The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1922-04-21

the Hinsdale Tribune, April IA, 1922,
and in the Thoeny Review, April Is,
1922. l was surprised at the stand
taken by these two papers and l feel
that the editors have surely been mis-
informed concerning my position in
regard to County Unit as we'll as the
law itself.
Personally, it makes no difference
to me whether or not County Unit is
voted upon favorably. However, dur
ing the time I have spent in the coun-
ty superintendent office I have re-
ceived many letters from parnets beg
ging the county superintendent to aid
in lettering the school situation in one
way or another. There are over $50
children in Valley county Of school
age who are not in any school this
year.
I feel it my duty as county SUPER
i. intnedent Of schools to improve condi.
tions, especially in the rural districts
if possible. Under the present dis
trict system / can offer no remedy.
All the county superintendent can do
is to write to the various school
boards and ask them to consider the
matter at their next meeting. Are the
children of the third class districts be-
ing considered? If this question was
asked of me l would have to say
"No, not in all third class districts"
The remedy l am suggesting to the
people of Valley county to better con
ditions is the county unit system
which l have explained through VAL
ley county newspapers from time to
time.
The law you mention "Under Chap
ter 211 of the 1919 Session Laws,
pages SIG to 525 inclusive, and being
the laws of the Sixteenth Legislative
Assembly is the county unit law"
and does not define the school year
of first, second or third class districts.
This law aims "to give all children
equal educational opportunities"
The definition of school year will
be found in School Laws, Chapter vi,
Section GOT. "The school year shall
begin on the first day of July and end
on the thirtieth day of June; provided,
that in districts of the third class the
schools shall be in session not less
than four months in any school year,
and in districts of the first and Sec
ond classes the schools shall be in
session not less than nine months dur
ing the school year." This law was
approved March 8, 1917. Because so
many rural schools in third class dis
tricts were only getting just the four
months of school, and city schools
were getting the full nine months, a
new law was approved by the 10th
Legislative body on March 13, 1919, to
give the third class districts the same
opportunity to have the longer term.
The law so enacted is called "The
County Unit Law" For the above
reasons first and second class dis
tricts which are already getting the
longer term were not included in the
provisions as set forth by the unit
system. Valley county has no first
class districts, but it has two second
class; District No. i, Glasgow, and
District No. 9, Opheim. Glasgow has
sixteen rural schools and three city
schools, while Opheim has twenty
four rural schools and two city schools.
First and second class districts are
not exempt from including rural
schools.
In regard to the idea of "centraliz-
ing Of power" which is mentioned in
the Hinsdale Tribune, l will say, "The
trustees of the present school districts
retain the same duties and powers as
under the district system with but
two exceptions, namely, that of de-
termining the amount of money to be
raised by special levy, and the bond
ing of the district to pay off existing
bonds. Bnder the county unit sys-
tenn the budgets are made out by the
local trustees and sent to the county
board. These budgets must show that
provision is being made for the edu-
cation of all children in isolated sec
tions. The local trustees may give
school advantages to such children by
furnishing teachers in the isolated
sections, by transportation, by rent
ing a house or by furnishing board to
the children near the school," The
above l have quoted from my letter
to the teachers sent to them during
the month of March.
| am sorry for the majority of the
children of Valley county, for they are
waiting for the boards to "wiggle
around to have nine months of school"
and many of them have waited I'M
til they are past school age. The
county unit law will help the local
boards to "wiggle" if they don't do
So.
The five members of the county
board are not salaried men. They do
receive an honorarium of $4,000 a
year and expenses.
There is no expense to a county
unit election. Page SIT of the 10Th
legislative assembly of 1919: "The
county commissioners shall appoint
precinct judges and clerks and the
election shall be conducted in accord
ance with the general election law of
the state and the judges and clerks
of such election shall serve without
compensation"
In regard to bonding under the
county unit system: "The board of
trustees of any rural school district
is hereby vested with the power and