Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-01-16
PINE COUNTY RURAL
SCHOOL NEWS
A. e. GUSTAFSON
County Superintendent

News has reached us that Merle
Swendson, District No. 90, has been
given a five dollar per month increase
for the balance of the year.
The second issue of our monthly
bulletin has been sent to the teachers.
This includes considerable discussi n
of reading and phonics.
Our library ard text book mending
project is set up, fully allowed and
ready to start. We will have to wait
until workers are assigned from other
projects. 1t seems that no new work
ers are now assigned. Most rural
schools will take advantage of this
help.
Our suggestions for saving school
money, increasing state aids, ETC., the
past year, has saved thousands of dol
lars for Pine county schools. Watch
for complete summary of this in the
near future.
Are you reading our news column
every week? We have at hand lst-
ter dated January s from Mr.. and
Mrs. Emil OhnesOrge of Belvidere,
Nebr. They have been reading our
rural school news and are interested
in locating in Pine county. They in
quire about our schools and conditions
in general. They are very much in
terested in consolidated schools, high
schools. All clubs. gymnasium and
special departments. We took time to
inform them that we have excellent
schools. healthful climate, progressive
people and many opportunities. We
have eleven consolidated schools in
Pine county.
Several teachers and school clerks
have inquired as to whether or not
state library aid is allowed for the
purchase of sets of encyclopedias.
See the last page of our recommended
text book lists for answer to this
question. Efforts are now being made
to put all of these excellent reference
sets on the state aid list. as they
should be.
Rural VS.. City Schools.
We have on our desk statement
from the National Education Associa-
ton as follows:
The average rural school in Mime
sofa has eight months term; teacher
is paid $3.50 per year; teacher has
taught only two years; teacher has
had about one year of training
schoolhouse is one room: school has
less than 100 library books.
Most city schools average ten
months school; teachers wages $1,000
per year; grade teachers are four
year college graduates; teachers have
five years teaching experience; school
library has over 5000 books; school
house has twenty-four rooms.
The above indicates that we do not
have equal opportunities in educa-
ton. Yet the one room rural school
has a few advantages over the city
school. The new state aid law, as
it is now interpreted, will help to
equalize opportunities. State aids do
not come from local taxes, in any
way.
The Minnesota net income tax law
passed by the 1888 Minnesota state
legislature is also a great help to ru-
raj and small village schools. This
acts as replacement tax. Pine coun-
ty schools received $27,540OO in net
income tax aids this past year. Very
little of this was collected from the
income of Pine county citizens. After
all, education is state problem and
should be supported mostly by the
state. Credit for this splendid school
law should be given to the father Of
the law, our former representative,
Hjalmar Petersen, who is now our
lieutenant governor.