The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-10-06
SEPTEMBER MEETING STATE
BOARD OF EDUCATION

i
The State Board of Education held
its regular quarterly meeting in Boise,
September l2th-l4th The members
of the board were all present-Evan
Evans of Grangeville, Walter S.
Bruce, Boise; T. A. Walters, Caldwell;
Ramsey M. Walker. Wallace; R. T.
Terrell. Pocatello; Miss Bernice Nc
Coy, State Superintendent. Mr.. r. NJ.
Terrell takes the place OF Mr. II. Har-
land who resigned from the board to
become register of the state land
board.
The presidency of the board being
vacant on account OF Mr.. Harlands
resignation, the vice-president, MIR.
Evans, was elected president; MIR. w.
| s. Bruce was elected vice president,
and Mr.. T. A. Walters, secretary.
President Evans appointed Mr.. X. M,
Terrell on the executive committees
of the University and the Deaf and
Blind school.
Educational Budget.
In addition to routine business the
board was occupied mainly with two
great problems, the first being the
budgets of the six state institutions
| These were presented by the heads
OF the institutions and contained the
estimated needs of the institutions for
the coming biennium. These budgets
were given preliminary consideration;
final action will be taken at the next
injecting of the board in November.
| he other big item was the considera-
ton of school legislation. The statute
makes it the duty of the state board
1 Af cd, I
conditions and needs of the state, and
approve all proposed changes or ad-
ditions to existing school laws"
School Legislation.
In accordance with this provision
the board is constantly gathering
facts and data concerning the schools,
schools throughout the state. The
material thus obtained forms the basis
of all recommendations made
One of the main ideas of the board
with regard to school law is to sim
plify it by removing unnecessary pro-
visions and getting rid OF conflicts and
obscurities, many of which have &C
formulated owing to measures being
Ipasscd without due consideration OF
, other statutes. At the last session OF
the Legislature, the recommendation
of the board resulted in actually re-
J ducing the bulk of the school law
Health Work in Schools.
i. The board decided to recommend q
bill to enable the counties and schoo
districts to carry on health work il
the schools. In this connection they
went on record as in favor Of laying
. stress upon health rather than disease
in all this work; they favored having
the health inspections in the school.
, made as privately as possible.
! A number of the larger districts il
til c state arc already conductin.
. health work and the results are graft
flying in the extreme. One of tn,
: largest towns in the state has prac
t tically eliminated epidemics of chill
drens diseases by this method. Ii
|. this matter the board will act in CO
s operation with the State Board O
e Health.
} School Revenue and Expenditures
/ The board considered special re
e port of the commissioner showing
: gross inequalities in the educationa
funds of counties and school district
/ and in their expenditures for schoo
purposes, showing extravaganza an
y waste in some place and poverty an
d restitution in others. Over 60 pc
cent of the total burden is borne b
S. district levies; thus the bulk of tn
e load is carried by the district-th
: smallest and most uneven tax-unit i
our system,
IS Inequalities in Resources and Exper
ditures.
ir Some of the most striking facts ar
d these: The amount of taxable prop
e erty in rural district with one teach
n er ranges from a maximum of $2,329
0ol.O 90 down to minimum of les
= than 100000. The average amour
l. of taxable property per child of schoc
age in the counties varies from owe
,e 81, 00000 to under $4,000 The an
t. nual expenditure for one room ruri
school varies from $4,000 (Which
If surely too much) to $500 (Which
le certainly too little.)
II Many districts levy the full leg;
IS maximum from 10 to Ia mills and ar
e still hard up; others have too niue
" when they levy half a mill. Under tn
present laws many districts, includin
m some with hundreds of pupils, al
:" compelled to break the law they mu
lie either CD default on the legal min
mum term of school, or (2) exceed II
lie legal limit of school tax, or (3) inc,
n illegal deficiencies.
b. This is in the very briefest form II
problem which the State Board
es kEducation, and others interested
es schools, are trying to solve. III
board is earnestly seeking a plan
ok relief for these conditions. They a
considering in particular the methc
m of meeting part of the cost of schoo
by state levy. The matter will
dealt with further at the Novemb
meeting.
f. Idaho History in the Schools.
ne The State Department of Educate
ce has for many months been promote
&C. movement for the study of Ida
,er history in the schools Glasses in Id
no history were conducted in all
ill the state summer schools this ye
of and aroused great interest. Many
ad the leading men and women of
on state are encouraging the moveme
m The State Board of Education {