USA > Minnesota > Polk County > Compendium of history and biography of Polk County, Minnesota > Part 16
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Out of the 8,653 pupils enrolled in all the schools of Polk County in 1914, 7,720 were counted for appor- tionment at the rate of $5.80 per pupil.
STATE AID.
A child residing in the poorest seetion of Minnesota is as valuable to the State as the child whose home is on "Millionaire Street" in our large cities. The State tries to eqnalize educational opportunities for all the children by a system of State aid, which it takes out of the general taxes of the State and pays to school districts. This question has often been asked : "Of what good is State aid? We take it out of one pocket and put it in another." But this is not so. Over half of all the State aid money is paid by the three large cities, Minneapolis, St. Panl, and Dul- luth, and the counties in which they are situated. The other portion, less than half of the State aid, is there- fore paid by over eighty counties. The amount on
each county is small, and on each district only a trifle, of a few cents.
State aid to the schools in Polk County has grown to considerable proportions of late. The five high schools, which in 1908 received altogether $6,895, received $18,- 070 in 1915, distributed as follows:
Regular Aid.
Industrial Associated Training
Crookston
$1,700
Aid.
Aid.
Dept. Aid. $1,000
East Grand Forks.
1,700
$2,000
$480
1,000
Fertile
1,700
Fosston
1,700
1,440
.. .
..
McIntosh
1,700
2,000
312
998
The graded schools at Fisher, Erskine, Carman, and Eldred received each $600 State aid in 1915.
During the period stated above for high schools, the State aid to one and two-teacher schools in the county increased from $3,110, given to 29 schools, to $13,380, with 127 schools participating.
The consolidated schools in the county received State aid as follows in 1915 in addition to the regu- lar aid: Eldred, $1,200; Trail, $600.
Each of the schools received building aid equal to one-fourth of the cost of the building, not to exceed $1,500. The new law allows a building aid up to $2,000 on the same basis.
PRESENT POLK COUNTY SCHOOLS-THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
The high school is a part of our common school sys- tem ; it is under no separate control or tax levy, and is maintained by public tax and governed by a Board of Education, through its administrative officer, the City Superintendent.
The first high school in Polk County was organized under Superintendent S. A. Farnsworth, who was succeeded by Supt. John Moore. The latter served for fifteen years. Others who headed the Crookston schools previous to the present ineumbent were Super- intendents Hitchcock, Sellek, MeIntire, and Hess.
There are now five high schools in Polk County lo- cated in the larger towns and superintended as fol- lows: Crookston, Superintendent G. Sanberg; East Grand Forks, Superintendent F. E. Lurton; Fertile, Superintendent E. M. Hauge; Fosston, Superintend-
. .. .
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHIY OF POLK COUNTY
ent, L. G. Mustain ; McIntosh, Superintendent E. E. Hanson. The combined value of their schoolhouses and sites is over a half million dollars. All of them maintain departments of domestie seienee and manual training. Crookston and East Grand Forks have spe- cial departments in school music (under separate su- pervisors), art, commereial subjects, and normal train- ing, in addition to those named. McIntosh, also, main- tains a normal training department. East Grand Forks, Fosston, and McIntosh also have strong depart- ments in agriculture. The activities in this subject extend also to associated rural schools at Melntosh and East Grand Forks, affiliated for instruction in indus- trial subjects.
In connection with the normal training departments at MeIntosh and Crookston, a special rural practiec school at each place is arranged for, where the prospec- tive teachers, through actual school room practice, may gain valuable experience before they are licensed to teach. These are real rural schools, in charge of the regular teachers, and are located about five miles from the central school. Students in training for teaching are required to spend a stated time in the practice school.
A definite plan for vocational guidance has been in- augurated at Crookston recently.
Departmental work for the upper grades below the high school is established in the larger places. Under this arrangement pupils are taught by several teachers in any one term. Each instruction teaches a lesser number of subjeets, but more grades. The Junior High School involves this plan.
The generous State aid to high schools is a trust fund given them to maintain certain departments and courses which shall be open to any person of school age in the state. Tuition in the high school is free.
GRADED SCHOOLS.
