The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-01-07
COUNTY UNIT
LAW EXPLAINED
EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPrOR.
TCNITIES FOR ALL THE
CHILDREN
WOULD EQUA14lZE BURDEN OF
TAXATION IN SUCH DIS.
TRICTS AS THIS


The county unit system for the
administration of public schools in
Powder Piver couoty came up for
favorable comment at the Chamber
OF Commerce meeting Monday night
following elucidation on the subject
by.S. A. Holt and Miss Winona Lewis.
ex-county superintendent of schools.
Responding to an invitation to ex-
plain county unit Miss Lewis said
in part:
County unit in educational mat
ters as it has been tried in other
counties of the state similar in cir
cumstances to our, has proved a suc-
cess.
Points in it's favor are equality
in tax levies, and in educational op-
portunities for the boys and girl: of
grammar school age.
There would be uniform tax
levy instead of conditions as they
now obtain. For instance we have
districts with leyies from half mill
to 80 mills and with valuations from
$4,000 to 100000.
Under county unit the schools
would be embraced under one rural
district, divided . into five sub-dis-
tricts A delegate from each one of
these divisions would constitute a
board Of governors to transact the
school business. The entire district
would assume the bonded indebted
ness OF all districts as they now ex-
list. The trustees of the different dis
tricts would continue to function
in certain respects. There would be
uniform school year over the
county.
"The first move toward the adop-
ton of county unit is in the sigma
lures Of at least 500 qualified vot-
ers OF the county to such petition.
Then If sufficient, an election is or
dered by the county commissioners
for some date in the spring.
Through the courtesy of Amanda
o. Swift. superintendent of schools
of Fergus county, the Examiner here
with presents its readers with di-
gest OF the county unit law.
The superintendent states that
Fergus county has not yet adopted
the system but will vote upon it in
the spring. firmly believing that great
good will come from it.
Cascade. Choteau and Carbon ccun-
ties have already adopted the comfy
unit law and are more than satisfied
with its operation.
Digest OF County init
Petitions, signed by at least three
hundred registered voters of third
class districts, must be presented to
the county commissioners between
January l and May 1. The commits.
sioners must then call an election tc
be held at the regular voting IRE
cincts in third class districts not la
ter than June 10. Only regist cred
voters OF third class districts may
vote on the measure The election
costs the county little as judges and
clergs serve without pay.
If the election proves to be unsuc-
cessful that county in which the
election is held can not vote on the
measure again for two years. If the
majority Of those voting express
themselves in favor of county unit
the county commissioners divide the
third class districts of the county
into five parts of as nearly equal
area as possible following the pres
ent district boundary lines. From
each Of these parts subdivisions
the county commissioners appoin,
one person as member Of the rura
school district board of trustees
County board). After the first year
the members of the county board art
elected at the annual school election
; by the voters of each of the five sub
divisions.
There shall be annually two regu
lar meetings and II necessary two
special meetings of the rural schoo
district board (county board). TIL,
members Of the board receive aI
honorarium Of $50 year with ex
penses- paid at the meetings. IN,
board is organized in July. Th,
county superintendent is ex-ofIici,
secretary OF the board but withou
the power to vote.
The trustees OF the subdistrict