Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-06-20
THE NEW SCHOOL LAWS
Editor AskOv American:

Editor Askov American:
The 1885 session of our legislature
was probably, as one of the members
has said the most expensive, the most
partisan political, and the most in
efficient in the history of the state.
However, a survey of the educational
legislation which was passed indi-
Gates outstanding progress. Whether
the legislature, in the confusion of
the closing weeks, allowed the bills
to pass unwittingly and unintentiOn-
ally. or whether the members actually
had real insight into educational prob
lens, the new laws are in striking
contrast with the lack of achievement
in other lines of legislation. In edu-
cational progress, more was achieved
by the 1885 legislature than has been
accomplished for several decades.
Of benefit to the smaller schools
enrolling hundred to one hundred
fifty elementary pupils is the law
making possible a Junior high school
organization for these schools. A
school is now permitted to be CLASH
fed as a graded school if it employs
three teachers to teach the first six
grades. The teacher of the seventh
and eighth grades may now exchange
work with the other high school
teachers. In this way, a teacher in
a small school has a better chance
to teach the subjects for which she
is especially trained. Many small
schools in the state should benefit
from this new organization.
The parts of the law basing ap-
daily attendance instead Of on forty
days attendance appears very limo
cent, but is highly significant. 1t
should do much to stimulate regular
attendance at school. In short, it
means that the school district will
lose money every day that a pupil is
absent. Reduced to figures, if state
aids are paid in full, district will
lose approximately thirtythree cents
for each absence of an elementary
pupil and about fifty-five cents for
each days absence Of high school
pupil. School board members and
other school officials will no doubt
now exert themselves more than i'm
the past to secure better attendance.
tax limitation law applies to agri-
cultural lands in districts maintain
ing graded or high schools. The tax
rate on farm lands i'm these districts
is limited to not exceed ten per cent
more than the average rate for COM
mon districts in the county. In Pine
county the average rate for common
districts is about eleven mills. The
limit on agricultural lands in the
graded or high school districts OF
Pine county therefore will be about
twelve mills. In regard to tax rates
on other property. the new state aid
law. too complicated to explain in
this brief article. in practice if in
telligently applied. should set the
limit at thirty mills.
A new law requires that all bills
against a district be itemiZed and
verified. Similar procedure has been
and is required of all other govern
mental units. This law should help
to make the accounting Of a school
district more systematic and business
like.
Another law provides that the state
reimburse school districts for tax in
come lost on rural credits bureau
farm lands. Many of the poorer dis
tricts will benefit from this measure.
The really outstanding legislation
is that involving changes in state
aids. The new law is a step towards
equalizing educational opportunities
of the state. The needs of the dis
tricts are now given more considera-
ton as a basis for help from the
state. The policy of letting districts