The smaller villages of the county have a problem of their own. Here we find pupils ready for nearly all grades, from the primary up through the high school. The number of teachers and the housing facil-
ities are naturally somewhat limited. The definite control by the State Board, as to ecrtain definite stand- ards-such as the quality of the teachers and their certification, the material equipment of the school, the course of study, adequate provision for light and heat- ing, books, etc., has been the result of the State's great concern for the schools in such places.
Our graded schools-which, together with sites, are valued at nearly $45,000-are located at Carman, Fisher, Erskine, and Eldred. Classes covering sub- jeets belonging to the first two years of high school usually are offered in most of these places. At Erskine, five teachers are employed, while the other schools each have four. The Eldred School is of the consolidated type and offers courses in domestic science, manual training and agriculture. Here the people have realized and crystallized into a living reality the theory that pure academie knowledge alone does not spell achievement, as of old. Eldred has a school auditorium where the people of the community frequently come together.
THE COUNTRY SCHOOL.
A school system must be all-containing. To aceom- plish this we have retained very largely the historic one-room school in the open country. Its numbers have continued to inerease as new lands have beeome occupied. In the 216 districts, outside of those main -. taining high and graded schools, there are now three schools having three teachers each; nine two-teacher schools and 220 one-room one-teacher schools. The three-teacher schools in the county are at Beltrami, Mentor and Trail. The last named is of the con- solidation type and offers industrial courses.
Two-room schools are found at Angus, Climax, Dug- dale, District No. 69, Euclid, Gully, Lengby, Niels- ville, and Winger. At the last named place, evening classes for adults are organized under the supervision of the day school teachers.
Sehools with two or three teachers are classified as semi-graded schools. Some of them offer work in the ninth and even the tenth grade. Recitation periods
103
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
are naturally crowded and these schools are very lim- ited in caring for school needs of the oldest pupils. Most of our semi-graded schools offer good nuclei for consolidation.
About 60 per cent of the children enrolled in the public schools of the county attend schools having only one teacher. The average attendance in days by each pupil, which is nearly 95, is 57 days less than the average for pupils enrolled in the high and graded schools, despite the fact that the average has been ad- vancing steadily. Two hundred and seven of these districts have free text books; 66 districts have more than 10 pupils enrolled, but less than 20, while in 15 districts less than ten are enrolled. Among the com- mon schools, eighteen have had some form of trans- portation for pupils.
We have over 125 State aided rural schools which are really standardized schools that have met certain requirements in equipment, school buildings, school term, library, heating and ventilation, school grounds, and outbuildings. These schools must employ teachers with special training or actual experience for at least seven months during the year. Such schools will here- after be known as Class B schools. Class A schools must maintain school for at least eight months.
A plan of giving school credit for work at home is practiced in some districts. This ties the school np closer to the parents, who are glad to have their chil- dren consider the chores and smaller jobs about the home as something worthy of recognition which ap- peals to the children's pride in performing.
CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS.
At the present time Polk County has two consoli- dated schools, one at Eldred organized in 1912 and one at Trail organized in 1914. Both these schools have modern buildings, equipped with fan ventilating sys- tems, indoor flush toilets, and pressure water foun- tains. In addition to these modern appliances the school at Eldred has an electric lighting system. Bothı schools offer courses with regular and systematic in- struction in agriculture, manual training and domestic
arts. The Eldred school is a graded school with four teachers. The Trail school is a semi-graded school with three teachers.
The advent of these schools marks a new epoch in rural education in Polk County. In addition to fur- nishing better teaching facilities and an opportunity for country children to pursue advanced studies and industrial subjects while living at home, these schools are reaching out to the community at large, and as a result we find literary societies, choral clubs, lecture courses and other notable community enterprises springing up.
The consolidated school at Trail was the first one in the state to be organized by unanimous vote. The school at Eldred was organized under bitter opposi- tion, and not until more than one legal battle had been fought did some of the opposition subside. In both these schools, transportation under state control is sup- plied by the district. It has been safe and regular.
People in general concede the advantages of the consolidated school over the old plan. That consolida- tion is coming soon in different parts of the county, can be gathered from the fact that at least four com- munities are now considering the formation of con- solidated districts, which will make full high school courses possible, with six or more teachers. Several other consolidation projects are under consideration.
The success of consolidation where tried has laid its claim to the attention of our people, and each new year finds a larger number giving serions thought to this all-important school problem-the most important which the countryside has yet to solve in the secular education of the children.
SUPERVISION.
