re-
port with the statement, The great
est defect in the rural school has been
and is now the poor attendance"
The average term for the rural schools
inspected is 8.8. months, and the per
cent Of attendance s.; but the aver
age term for all rural schools is only
seVen months with 60 per. cent attend
ance. -,
Consolidation of Rural Schools. OIL.
The most important part Of the re-