The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-05-30


! $24,44611.
Conclusion Drawn
Mr.. Kvello, with the above state
nents, then draws conclusions on
the problem in North Dakota, with
/ regard to:
! First. There should be the strict
est supervision Of expense on the
/ part of the Boards in every detail of
cost from chalf to buildings. When.
public servants give to public bust
ness the same degree Of conservative
management that the careful farmer
or business man gives to his private
affairs then hundreds of thousands
of dollars will be saved annually.
There is great need of more business
like administration on the part Of
members.
Second. Salaries. This is the
largest single item Of money expense.
Still ! would rather put more money
into good teachers than would into
buildings. Well prepared and cxper-
fenced instructors should receive
higher salaries than they. are now
receiving. Teachers with little train
ing or experience are now receiving
far too much. We never will have
capable leaders in our schools until
we make the qualifications such that
none but theft could qualify. This
is the wisest. economy. The trained
and qualified teacher; will do more
for the boys and girls in one school
year than the poor teacher in the
whole school time of the student. To.
day when. the school room. is becOm.
ing the training place of our youth
in body. mind and spirit VIC cannot
afford to send to the firing line ;.ny
but highly trained and qualified
teachers. II our government could
spend millions upon millions for
leaders of men in war how much
more important is it for US to spend
enough to get real leaders to fit our
children for the great battle of life.
What these salaries should be is
open question. I may have liberal
| ideas on this part Of our problem but
| would say that for one with high
school foundation and two years of
professional training and ono or
more years Of successful experience
in your own school it should not be
less than $l25.O0 per month, and
from that to $l65.QD. Experience in
some other community would not
count much with me. To be worth
most to you he or she should be a
part of your community life, and the
come and 60 teacher seldom does
that. To have the highest Influence
and to be real character builder.
for your children the teacher must
live among you and work among you
at least long enough to understand
the environment of the pupils under
her charge e.'-. -, Z, =. :.
Third. Transportation. This is a
rural difficulty and a real one. Over
one million dollars was spent in
North Dakota last year on this item
alone. In my county of Ransom the
cost more than doubted in five years.
:. believe thoroughly in good schools
/ and l am of the opinion that con-
solidated school is preferable. to the
average one room school house. But
unfortunately in this state we arc
too sparsely settled and too poor in
worldly taxable wealth for successful
consolidation except in a few favor
ed localities. Even in Wisconsin
and other Weather and. more popu-
lous States it is heavy and serious
burden. 1t should not be extended
under present conditions.
Simplification Of Course
FINALLY the greatest saving, in the
estimation Of many competent critics,
will come from simplification of the
course of study. This too is largely
outside Of your control and lies with
the State Administration and the leg
iSlature." ~. IN
Back to Fundamentals
Mr.. Kvello proposes that the curri-
culum be brought back to'funda men
tals.R4He sholds that manual train
ing, as an example, is mot necessarily
a part of free school system.
. IF manual training is necessary in
our high schools then why not train
ing in electrical enginee ring. plumb.
ing. smithing, banking and many 9TH
or commercial = and professional
courses of equal or greater value,
he says. "Their inclusion in the
course would tend to only one thing
and that, to further, scatter the at
tcntions and energies Of the student
body"
He said further: EH'SN
1t is not my purpose to lay out a
course of study, even if@1 were able
to do so. But the fundamentals have
been .oftenap0inted out by otheFs 'nd,o
are qualified to speak. 1t has been
stated that broadly speaking a school
should serve two purposes:-.-. -.
First to provide the student with
a background Of knowledge.
Second, in that process teaching
the student to use his mind. -a
/ And that all differences in educa-
tion9l methods arise out of the vary
ing emphasis on the one or the other
of these two basic essentials. 1t is
not possible of course to strictly
define just what is and what is not
fundamental. But certainly some of
the subjects that have referred IL
can be properly classified in this
manner. If they are not essentials
in our chool fundamentals then their
elimination would be wise. And by
the elimination, q saving would be
made in the number of instructors,
{ in space and valuable time. -, This
would also permit of more intensive
study and training in the essentials.