The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-05-27

several laws being, at present, il
paid in full, something more than
| $6,000,000. year.
The first two funds are distributed
together in what Is known as the
"Apportionment to Schools" on a per
capita attendance basis, except that
the law authorizes, and 1t has be-
come the practice, to transfer por-
tion of the Current school Fund to
help to make up the annual shortage
In the Special Fund. The amount SO
transferred for the last year was
100000.
State Aid For Schools
The purposes for which the Special
State Aid Fund is paid are defined in
law, but the scope of this article will
not permit detailed statement, de-
scribing them. Between one-third
and one-fourth of this fund Is devoted
to what is commonly known as the
''f1at aids" BY the IRE of these, the
state encourages the local districts to
establish types of schools such as
high schools, graded schools and su.
perior rural schools, suitable to their
needs, and to maintain them accord.
ing to the standards which the state
sets up. The plan has also been used
to encourage the maintenance of
courses in vocational subjects, and in
this the Federal Government has sup
plemented the efforts of the state
under what is known as the Smith
Hughes Law. Two large items in
this fund may be cited to show the
states efforts to equalize opportunity.
In order to make high school educa-
ton available to everyone, the state
pays the tuition, in high schools, at
rates established by law, for chill.
dren who live outside of the high
school districts. For the last year,
tuition amounting to approximately
$1,000,000. for about $4,000 children
who live in rural districts, or in
places too small to maintain high
school work, was paid by the state
from the Special State Aid Fund.
Again, in order that country chill
dren may be given educational oppor-
tunities equal to those in town, the
state encourages the enlargement of
rural districts in order to secure a
larger taxing area and to include chill
dren enough to maintain an efficient
and economical school. 70 this end,
it pays, with certain limitations, the
cost of transportation in consolidated
schools. The amount so paid last
year was around $4,000.
One Of the unsolved problems In
human relations, and, therefore, in
the maintenance of schools, is the
unequal distribution of wealth with
reference to population. The states
principal effort toward the equaliza-
tion of burden is expressed in what
is known as the Supplemental Aid
Law. This law, In It's present form,
was passed by the 1923 Session on
a Legislative Interim Commission,
which included in it's members the
present Governor, Lieutenant Cover
nor and Chairman of the Committee
on Appropriations. In brief, it speci-
fies that when a district has levied a
20-mill tax, and yet fails to raise
$4,000 per pupil enrolled, the state
will pay the balance to that amount.
There was paid under this law, last
year, from the Special State Aid
Fund, $1,600,000. to some go districts,
some urban, some rural-out of near
ly 5000 districts in the state.
Other purposes, which this Special
State Aid Fund includes, are special
classes for the blind, deaf, crippled.
subnormal, and those with defective
speech.
Teacher Training Is Stressed
Teacher training in Minnesota is
provided by the state in the College
of Education at the University, in
81 State Teachers Colleges, and in
one hundred Teacher-Training De-
partments in High Schools. distribu.
ted over the state. Also, graduates
Of private colleges are given profess
sional state certificates, provided a
training has been included in their
courses. The College Of Education
trains mainly for high school work
and administrative positions. Last
year it graduated 367 students, who
received, on graduation, professional
certificates of the first grade. In adj
dition, 1t has, regularly, large mum.
Der taking postgraduate work.
Six Teacher Colleges
The six Teachers Colleges, located
at Winona, Mankato, st. Cloud, Moor
head, Duluth and Bemidji, train
teachers for the graded elementary
and rural schools. They graduated
last year, 1886: and, in addition,
CTS, having spent one year in the
colleges, received first grade certifi-
Gates emitting them to teach in the
rural schools.
The high school training depart.
ments are maintained In connection
with designated high schools and are
under the direction of the State De-
partment Of Education. The school
boards where they are maintained are
reimbursed from the Special State
Aid Fund. The course given is a
one year course following high school
graduation and prepares teachers for
the rural schools. There were gradu-
ated last year 1,146 students, who
received first grade certificates to
teach. More than so per cent Of the
teachers in the rural schools are
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