New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1916-10-13
A COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM IN 5 YEARS

A COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM IN 5 YEARS
The story of the building of a school system
in Santa Fe county is one Of the greatest in
tercst. Not only have the people of this county
learned TO feel pride in the advancement Of ed
%ucation, but the people Of other counties botl
within and outside the state have caught inspi
ration from the work and enthusiasm of a de
voted county superintendent. This is not III
tended to be an argument for any person Oh
persons election to office. Fairness, however
will give due credit for the phenomenal prog.
rcss made under the present administration
Fathers and mothers, and others, will, we be-
licvc. give careful consideration to the follow
ing facts:
SIX or seven years ago Santa Fe county had
very Jew school houses worthy Of the name.
Even five years ago. the value of all school
property in the county outside Of Santa Fe
was only SI7,I3S.5o, In I0I4-15 it had in
creased TO S62,7o5.OO. Schools were formerly
held in the most wretched novels and with lit
tie or no equipment, except in certain rich dis
tricts. What a change! Now, all districts
own school buildings, except two, and these
two have comfortable and sanitary buildings.
Forty sc~hoolhouses were built in one year. Can
any other county in the whole country match
that record? Furthermore today there is not
a dollars worth Of Indebtedness resting on
the county or upon any school district. There
will he no taxes necessary to pay on bonds for
twenty or thirty years. This was made posi-
bic because the people, the directors, the teach
crs, and the county superintendent put their
money, their labor, and their thought into the
construction Of these schools and secured addi-
aid from funds supplied by the legis1a-
tire. Think over these things, you parents
and you taxpayers,
Another matter for our consideration is the
lcngthenlng of the school term. Five years
ago, four districts in Santa Fe county had no
at all; six had only three months seven
had four months; six had five months; two
had six months, and six districts had seven
Only five districts, including the
of Santa Fe, had more than seven months.
The average length Of term in 10o9-lOIo was
months. In 1Or4-I5, no district had less
han seven months, the average being seven
and One-half months, while for the present
year, the county commissioners have approx
ed of estimates Tor a nine months term in
very district in the county. This does not
mean increased taxes, either, because as peo-
pie realize the importance Of schools their Of
Ulcers can find ways of reducing costs along
other lines, For instance, let us educate and
rain orr boys and girls in industry. intelli-
yence, and self-restraint. and there will be less
money needed for police protection, jails,
'ourts, and INDECENT funds.
Let us refer to one other indication of Santa
Fe %county's marvellous educational progress.
It might be possible to have a long term of
and a good scloolhouse, and still fail to
AVE an efficient school.
The most important factor is the teacher,
md in this respect, too, our county has gained
ground rapidly. Five years ago, there were
teachers in the county outside of the
Of these, twenty-seven. or three-fourths.
lad only third grade certificates, four had
grade certificates, two had first grade
certificates, one had a professional, and two
leld permits. In IoI4-I5, there were sixty
i've teachers in the rural districts, of whom
ess than one-half held third grade certificates.
There were fourteen with second-grade certif-
Gates. eighteen with first grade certificates,
nd two with professional certificates. In the
present year only nine of the s~ixty-six teachers
low employed outside of the city of Santa Fe
lold third grade certificates, thirty-four have
econd grade certificates, and twenty-six have
irst grade certificates. This means more to
he county and its rural district than we can
ealize until the children now in school are
men and women. Then we shall know
What high qualifications in our teachers mean.
In order to get better teachers, it is, of
necessary to provide salaries common
t,rate with the service desired. Therefore. the
are much better paid now than for
nerly. In 1oII-I2 the total amount spent for
salaries in the rural districts was
an average annual salary for each
eacher of $40. In 1o14-1s, tile amount
pent for salaries was $28,2o1.o the average
alarv being $435.
Other interesting facts which might be
Town include the increase of total expendi-
ures in rural districts from $II,137.52 in