The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-04-28
ARGUMENTS FOR 4
COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL


Editor Powder River County Exam
iner.-we have called attention to two
law sunder the provisions Of one of
which every high school in the gtate
is supported. The schools conducted
under cne law are known a. district
high schools; those Under the other
law as county high schools.
We will now observe the provisions
Of the law asr egards district high
schools and will cite for example of
the operation Of same the only ac-
credited high school in Powder River
county,
In the school year, 192O-21. Broadus.
in District 70, inaugurated an effort
fer an accredited district high school
to provide for the neds Of pupils who
had completed the eighth grade.
There were plenty to say that it
could not be done. 'mbued with the
idea that only larger places are orr
dained I'd receive the benefits Of high
school education. Not to digress. we
find some people opposing Powder
River county high school for the same
reason which 3 erroneous in one case
as in the cther, Let us not be de-
ceived into thinking that we must
send pupils to larger places for eff
cient training.
To establish this district high school
on an accredited basis. was diff
cult matter. due to lack Of funds, but
it was done. and at the end of the
last school year u920-21) we were
accredited by the state beard Of edu-
cation for one year of standard high
school work--entitling us to a levy
for county wide support.
That we may be perfectly clear on
all terms, let us briefly establish what
the term accredited high school"
means. This is particularly important
in view Of the fact that certain
standard must he attained and r,ain-
tatned.
Under powers and duties OF the
state board OF education We find this
provision, that it ia the duty of said
board ITO provide standards of pro-
motion to the high school departments
of all public schools of the state and
to accredit such high schools as main
tain the standard Of work prescribed
by the board"
is one that is fulfilling the require
ments OF the state board of educa:ton
in maintaining the standard CT in
The pupils of any high school ac-
credited by the state board Of educa-
tion for scne. two. three or four, years
Of high school work are admitted.
without examination. into the corres-
ponding grade of any ether high schco
Of this state. The graduates of
high school accredited for full four
years of high school work are admit
ted tc, the university or any college
Of this state without examination.
When we consider that beginning
next year. the graduates Of our ac-
credited district high school will be
fully admitted to the higher institu-
tions of learning OF our state. with
cut examination. we feel that We have
accomplished something worth while
for the youth Of this county. ! say
the youth Of the county because two
tirds Of our enrc llment this year are
pupils outside Of District ~.
The law for the maintenance of dis
trict high schools Is as follows: "In
any county not maintaining a county
high school but in which one or more
districts maintain high school classes
duly accredited for one. two. three or
four years Of high school work by the
state board Of education, special tax,
not exceeding three mills on each dol
lar Of taxable property in the county.
shall be made for the benefit OF such
schools"
This law further provides. "that at
tendance at any high school to whose
support such money Is apporttcned
shall be free to all eligible pupils re-
siding in the county in which such
accredited high school Is situated
AS previously stated. Disrtict No. ~
established the district high school
last year u92O-2l). This was dcne un-
der provision of the law, as follows:
"Board Of trustees have power to es-
tablish a high school" But until this
district high school was accredited by
the state beard Of education in ac-
cordance with standards adopted by
them. it's maintenance was forthcom-
ing from the district establishing the
same. Though only pupils resident Of
said district were subject to admis-
sion (the school being non-credited)
nc pupils were denied admission. BY
eligible pupils is meant those pupils
who have completed the work Of the
elementary grades. as evidenced by
their possession Of eighth grade dt-
plomas.
That the need for a high school JUS
titled the establishment Of same is
evidenced by the fact that the enroll
ment predominated from outside dis
tricts. 1t IL further evidenced by our
growth. Our enrolment being nine
the first year which has grown to
twenty-six this year. The latter num-
ber embracing all the students who
enrolled the first year.
Had the district failed in adopting
standards that met the approval OF
the state beard Of education. in its ac-
crediting, 1t would have ceased to
function and its work would have
been for naught, but by virtue of faav-
ing been acvredited 1t became quail
fled to receive Countrywide support al
a district high school under provisions
Of the law quoted.
BY cooperation With the state SUI
perintendent Of public instruction. Z
course Of study was adopted that per-
mitted ccmbination Of grades which
has enabled No to carry our high school
work with less instructors than else