The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-02


ceeds E. r.. Edwards, state inspec-
tor of high schools. The convention
came to close this noon.
J. H. SColtRn of New Rockford, was
elected first vice president; Miss
Elizabeth Gill of Williston, second
vice-president; w. e. Parsons of
Bismarck, secretary: Martha 7. Full
ton of Wahpeton, treasurer; trustee
for four years, Nelson Sauvain Of
Devils Lake, and trustee for two
years, Bruce Francis Of Minot.
Consolidation Has Limits.
Even consolidation, which he rec
ognizes as the logical future devel-
opment for all of our smaller school
systems, has it's limits, said Carl
Gilbertson of Ignite, president Of
the principals Of graded, consolidat-
ed and third class high schools, in
addressing his section Of the North
Dakota Educational association this
morning. ...
There are cases where the town
ship is too large a unit for consoli-
dation," said President Gilbertson.
This is true in some parts of the
state where the roads are poor and
the country is. sparsely settled.
There is a danger in some districts
that the taxes may become too bur
densome. 1t may be that there Is not
enough taxable property to allow a
sufficient levy. These conditions may
make public transportation well
nigh impossible in a large CONSOLE
dated district; but even then, IL the
people are willing to cooperate, they
can easily solve the problem by
private transportation.
do you realize that the main
policy of the state department or
education is the betterment az rural
school conditions so that the country
children may have the same oppor-
tunities as the city child. 1t makes
me feel almost pessimistic when
some leading citizen Of q village
comes to me and tells me that we
are spending too much money on our
schools by transporting children to
the village school for the families
who live within a radius of five or
six miles. Such a person is selfish in
that he begrudges the country boy
and girl the same advantage as his
children have. A little heavier tax Is
good investment if we can properly
educate these country boys and girls
thereby"
Normal Schools Set Pace.
Recalling that only forty years
ago a bill was introduced in the
Minnesota legislature for the aboli-
ton of the normal schools in the
gopher state, and that at that late
date higher education and the neces-
sity for the preparation of elemen-
tary school teachers was regarded a
doubtful experiment, DR.. Joseph
Kennedy, dean of the school of edu-
cation of the University of North
Dakota, declared the preparation of
elementary school teachers a modern
development.
"Such a bill could not be intro
duced or entertained for a moment
today" said DR.. Kennedy. referring
/ to the Minnesota measure. '"The
normal schools have been tried and
have not been found wanting. They
stand as the exponent and as the
agency of professional teaching in
the elementary field; and 1t is said
that the best teaching today is done
in the elementary schools.
''The normal schools having set the
pace and the standard for profess
sional teaching in elementary schools,
men began to inquire why high
school teachers should not also be
prepared for their important and
/ complicated function. There have
been from the beginning of this
movement some who have opposed
it, They have claimed that teaching
is an art which has to be learned by
practice alone; they have maintain
/ ed that the teacher is entirely born
and in no sense made-that the art
of teaching, in fact, runs in the
blood. 1t reminds one Of the story Of
| the man who had a wooden leg and
who said that both his father and
his grandfather had a wooden leg
and that The believed it ran in the
blood"
MIGHT Schools.
zone engaged in educational work
naturally comes to have feeling of
baffled resentment at the limitations
of accomplishment compared with
the possibilities Of attainment" said
Supt. Bruce Francis of the Minot
public schools, addressing the de-
partment on secondary education of
the North Dakota Educational asso-
citation on the subject, Night Schools
For Pupils Of High School Ability.
With all the wealth Of oppor-
tunity, how few take advantage of
them, and how very few of these inn
prove them fully. it really seems that
effort lags as facilities are multi
piled. Not so, the night school stu
dent. He realizes the necessity of
making the most Of his time-he APP
preciates his limitations, and recog-
nizes the part training has in his
advancement. Whatever the cause,
his attitude toward work is wholly
changed and instead OF a surfeited,
bored laggard, we have a purposefHl,
interested student.
Whether we admit the charges or
not. there is something wrong when
the ratio of numbers in the first and.
twelfth grades is ten to one. There
- IL 4
years are spent i'm acquiring gkilI
in the means of obtaining an educa-
ton and only one i'm ten make use
of the skill acquired. If in our COM
munittes there are partially trained
recruits who can be modified for
further training in night schools. II
would seem that these offer the
largest returns on the expenditure.
Adults whose educational oppor-
tunities have been limited may ex-
cite our pity, but ii is the youth
whose advancement has been inter-
rupted who should enlist our best
efforts, because he has the greater
possibilities for good or Ill"
Old School Passes.
The little red school house has
served its usefulness, ]. q. Gunder-
son Of Aneta. president OF the
school administration division Of the
North Dakota Educational associa-
ton, informed his hearers this aft
erno0n. In his annual address.
Most OF us now agree that a live
and practical system of public
schools is necessary for the fun de-
veiopment OF a vigorous and pros
porous nation and state" said Pfesi-
dent Gunderson. ITO bring about this
condition in our schools we must
have unificati0n and cooperation Of
the administrative and teaching for
ces of the state and the financial
aid Of the taxing units. The four lit
tie school houses, one located in
each corner OF the township. have
served their usefulness and we are