The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-01-09

county levy in operation until 1917
when it was reduced to half a mill.
From the additional one-and-a-half
mill, high school tuition at the rate
Of 500 would be paid for each non
resident high school pupil in the
county, the remainder to be distribut-
ed to the several school districts in
the county on the same basis and in
the same way as the present half-mill
county levy.
This law" the report adds, rs not
proposed for the benefit OF high
schools now existing. There is not a
city or town in this state where a
high school education is not available
to every boy and girl within its Dor
ders. This law will give every rural
boy and girl the same opportunity, the
same privilege"
Other recommendations made by
the commission include:
A change in the teachers certifica-
ton law because of the oversupply of
teachers and because qualifications
for teachers are below those OF
neighboring states.
Would Fix School Days
Fixing the length Of a school day
which at present is not defined by
law. at five and a half hours. exclu-
sive Of all time occupied by recesses,
religious instruction and other non
school activities.
Abolition of teachers institutes, as
contemplated by the statutes, because
these have become practically obso-
lete, and diverting the funds to other
purposes.
Standardization of all classes of
schools-high schools. the consolidat-
ed schools. graded schools ard the
one-room rural schools.
Provision for enforcement Of the
orders of the county board of health
with reference to school buildings,
and to prohibit the use of condemned
buildings for school purposes. At
present the county board of health
may suggest to the district but there
is no way to enforce its orders.
Provision for the letting of con
tracts to furnish vehicular transpor-
tation to school districts to the lowest
bidders and fixing the qualifications
of operators Of such vehicles. The
present law provides that under given
circumstances the board must "fur-
nish vehicular transportation by pub
lie conveyance"
Urge Many Repeats
Repeal of a number of laws is rec
commended by the commission, in
cluded among these being statutes
providing preparation of sectional
maps by county superintendent for
the use of assessors; providing for
teachers reading circles; and provid-
ing for issuance of permits to teach
by the county superintendent and
state superintendent. These were all
held by the commission to be obsolete.
Other laws for which repeal is rec
commended include one requiring a re-
view of grade subjects by the senior
class in high schools. and one pro-
viding for the teaching of grain grad
ing in the common and consolidated
schools.
"The suggestions made in this re-
port, If enacted into law" says the re-
port, would. in u opinion. be of
material benefit to our school system,
but would by no means give Us a
thoroughly efficient educational sys-
tenn. We have attempted only to
patch the existing school code, but
the state really needs a complete new
school code.
With this in mind. we earnestly
recommend the appointment Of a
commission of experts. adequately fl
nanced, preferably with at least one
fall- time paid member whose efforts
could be utilized to carry the burden
of the detail work involved), to COM
pletely re-draft the school laws OF
North Dakota"