The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1915-06-18
A WORD OF

~ASACS IL! Tie OHlV8O 0C8CoSe
A WORD OF WARNING
W. Tenney, Rural School Inspector.
The cooperation Of the parents, pu-
pills, teachers and school officials with
the officers Of the State Board Of
Health this past year has done the
work that has completely revolutioniz-
ed the sanitary conditions Of many
rural schools in Montana. Modern
buildings have been constructed, old
ones remodeled, the grounds and build
cleaned and improved and san
itary equipment provided. All have
Joined in the good work for the sake
OF the boys and girls and each one is
happy as he thinks Of the improve
ments that have been made and the
part he has taken in the making Of
them.
In such a good cause as the upbuild-
ing Of the schools Of the Treasure
State, every one should at least be
unselfsh enough to aim to give full
value when furnishing equipment or
rendering service, but unfortunately
for all concerned a number Of un-
scrupulous agents, whose main object
has been to see how much they can
get out Of a school district and how
little they can leave in return for
what they take out, have invaded
Montana territory. Most Of these
agents have no regular catalog, with
prices plainly printed, but work each
community for what they think it
will stand. Others persuade trustees
to issue warrants before the goods
are delivered, and both the state and
county departments receive letters ga
lore telling Of a sudden loss Of in
terest in the delivery as soo as the
payment has been received, while still
others will misrepresent both the re-
q%uirements and the goods in order
to effect a sale.
For example, the regulations pres
cribed by the State Boar dof Health,
provide that each public school must
be furnished with a covered water
cooler, with individual drinking cups,
OF a sanitary bubbler, and almost be-
fore the printers ink was dry, the
smooth agent appeared before the
school board armed with a tin can that
was fearfully and wonderfully made
and a speech somewhat like this:
"The State Board of Health says you
must have it. You might as well
buy it from me and save further time
and trouble. The price 10 only thir.
ty-fve, forty-fve or sixty dollars, de-
pending somewhat on the size." HI
forgot to mention just what his com
mission was. He forgot to state tina
q covered water cooler could be pur
chased from any dealer and that pap
er cups could be purchased very cheap
ly or constructed by the pupils. In
fact, he forgot to state that an earth
en- jar that would last just as long
keep the water just as clean and colo
and pure and bubble it just as higl
as his device, that was built something
like a threshing machine in order K
conceal the smallness Of its real val
ue, could be purchased from an,
we'll established school firm for some
thing like five or ten dollars, so tn
trade was made. The three month
later when the school was visited b,
the county superintendent it was foun
that the bubbler had sprung a leak
that a puddle of water on the foo
was o%mnipresent and that the boy
and girls wer compelled to get alon'
with six months school instead q
seven because the district was shol
Of funds.
It is not the purpose to wage wa
against any legitimate supply hous
that puts out a catalog in a regula
way and aims to give value receive
but the purpose is to make it 8
hard as possible for certain huma
sharks to live and thrive on the fund
that belong to the schools for all tn
boys and girls of all Montana. NeitF
err is it the purpose to say that tn
trustees should not buy the elaborat
and high priced drinking fountain
if they see fit; but the purpose is
put that mar out of commission, WI
will misrepresent the position of IL
State Board of Health and the Sta