By means of a system of monthly reports to the county superintendent, which recently inaugurated in this county the work of the schools, is more closely supervised. This has resulted in a more thorough and systematic preparation of the work by many of the teachers. The condition of the attendance each month is watched. The keeping-up of records is constantly
104
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
before the teacher. The material needs of the school reported in duplicate to the clerk, can now receive the speedier action of the board. The scope of work cov- ered in each subject and class and the monthly stand- ings of pupils go into the records of the county super- intendent. This system, while it requires additional time for checking up on the reports, and the making of the same once a month, has proved to be fruitful of many good results. Time used in systematizing school work is not in vain.
VISITATION.
The common schools are inspected by the county superintendent and his assistant. While the time spent at any one school is not great, yet the occa- sional "dropping in" by an official visitor has a salutary effect. Four hundred and twenty-five school visits were made in the county last year. Close supervision like that in a city school system is not possible under the present plan. More and closer supervision is the crying need of the country school today.
TEACHERS' CLUBS.
In the fall of 1915 a plan of teachers' study clubs was launched in the county, with the result that twenty clubs of small groups of teachers have met at various times. Some of the clubs, at their pres- cut rate of holding meetings, will register about ten meetings by the close of the school year. The number of members in these elubs varies, ranging from three or four to ten. Reading circle books with a plan for giving credit, and other topics of special interest to teachers, are discussed. These clubs are proving popular and helpful.
WARM LUNCHES IN SCHOOLS.
The practice of catering to the physical welfare of the children by serving warm dishes to them dur- ing the noon hour is not confined to the high schools -alone, where the practice is quite general, but is to be found in many of the country schools that are
fitted up with special equipment for this purpose. The teacher usually appoints from among the larger pupils those who are to look after the serving of the lunch cach day. A general pantry supply is often kept at the school to supplement the catables brought from the homes for cooking. Several plans for furnishing the materials are in vogue. The parents generally favor this innovation. The rural schools associated with MeIntosh and East Grand Forks, or most of them, have good lunch outfits.
BOYS' AND GIRLS' CLUBS.
A practical form of club work, closely affiliated with the school, includes such projects as corn-grow- ing, bread-making, and pig-raising. Through the special efforts of the high school agriculturists and the county agent, instructions from the State Agricul- tural School, the office of the county superintendent, and a number of enterprising private citizens the elub work in Polk County has become well estab- lished. No less than ten boys' corn clubs existed in 1915. A number of bread clubs sent representatives to a county bread-making contest held at Crookston in July, and they competed for the right to represent Polk County at the State Fair. The pig clubs at East Grand Forks and Fosston figured prominently in the State pig-contest last year.
CROOKSTON SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE.
This branch of the State University, located at Crookston, while naturally established to serve the State at large, is, by virtue of location, an educational asset of special benefit to ns. Many of the graduates of this school are carrying on extensive and up-to-date farming in this county. Summer training courses for teachers, with special inducements for the pur- suit of industrial subjects, are maintained.
In connection with the regular school year, a spe- cial course for rural teachers is offered. One of the aims of this course is to fit young persons for work in consolidated schools.
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
FROM 1876 TO 1916.
We have lived through forty years of school-build- ing in Polk County. The past has seen many school laws and administrative regulations come and go. The last word in education has not yet been spoken, and forty years more will find our schools and edu-
cational systems far in advance of what we have attained. Education which is a business of universal concern must continue to engage our people even more in the future, to the end that the paramount issues shall be wisely solved and the purposes of schools better understood.
7
CHAPTER XII. THE CROOKSTON SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE.
BY C. G. SELVIG.
A RED RIVER VALLEY INSTITUTION-NEW BUILDING DEDICATED-DEATH OF SUPERINTENDENT WM. ROBERTSON-THE SCHOOL'S ADVANCEMENT AND GROWTHI-MOVING YEAR-SCHOOL FACULTY-EQUIPPING A TECHNICAL SCHOOL- THE SCHOOL'S GROWTII-ITS WORK OUTSIDE SCHOOLROOM DOORS.
The Crookston School of Agriculture must be con- sidered separately from the Northwest Experiment Station, although they are located at one and the same place, and their work is carried on together. The Experiment Station had been organized and in operation for ten years before the School came into existenee.
