The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-23


ed so far in lettering our rural
schools is entirely due to Mr.. Mac
donald. No one else is given any
credit for doing anything in this
direction.
To one unacquainted with the
movement for rural school better
ment 1t would appear on reading this
bulletin that Mr.. Macdonald was the
father of the movement and that I'M
! til he came to the helm our schools
were in a most terrible condition to
! say the least 1t would appear that
! little or no move had been made to-
wards consolidation; that the teach
ers were poor; that no provision had
been made for Standardization and
state aid; that there was no music
in the schools, no hot lunches were
served nor was there anything COM
mendable worthy of mention.
! You will note that this bulletin is
published by the state department
at state expense under the name OF
Educational News Bulletin. It's pri-
mary purpose, however, seems to be
TO let the people of the state know
what a really wonderful man we
have for superintendent Of public in
struction.
We quote the following from the
NaCL0BSI issue OF the DuiIGLlus
When Neil G. Macdonald became
rural school inspector in 1911, North
Dakota's rural schools were on no
map educationally." He would have
you infer that all which has been &C
complished in rural school betterment
must be credited to him.
From q zero appropriation by the
state for rural schools, Macdonald
has seen the legislature appropriate
1926, 900 for the two years aid to the
rural schools that deserve it," Here
again he seems to wish you to be-
lieve that he fathered the movement
for Standardization and state aid to
rural schools. As a matter Of fact
the movement was started and an
appropriation made before he ever
appeared on the scene. We doubt If
such a thing ever entered his head
until he was appointed by mistake
to aid in administering the law.
He has seen trained teachers
supplant mAkeshits in every county
OF the state" Kind Of a black eye on
those who were in school work be-
fore his debut.
He has seen teacherages spring
up wherever there was no appropri-
ate boarding place" Anyone who
knows conditions at ell knows that
If not untrue.
How a man can sit quietly in his
Office and take to himself credit for
things which he knows little credit
is due, and have it published at
state expense and sent broadcast
over the state in the guise of
news, looks passing strange.
Among items Of interest for the
next issue of the bulletin might be
the following:
Statement of the cost to the state
and the counties as a whole Of his
hfty-three school rallies.
What 1t cost the state to bring one
man from Boston, one from Indiana |
and Another from Minnesota to tell |
the people Of North Dakota how to |
run their schools.
Why it was necessary to have |
from four TO six people at each one |
Of these rallies all preaching the |
same gospel and all either under |
hire by the state or travelling at |
state expense.
What it costs to publish this poll
teal news bulletin and out OF what |
fund 1t is paid. The number pub
lished and distributed.
A comparison OF the number of |
employees in his department and the |
expenses Of his administration as
compared with any previous year in |
the history of the state.
Why it was necessary to lay aside |
hundreds If not thousands of good |
school registers to be replaced with |
others Of inferior quality but having /
his name on the front cover This
in the face Of the high cost of paper,
labor. ink, etc.
The cost to the state Of these reg
listers, which we claim were not /
needed at this time, and the num-
erous booklets, circulars, etc.
We would suggest that the legis-
lature at its special meeting might /
do well by appointing a committee
to kind OF look over things in this
particular department. 1t is just
possible that the tax payers might |
be saved some money in the future.
Very truly,
SEVER FJELSTAD.
Granville, n. ID.