USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume I > Part 35
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Thus matters stood until February 16, 1903, when Governor Morrison ap- proved an act establishing the "Idaho Industrial Reform School" in Fremont County, "for the care, protection, training and education of neglected children, and providing for the commitment, control and discharge of juvenile offenders." Young persons between the ages of eight and eighteen years of age were to be sentenced to this institution for any offense against the law except murder or manslaughter, and youth so sentenced were required to remain at the school until they were twenty-one years old, unless sooner paroled. The board of four trustees, to be appointed by the governor, was authorized to purchase a farm, and a bond issue of $50,000 was authorized, the proceeds to be used for the erection of buildings, etc. Sixty thousand acres of the land granted by Congress by the act of July 3, 1890, were set apart for the support of the school.
The trustees selected a site about a mile west of the Town of St. Anthony, and the school was opened in 1904. In addition to the regular school course, which adheres as closely as practicable to the course of study for the first eight grades as used in the Idaho public schools, the boys are taught farming, garden- ing, dairying, horticulture, carpentry. electrical engineering, painting, printing and other occupations, and the girls are taught dressmaking. millinery, laundry work, general housekeeping, stenography and typewriting. The object of the institution is not only to reform the incorrigible, but also to educate and equip them with some useful vocation that will enable them to make an honest living after they are discharged. Although established as a penal institution, the idea of punishment for offenses against the laws of the state has been kept in the background as much as possible, the word "training" having been substituted for the word "reform" in the name of the school, which is now officially de- signated as the "Idaho Industrial Training School."
Boys who are old enough have been organized into a company of cadets and have regular drills under a competent military instructor. This aids to maintain discipline and is one of the features in which the students are deeply interested. A band has been formed for outdoor concerts and an orchestra for indoor entertainments. Pupils who show an ability in music are given lessons in voice culture and on the piano, and the monthly recitals are looked forward to with interest. Upon the whole, a majority of the pupils enjoy in this institu- tion more of the comforts of a refined home than they did before their commit-
325
HISTORY OF IDAHO
ment, and all pledge themselves to "transmit our school and state to the next generation greater, better and more beautiful than they were transmitted to us."
SCHOOL FOR DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND
Prior to the year 1907 the deaf, dumb and blind of Idaho were cared for in institutions of adjoining states, the number being too small to justify the estab- lishment of an institution for their special benefit. By an act approved on March 12, 1907, the state board of education was authorized and empowered to make all necessary arrangements for the education of the deaf, dumb and blind of the state, including the providing of a suitable building and equipping the same, or, if the board deemed it of better advantage to the state, a contract might be entered into with one or more of the adjacent states having institutions for the education of such unfortunates. All former acts relating to the subject were repealed and an appropriation of $32,000 was made, the money to be used by the board of education in the establishment of a school, or for defraying the expenses of caring for the deaf, dumb and blind in other states.
Under the act of March 3, 1905, the State of Idaho acquired title to the old Central School building in Boise as an addition to the capitol grounds, and the school for the deaf, dumb and blind was opened in this building in the fall of 1907. On December 3. 1908, a fire occurred in the building while the school was in session, but the pupils were drilled for such emergencies and were marched out in good order without a single casualty, many of them not knowing that the building was on fire until they reached the outside.
On March 16, 1909, Governor Brady approved an act authorizing the gov- ernor and the state board of education to select a permanent site for the deaf, dumb and blind school and to erect and equip a building at a cost of not more than $25,000, which sum should also include the grounds. Bonds to that amount were authorized, and for the payment of the principal and interest of these bonds a tax of 4 mills on the dollar was ordered to be levied upon the property in the state. The Town of Gooding was selected and in 1910 the school was established in its permanent home.
