The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1921-01-27
LETTER DlSCL0SES !
FINANCIAL NEEDS

The letter published below is one
written this week by President c. =.
Allen and sent to several of our legis-
lators at Bismarck who are deeply in
terested in the welfare of the educa-
tional institutions of the state. 1t sets
forth in particular the needs Of the
Valley City State Normal School. We
feel that all should know just what
these needs are. 49,
Since the beginning of the present
session of the Seventeenth Legislative
Assembly, the press has published fire.
uuent statements to the effect that
some members of the Assembly have,
in their demands for economy and re-
trenchment, insisted that appropria-
tons for educational institutions must
be limited to amounts appropriated by
the Sixteenth Legislative Assembly
for current expenses, with no provls-
ion for buildings or additions to per
manent property.
In view of reiterated statements of
this kind l am taking the liberty Of
writing to you on the subject Of sup
port for the Valley City State Normal
School, for other institutions like it,
and for educational purposes in gen
eral. "--' 49, 49,
wish. most respectfully to urge
that it would be false economy to
stint the teacher training schools OF
North Dakota when professional train
ing is 50 greatly needed among the
teachers of the state and is so sadly
lacking. This state can i'll afford to do
ANYTHING which would check or lessen
the efficiency of it's normal schools, and
merely to keep them on the same
plane of efficiency for the next b.
ennium will require largely increased
appropriations over those OF the
present biennial period.
The proposition to allow no new
buildings for the next two years would
be accepted by the institutions as wise,
if reasonable provision for buildings
had been made by the last Legislative
Assembly and those preceding 1t. Inc
last appropriation for building Tor
the Valley City Normal School was
made in 1911, just ten years ago. Ad-
ditional buildings have been sadly
needed all these years, and urgent re-
quests have been presented to sue
cessive Legislative Assemblies. we
have been told by each Assembly that
no buildings could be provided by 1t,
but that the next Assembly would GER
tainly grant our requests IN that-hne.
; We feel that it is unfair to this in
stitution, and unjust to the prospec-
tive teachers who want to secure thelf
training here, longer to refuse appro-
,priations for buildings. 1t IS 1alse
economy to operate poorly equipped
and meagerly supported teacher tram
ing schools. North Dagota educa-
tional statistics are already rejecting
the effects of the parsimonious treat
ment accorded these institutions our
ing the past several years,
9 I sincerely hope you Will teel tnat
you can give your hearty support 10
our requests for the coming biennlum;
I know you will give this support II
YOU believe that our requests are fee-
sonable, and necessary for the proper
growth and development of the valley
City Normal School. If you have any y,
!; doubts on this point, trust you VIII
i permit me to explain in detail the
reasons for the requests, and the ne
! cessity of securing favorable actlon
on all of them at this time.
| I am enclosing herewith copy OF
our budget, as submitted to the Bud.
get Committee through the Board Of
i Administration. I should be pleased
to have an opportunity to go ove'
with YOU the various items of the bud
: get, and to present our needs to the
j Appropriation Committees if there il
any question about granting our re
quests.
BESIDES the appropriation for main
tenance, which continuation OF tn
school makes imperative, ! wish Z
urge very strongly favorable actor
!: on the request for $4,000 for add
) tions to permanent prope rty, ant
: 5000 600 for a physical education
: oui'd:n.'.
J Nav 7 rot hear from YOU relative t
those requests, with suggestions as +
what We may properly do to aid !