The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-12-01
FORESTRY-NORMAL NEWS

The theme of the general program.
of the session Of the North Dakota
State Teachers Association last week
in Fargo, was "The Significance of
Education to North Dakota and the
Nation" Superintendent G.. H. Hanna
of Valley City, President of the Asso-
citation this year, in his address point
ed out the low standing of North Da-
kota according to the Ayres Index
number which has ranked the states
Of the union educationally. The low
degree of preparation Of the teachers
of this state was brought out. He
stated also that four million children
are at present attending school under
teachers of less than twenty-one years
of age. That the country is able to
support education better is proved by
the fact that in 1918 twenty-five times
as much was spent for luxury as for
education in 1920. He recommended
the adoption of indirect taxes for the
support of education. In North Dako-
ia all our school support comes from
direct taxation. Direct taxation makes
the burden "seem" heavy.
In directing the conditions Of work
for the teachers, he asserted that the
teachers must be protected from the
necessity of fawning and "bootlick-
ing" He stated that the lack of Sc
curity and authority in their positions
is one of the chief causes for leaving
the profession. He argued for the
strengthening of the State Depart
ment Of Education and that it should
receive federal support. Within the
state he proposed that state support
should provide half the expense for
the local schools. North Dakota should
adopt a county unit. Under this plan
there would be a county board of edu-
cation which would appoint the coun-
ty superintendent just as city boards
have for years appointed city super
intendents. Mr.. Hanna recommended
that the state association appoint a
committee to study the reorganization
of the education system of the state.
1t should also appoint a commission
to formulate a code of ethics for the
teachers Of the state.
State Superintendent Minnie J.
Nelson made a plea for achieving
the complete eradication of illiteracy
in North Dakota by 1924. Iowa now
holds first place and North Dakota
has challenged Iowa for that position
and Miss Nelson asserted that North
Dakota, because of the fine support Of
the teachers, would succeed in dis
placing Iowa from the head position.
When North Dakota becomes entirely
free from illiteracy, there will be a
big celebration for which Mrs. Cora
Wilson Stuart, national worker in this
field, will come back to attend, and
President Harding, she asserted. will
also come to participate. North Dako-
ia would be the only state of the kind
in the union. At present North Dako-
ia has 9937 illiterates.
The basket ball team is now at work
regularly under the direction of Mr..
Melvin Corder, Coach. The team pos
sesses good material and the ability
Oh ME. IOIttI LII DdShCC val Io Z
known. The prospects for a successful
season are good in spite of the fact
that we were defeated by the High
School team last Thursday. Fumbles,
stalling, inaccurate shooting, an. lack
of sufficient physical training were
responsible for the defeat. A series
of games will be played between these
two teams.
Next Thursday, Dec. 8, Egeland is
to play here. 1t will be remembered
that Egeland played one of the best
games here last year, and also won
the district championship at Devils
Lake. AS practically the same team
will be here again this year, we can
look for a keenly contested game. 1t
is expected that the students will
pledge more support to the team than
was demonstrated at the game last
week.
-DEaE&. r. ----.--------- az hi S#41 E#@ES