Fergus County Democrat., 1915-07-08
Our County High School.

Our County High School,
For several years the board Of trustees Of the
Fergus county high school has been working under
great and almost discouraging difficulties, which
have hampered them, and have, in some measure,
retarded the school, Most Of these difficulties have
arisen because Of the inadequate building facilities
Of the school, Some years ago the board feeling
that school should be something more than place
to acquire book learning established manual train
ing department. and later department Of house
hold economies Room was found for them in the
basement Of the present building, and, up to the
past year or two that room adequate. Fiow
ever, the school has increased in attendance 50
largely during the past couple Of years, and those
departments have become popular, that they
have entirely outgrown the facilities Of the school,
in the way Of room. The popularity Of those de-
partments, both with pupils and parents, together
with other urgent considerations made it obvious
that further extension Of the opportunities afforded
pupils along those lines might profitably be offered,
and it was decided to offer an agricultural course
as soon as room could be provided for it. p !
Another difficulty which the board encountered[
was the proper care Of nonresident pupils whileF
here attending school, For the most part these
pupils too young TO be left here without proper
supervision, such as they have had at home, and
which some few Of them receive in private homes
in city, but IN many no such suitable place
can be procured, that pupils must either go With
out the high school training the risk OF being
led astray Because Of this condition existing here
and in other parts Of the state, some members OF
the Fergus county high school board with those
from other counties, secured the amendment OF
the high school law SO to allow the erection OF
dormitorles IN connection with county high schools.
Two years ago couple OF partitions separating
recitation rooms were removed to afford additional
assembly rooms to accommodate the increased
number of pupils; but year ago the board was
confronted with the fact that every available space
in the present building was fully utilized and crowd
ed, with room to accommodate any normal IN
crease in attendance for the year lol5-l6.
Under these circumstances the board resolved to
ask the electors Of the county to authorize the ssu
OF bonds tor the construction OF buildings to
overcome these various difficulties, and to meet
these needs of the school, his the voters refused
to do for some unaccountable reason. 1t was Ger
tainly not mercenary one, for the amount to be
paid on each thousand dollars Of taxable property
in the county, to redeem 100000 OF 3 per cent
bonds running twenty years would be 50 trlfllne
that no would hesitate to thorize the bonds
of that account. On the other hand, it IS lncon
ceivable that the average American voter Woule
refuse so reasonable request for school purposes
where needs are so urgent, if they really under
stood the situation fully But that is history his
summer the board is confronted with all OF these
difficulties, and are only able to overcome small
part of them, by the erection OF a one-story ane
basement addition to one end Of the building bu
are unable to increase the domestic science taclh
ties or to care for the nonresident pupils which
the most urgent need of all. s,
Some facts in this connection seem sef-evldent
One is that no district in the county can MAINTAIN
high school without serious impairment OF its
grade department, because of lack Of sufficient
funds under the present statutory tax levy. An
other that county high school of high grade car
be maintained, without imposing any considerable
burden upon any one taxpayer. he Fergus coun
ty high school has attained high standard of ex
cellence, not only with the educators Of Montana