In this school the blind boys are taught basket making, hammock weaving, chair caning, broom making and some other occupations where the work can be done largely by the sense of touch. The girls are taught sewing, knitting, etc., and the progress made by both sexes seems to be highly satisfactory. A shoe shop for the deaf and dumb boys is one of the features of the institution. A class in agriculture was started a year or two after the school was established and nearly all the vegetables used are raised on the farm by the male pupils. An exhibit of products from the farm at the Intermountain Fair in 1913 was awarded twenty-one prizes, the prize money being given to the pupils who pro- duced the articles as a reward of industry and an encouragement to greater effort in future. The deaf and dumb girls are taught sewing, dressmaking, needle work, laundry work, housekeeping and cooking. All classes of pupils receive instruction in the common school branches, the blind reading by the sense of touch and the deaf and dumb are taught to read the lips of the teacher and to speak, as far as possible. Those unable to master this method are taught the sign language of the deaf and dumb alphabet.
326
HISTORY OF IDAHO
CHILDREN'S HOME
In the fall of 1907 Rev. O. P. Christian wrote to Governor Gooding a letter of inquiry, stating that he was authorized by the National Children's Home Finding Society to select a state for that purpose and that he had selected Idaho if the conditions were favorable. To this letter Governor Gooding replied as follows: "Idaho has abundant provision for the criminal child, but has neglected that class of children that has not yet become criminals. If you will organize such a society here as they have in other states, I promise you my cooperation as the chief executive and my personal influence."
Mr. Christian came to Boise in April, 1908, and met Governor Gooding, who called a meeting of prominent social workers at which the subject was discussed. A little later the Children's Home Finding Society of Idaho was organized. Mrs. Cynthia A. Mann presented to the society a block of land on Warm Springs Avenue, in the eastern part of the city, on which there was a six-room cottage, in which the Children's Home was opened on July 22, 1908. By the act of March 3, 1909, the Legislature appropriated $20,000 to aid in the work, the money to be expended under the direction of the society. With this assistance the society purchased the brick house on the southeast corner of the block on which the home was situated and moved into it in October, 1909. The state appropriation was made on condition that the same amount should be raised by subscription, which was done without much difficulty, and on December 27, 1910, the present home was dedicated.
The walls of this building are of stone, taken from the same quarries as the stone for the new capitol building. On the second floor there are two large rooms used as dormitories-one by the boys and the other by the girls-and connected with each is a large, screened porch that may be used as outdoor sleeping rooms. The attendants also have quarters on this floor, which is well provided with lavatories and bath rooms. An isolated room in the rear furnishes a place for the treatment of infectious or contagious diseases, and the grounds are large enough to provide outdoor recreation for the children.
In November, 1908, the society decided to organize a district and establish a branch of the home in the northern part of the state, to be located at Lewiston. Rev. S. B. Chase, of that city, was appointed district superintendent and in April, 1912, a large brick residence in the eastern part of Lewiston was purchased and remodeled for a home.
Children are received into the home upon a commitment from a Probate Court or by agreement with the parents. An act of the Legislature of 1909 authorizes any benevolent or charitable society incorporated under the laws of Idaho to receive, care for and place out for adoption homeless or neglected children. Every year since it was established a large number of children have been provided with homes in good families. In connection with the institutions at Boise and Lewiston schools are conducted as part of the public school system, the teachers being paid from the regular common school funds, and at Boise there is a free medical aid department, where temporary care and treatment are given to children whose parents have met with misfortune and are not able to employ a physician.
CHILDREN'S HOME, BOISE
IDAHO STATE SANITARIUM, BLACKFOOT
329
HISTORY OF IDAHO
IDAHO STATE SANITARIUM
By the act of March 4, 1911, the governor was made ex-officio chairman of a commission of five persons-the other four to be appointed by him-to select a site within twenty miles of the state capital. for the establishment of an institution for the care and treatment of feeble-minded and epileptic persons, said institution to be known as the "Idaho State Sanitarium." Bonds to the amount of $25,000 were authorized and the commission was restricted in the expenditure for site and building to that sum.
Nampa was chosen as the location of the sanitarium and before the close of the year the contract was let for the erection of a substantial building on the outskirts of that city. After work was commenced it was found that the appropriation of 1911 was insufficient for the completion of the building, though part of it was ready for occupancy in 1912. The Legislature of 1913 made the necessary additional appropriation and the sanitarium, fully equipped, was opened early in 1914. With the establishment of this institution, Idaho has made ample provision for all classes of unfortunates, and both her penal and charitable institutions are conducted along the most modern and approved lines.
