Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-10-07
COUNTY SCHOOL NOTES

Directors and school patrons should
know that there are clearly defined
duties for school directors. Many
come to this office to have certain
things looked after that are clearly ur
to the directors. 1t is not the wish
of this office to usurp powers of schoo!
boards, but rather to advise with
members relative to their duties. Ii,
your school house is not cleaned UP
for the beginning of school it is the
duty of directors to look after that.
If the stovepipe smokes or there is
not kind!ing or fuel, see your director.
not US. We have other duties.
However, if your school director does
not look after these matters after re,
porting them, we would be glad to
assist you in any way we can. An
other thing-school boards hire teach
ers-not the superintendent. The
county superintendent merely passes
upon their qualifications. In this
county, though, this Office has always
assisted school. boards in getting
teachers, and in many cases made out
contracts for school clerks in order
that we might forestall any shortage
Of teachers. We believe we can as
sist materially in this way.
Before you come to this office in
regard to things that are the duty
of directors, please see your director
first and get his decision. You can
always appeal from his or the boards
judgment to this office. If your de-
cision is not satisfactory you can
then appeal to the state superinten
dent, and if the state superintendent
does not satisfy you, you can have
the matter settled in court.
1t has always peen our contention
that the superintendent place is in
the field visiting schools and attending
to other school matters. Little can
be done by remaining in the office.
The routine work there is for the
deputy. Of course we realize that i;
is hard to cover the field thoroughly.
There are more than fifteen hundred
square miles in this county, and las:
year there were 162 schools and 16C
school officers. So if we do not ge,
into. your district as often as. We
should, please do not lay it to neglect.
Last year we made 205 visits in al
dition to calling on school board men,
bers and patrons.
The teacher situation in some dis
tricts is such as should cause alarm
to those wishing school. We need
about twenty teachers. Yet it is a
question in our mind whether or not
it would be better to keep those
schools closed or put very inefficient
teachers into them. The latter we
shall do as last resort. We may
get enough qualified teachers. It Is
not the fault of this office that there
are not enough teachers. We got ap-
plications through strenuous labor.
We put them up to school officers, but
in many cases school directors ana
clerks were not alive to the teacher
situation. For eight months nearly
every week we have warned the peo-
pie against the impending shortage OF
teachers and the necessity of paying
wage that would attract people to
the profession.
What happened? Some districts
offered the munificent sum Of $50 ana
sS5-the same as they pay hired men
except that the hired man gets his
board in addition. Did this attrac.
teachers? Not much. Teachers
that we could have referred to dis
tricts paying 800 or, better got dis
gusted with the proposition in this
county and looked further. The time
is past when teachers must take what
is offered them. There are too many
other places where, they are offered
what they want. You cannot compel
teachers to come for what you wish
to give them when they can get ten
or twenty dollars more in South Da-
kota and Minnesota. BY referring
teachers to. districts paying a low
wage we lost at least enough teach
ers to fill tho remaining vacant
schools.
You hire g. man for superintendent.
to keep up in school matters and keep
you advised on school matters. Why
not act on his advice? It is not an
other cent in his pocket whether your
schools are opened or closed. Sup
pose, you offer hundred now is there
much likelihood Of your getting teach
ers? It ID very doubtful. You Ger.