The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-03-24
sIx.cVLINDER MODELS

create class distinction: undesirable
| and undemocratic. 1t is far better tt
equip every high school to give botl
lines of work, and put vocationa
education on the same plan a!
academic training. 1t is unwise in oul
judgment to attempt to develop her,
two distinct types of secondary educa
| ton.
Admitting now that the grade chill
| dren in the central district must a
any hazard be cared for adequately
such a building alone would cost no
less than 100000, and this amount
doubtless should be raised by a bono
| issue; hence the district finds Itself
| facing the expenditure of at leas
100000 on grade schools during the
realize that under our present bono
limit not over $4,000 more would be
available for high school purposes
without resort to heavy direct taxa
ton. BY continuing the plan hereto
fore in operation, Of combining grade
building with the high school. we find
way out Of our present difficult
situation which appeals to us as sound
both from the educational and the
financial viewpoints. We believe that
for an expenditure Of from $500, 900 to
$3.50, 900 a modern building Of suitable
type can be constructed on the pres
ent site which will house the grades
in the central district. care for one
of the junior high schools and the
entire senior high school for many
years to come.
Your committee is therefore firm in
its belief that division of our senior
high school now, or any time prior to
the time when Fargo has a population
of 50.000., and the senior high school
enrolment exceeds 1000. would be I'M
wise. BY division now two things
must necessarily happen. high school
facilities must be seriously curtailed
or cost greatly increased. The present
cost per pupil of high school educa-
ton. in Fargo is $500 year, where
as the some cost for grade pupils is
$38.18. A division Of high schools now
means at least 80 per cent increase
in high school expense. provided high
standards of efficiency are maintained,
and we presume thatR the people of
of the standards now when greater
demands are being made daily for
efficiency in education.
AS your committee views the situa~
ton. a suitable site in that section be-
tween the Northern Pacific and Great
Northern tracks. is not available at
present. With the growth of. Fargo
over more and more to business and
manufacturing. and the residential
sections will continue to develop in
those parts of the city south of the
Northern Pacific tracks and north of
the Great Northern railway. Hence
the idea of a more central site for the
high school ought to be abandoned.
A careful study of the distance
Travelled by the students to the high
school, discloses the fact that no great
number have excessive distances to
travel to the high school. While your
committee does not advance the idea
as imperative. still the state recognizes
the right of a district to provide
transportation where distances are
excessive. However. your committee
believes that boys and girls, s16 years
of age, do not hesitate in the pursuit
of innocent pleasure and sport. to 20
far beyond the present maximum limit
Travelled by high school pupils. For
many pupils these distances will be
materially reduced with the subways
under the Great Northern aTd1 North
ern Pacific railways at Tenth street.
Your committee concludes that there
is but one wise course to pursue;
namely construct a combination grade
and high school building on the pres
ent site. utilizing the present bonding
capacity for that purpose. and create
by direct taxation ample building
funds to care for the need of adequate
modern grade schools. always keeping
in mind the fact that in the grades,
so, or more, per cent OF the( children
will receive all of the education so far
as schools are concerned.