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CENTRAL SCHOOL, BLACKFOOT
HIGH SCHOOL, BLACKFOOT
CHAPTER XVIII , EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS
FIRST SCHOOLS IN IDAHO-PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM-SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT FOR 1865-LAND GRANT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS-COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT- STATISTICS FOR 1918-SCHOOL DISTRICTS-UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO-LEWISTON STATE NORMAL SCHOOL-ALBION STATE NORMAL SCHOOL-IDAHO TECHNICAL INSTITUTE-LIBRARIES-FREE TRAVELING LIBRARY-COLLEGE OF IDAHO-INTER- MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE-COEUR D'ALENE COLLEGE-FIELDING ACADEMY-RICKS ACADEMY-ONEIDA ACADEMY-OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
The first schools in what is now the State of Idaho were those established by the missionaries for the instruction of Indian children. In April, 1860, as herein before mentioned thirteen Mormon families came from Utah and founded the little Town of Franklin, in what is now Franklin County, which town enjoys the distinction of being the first permanent settlement in the state. As the summer waned, the settlers of Franklin got together and erected a small log- house for a schoolhouse near the center of the town site, and here in the fall of 1860 was taught the first school for white children within the present limits of Idaho. The teacher was Miss Hannah Cornish, a daughter of one of the Franklin pioneers.
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
Section 14 of the act of Congress creating the Territory of Idaho pro- vided that "When the lands of the territory shall be surveyed, under the direc- tion of the Government of the United States, preparatory to bringing the same into market, sections 16 and 36 in each township in said territory shall be, and the same are hereby, reserved for the purpose of being applied to schools in said territory, and in the states and territories hereafter to be erected out of the same."
In this section may be seen the germ of Idaho's present educational system. The second Territorial Legislature passed an act establishing a system of com- mon schools, and on December 23, 1864. J. A. Chittenden was elected superin- tendent of public instruction. On December 1, 1865, Mr. Chittenden made his first official report, covering six of the eight organized counties in the territory and giving the number of children of school age in each, to wit: Ada, 337;
333
334
HISTORY OF IDAHO
Alturas, 120; Boise, 602; Idaho, 12; Nez Perce, 75; Owyhee, 93; making the total or 1,239, exclusive of the counties of Oneida and Shoshone, which made no reports. His report also mentioned the fact that there were three school- houses in the territory and that twelve schools had been taught in the year em- braced in his report. Of these schools, four were in Boise County, three in Owyhee County, two in Ada County and one each in Alturas, Idaho and Nez Perce counties. The school in Idaho County was taught at Florence by Mrs. Statira E. Robinson, who enrolled six pupils. Mr. Chittenden's report for the next year, which included only the counties of Ada, Boise, Nez Perce and Owyhee, showed that in those four counties the sum of $6,700 had been expended for educational purposes.
The grant by the general government of sections 16 and 36 of each town- ship, contained in the organic act, was continued in the act admitting Idaho into the Union as a state. The admission act also provided that 5 per cent of the sales of public lands within the state when disposed of by the United States through the local land office should become part of the permanent school fund of the state. The total grant of land for public school purposes aggregated about three million acres and under the provision of the act itself none of this land could be sold for less than $10 per acre.
The State Constitution fully referred to the school lands. It was provided, in section 3 of article IX, that, "The public school fund of the state shall forever remain inviolate and intact; the interest thereon only shall be expended in the maintenance of the schools of the state and shall be distributed among the several counties and school districts of the state in such manner as may be prescribed by law. No part of this fund, principal or interest, shall ever be transferred to any other fund or used or appropriated except as herein provided. The state treasurer shall be the custodian of this fund and the same shall be securely and profitably invested as may be by law directed. The state shall supply all losses thereon that may in any manner occur."
Under this section of the constitution, which closely followed the act of admission, the state public school fund became irreducible. The revenue from it could be used for school purposes, but the principal had to remain intact and the state itself is made responsible for any losses of any kind that may accrue by reason of unfortunate investments on the part of the state officers entrusted with the care of any part of this fund.
Under the provisions of section 8 of article IX it became the duty of the State Board of Land Commissioners to provide for the location, protection, sale and rental of the school lands belonging to the state, but it is expressly provided, and this is also in accordance with the admission act, that no school lands shall be sold for less than $10 per acre. It was further provided in that section that not to exceed twenty-five sections of school land could be sold in any one year, and then only in subdivisions of not to exceed 160 acres to any one individual, company or corporation.
A joint resolution at the thirteenth session of the State Legislature was passed by both houses proposing an amendment to section 8 so as to provide for the sale of 100 sections of school land per annum, instead of twenty-five sec- tions as the section originally read, and in the election of that year this amend- ment was ratified by the people of the state. This amendment undoubtedly was a
PIERCE PARK SCHOOL, NEAR BOISE
TANT IN
FARMIN HIGH SCHOOL, SANDPOINT
1
337
HISTORY OF IDAHO
wise provision of law because it not only enabled by the sale of a considerable body of school land each year a large amount of money to be accumulated in the school fund, but it also gave opportunity to citizens so desiring to purchase school lands upon which they could found permanent homes ..
The lands donated to the state for public schools comprised originally very nearly three million acres, and since statehood there has been sold of these lands less than one half million acres and thus has already been created an irreducible fund of $6.550,083.27. It has been a matter of grave dispute whether the best interests of the state require these school lands to be sold as rapidly as the law permits, or whether they should be retained until larger prices for them could be had. Undoubtedly the price of land in Idaho is constantly increasing and retention of these lands would insure a larger fund in the future, but wise public policy seemingly is believed by a majority of the people of the state to require as rapid sales, provided the price paid is reasonably fair, as can be legally made.
It will be seen that the irreducible school fund of the state will, in the course of a few years, contain a very large amount of money. The value of lands still owned by the state, the proceeds of the sale of which must be devoted to this fund is almost unbelievable. There are several hundred thousand acres of this school land suitable for dry farming, while large amounts are also owned in valleys that will in the near future be irrigated, making them immensely valuable. In addition to this, the state owns at least 250,000 acres of timber land, most of which is in the white pine country, where the values are continually increasing and where the timber will soon be available for commercial purposes. It is not too much to believe that before the middle of the present century the interest from the great school fund that by that time will have accumulated in the state treasury will be sufficient to pay all the expenses of maintaining the public schools of the state. Most of the money derived from the sale of these school lands has been loaned to farmers at a moderate rate of interest, first mortgages being taken upon the farming lands as security. Considerable of the fund has been invested in school district bonds. The fund will increase so rapidly, however, in the near future, as to make the investment of the entire amount in mortgages absolutely impossible, but state, county and municipal bonds being absolutely safe investments, it is to be hoped that the entire fund can be so placed and that the interest paid by the state and its municipalities upon bonds issued shall be paid into another department of the state, instead of to capitalists in distant money centers.
PUBLIC LAND GIFTS TO OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
The public schools were not alone in receiving gifts of lands from the United States. Under the admission act there was donated for the support of normal schools 100,000 acres; for the school of science, 100,000 acres; for the Uni- versity of Idaho, 96,080 acres, and when it is remembered that by the same act Congress donated of the public lands for the support of the state insane asy- lums 50,000 acres, charitable institutions 150,000 acres, public buildings, 32,000 acres, and penitentiary 50,000 acres, the people of Idaho should be well satisfied with the assistance given the state by the general government.
Vol. 1-22
338
HISTORY OF IDAHO
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT
On March 12, 1897, Governor Steunenberg approved an act of the Legislature providing that a superintendent of public instruction should be elected at the next general election in each county of the state, who should have charge of the public schools of said county. Under the provisions of this act, the county commissioners were required to provide a suitable office for the super- intendent, and that the superintendent should have at least five office days each month. Among the duties of the superintendent, as defined by the act, were to advise with school trustees in matters relating to the care and repair of school buildings, appoint trustees for all newly organized districts, hold one examination of teachers each year and grant certificates to those qualified to teach, with power to revoke the same.
The superintendent must be a practical teacher and hold a valid first grade certificate, and to be eligible for the office must have had not less than two years' practical experience as a teacher. The superintendent is also required to keep a record of his transactions and to visit each public school in the county at least once during his term of office-two years. Under this system more uni- formity in the work of the common schools has been obtained. Annual confer- ences for the superintendents are held some time in the summer vacation and by an interchange of ideas they obtain much practical information that can be applied in their work.
To gain some idea of the growth of Idaho's public school system, compare the following table with the report of the superintendent in 1865:
County
Income
Pupils 8,640
Teachers
Salaries
Ada
$
390,167.25
235
$217,909.74
Adams
36,797.21
929
39
22,354.64
Bannock
392,788.92
6,388
227
174,813.34
Bear Lake
58,477.88
2,179
77
46,519.65
Benewah
97,538.44
1,598
74
57,835.40
Bingham
225,820.92
5,013
151
104,638.72
Blaine
66,313.81
1,184
49
34,801.63
Boise
22,665.95
388
28
14,099.20
Bonner
174,744.32
2,724
125
98,010.78
Bonneville
220,629.39
4,618
123
93,451.55
Boundary
65,880.06
952
40
30,419.00
Butte
61,694.57
704
29
17,724.22
Camas
29,422.14
562
30
17,530.75
Canyon
266,427.II
6,679
17I
166,344-77
Cassia
182,600.65
2.779
119
81,860.44
Clearwater
80,350.09
1,215
65
42,989.12
Custer
43,676.37
871
40
26,365.29
Elmore
62,858.27
1,129
5I
36,445.50
Franklin
108,816.93
2,370
81
46,646.63
Fremont
162,518.05
3,682
127
85,657.91
Gem
52,907.81
1,688
54
36,445.50
Gooding
115,131.16
1,935
60
43,400.61
Idaho
122,015.73
2,932
123
80,235.22
M
HIGH SCHOOL, MOSCOW
HIGH SCHOOL, CALDWELL
341
HISTORY OF IDAHO
County
Income
Pupils
Teachers
Salaries
Jefferson
$145,732.75
2,608
82
$ 54,986.47
Kootenai
224,956.59
4,348
183
I 30,906.40
Latah
207,422.99
4,632
181
123,314.75
"Lemhi
72,411.33
998
52
32,596.54
Lewis
90,217.98
1,897
75
49,009.55
Lincoln
157,101.00
1,888
71
57,657.25
Madison
15,104.90
..
. .
96
Minidoka
146,603.04
3,044
87
62,101.26
Nez Perce
195,164.42
3.991
152
104,187.66
Oneida
69,768.14
2,094
68
40,932.36
Owyhee
45,235-39
974
57
26,180.05
Payette
81,010.73
1,823
59
46,361.23
Power
97,677.29
1,634
65
45,409.40
Shoshone
279,008.97
3,686
130
133,661.27
Teton
48,200.14
1,O1I
40
22,334.13
Twin Falls
378,065.25
6,539
196
167,004.78
Valley
64.790.47
749
40
25,976.42
Washington
138,556.05
3,107
95
67,596.60
Totals
$5.497,270.46
104.844 3,847 $2,735,016.46
These figures are taken from the report of the state superintendent of public instruction for the biennial period including the years 1917 and 1918. The in- come and teachers' salaries are those for school year of 1917-18. It will be no- ticed that Madison County made no report of the number of pupils enumerated nor the amount paid to teachers, and the income given for that county includes only the apportionment of the public school interest fund. It will also be noticed that nearly one-half of the entire income was expended in the payment of teach- ers' salaries, leaving $2,762,254 for the erection and repair of buildings, purchase of books, apparatus, etc.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
The public school work of the state is carried on by the district system. In 1918 there were 1,508 districts in the state, divided into independent, rural high school, special and consolidated. There are 147 schools doing high school work and there are seventeen consolidated districts, but by far the larger number are what is known as General Independent districts. During the school year of 1917-18 the state paid $157,965.68 for school wagons used in transporting the pupils to and from school in the consolidated and larger independent districts.
The first independent school district was established at Lewiston in Decem- ber, 1880; the second at Boise in February, 1881; and the third at Emmett in January, 1885. These districts were created by special acts of the legislature, then a general law was passed relating to the organization of school districts. The trustees in independent districts maintaining rural school routes are author- ized by law to levy a tax of not to exceed four mills on the dollar to defray the cost of wagons to carry the children to and from school.
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