The Crookston School of Agriculture is also a part of the Agricultural Department of the University of Minnesota. It was created by an act of the Legisla- ture in the session of 1905. An appropriation of $15,- 000 was provided for the building known as the School Building (now named the Home Economies Building), which was completed in 1906. No funds for maintenance were voted. In order to have school open that fall it was necessary to secure funds for salaries and expenses. A sum of $2,500 was privately subscribed by patriotic citizens of Crookston and vicinity. This fund, and assistance from the North- west Experiment Station funds, made it possible to begin in 1906. Thirty-one students, all the school could accommodate in its eramped quarters, were en- rolled. Their names were as follows: Emma Agusta Anderson, Hallock; Agnes Bjoin, Crookston; Henry L. Blackmore, Baggs, Wyoming; Carl Carlson, Ken- nedy; William Dewar, Crookston; Walter Dewar, Crookston; John Distad, Perley ; Hans Forseth, Cli- max; Christopher, Lewis, and Molly Fossbakken, Foss-
ton ; Clara Hagan, Hendrum; Christian Hanson, Bel- trami; Floy Ingersoll, Crookston ; Thor Lonne, Crooks- ton; Christian Lindberg, Beltrami; Leroy Lytle, Crookston; Gustaf Nelson, Northland; Olaf F. Nel- son, St. Hilaire; Simon Nelson, Climax ; Carl Nord- Ium, Beltrami; Lena Opdahl, Beltrami; Elmer Ols- lund, Beltrami; Albert Petterson, Crookston; Wil- liam H. Rager, Crookston; Lewis Regeimbal, Crooks- ton; Carl Sceger, Red Lake Falls; Joseph Skala, Red Lake Falls; Julie Swisse, Faribault; Nels A. Thompson, Birkholz, and Ida Thompson, Beltrami, Minnesota.
The school building was a combination dormitory, dining hall, office, and class room building. The boys had rooms on the third floor, while the farm house was improvised into a ladies' hall. On the second floor were located the class rooms, the adminis- trative office, and the library, while on the first floor were the kitchen and dining room. Many interesting experiences happened during the first two years of the school. Both the faculty and the student body acquired an enthusiasm for the aims and work of the institution and a loyalty to it that counted greatly in its influence upon the community. By the time the 1907 Legislature had convened and sent commit- tees to inspeet the school, it was found that a full- fledged institution had sprung into being. Two new buildings were provided at that session, Stephers
106
OWEN HALL ROBERTSON HIALL
STEPHENS HALL
KIEHLE BUILDING HOME ECONOMICS
107
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
Hall, a dormitory for boys, and the Industrial Build- ing (later named S. M. Owen Hall). A modest sum was provided for annual maintenance, and the sum of $2,500 was appropriated to reimburse the private contributors who made the first year of the school possible.
The school is what might be classed as a technical agricultural school, and is intended to round out the education of the farm boys and girls after they have left the rural schools, fitting them either to go back to the farm or to enter the University, should they desire to take up professional work in the line of agriculture. Students attending the institution are boarded at the School, and are thus in a continual agricultural atmosphere, expenses being only the actual cost of living. The course of study includes farm botany, mechanical drawing, music, farm mathe- matics, poultry, English, agriculture, blacksmithing, carpentry, military drill, cooking, physical training, sewing, study of breeds, laundering, agricultural physics, dairying, fruit growing, farm accounts, stock judging, breeding, household art, agricultural chem- istry, vegetable gardening, field crops, forestry, en- tomology, algebra, handling grain and machinery, veterinary science, civics, geometry, plant propaga- tion, dressing and curing meats, feeding soils and fertilizers, home economy, domestic chemistry, domes- tic hygiene and meats, rural economics and sociology, and teachers' training subjects.
As a result of the loyal support of the people of the Red River Valley, the school, early in its life, was well cared for in the way of current expenses, and in buildings. It was not long before, with its numerous attractive buildings and pleasant surround- ings, and the practical work which it was doing, that the institution became a source of pride to the people of the Red River Valley.
A RED RIVER VALLEY INSTITUTION.
Many questions were raised as to the advisability of creating a school in the Red River Valley, or any- where for that matter, when there was a great cen-
tral school and experiment station at St. Anthony Park, between Minneapolis and St. Paul. It was not possible those days to prophesy just what work such au institution would find to do. Its justification lics iu the fact that the agricultural problems of oue part of the State differ from those of another part. The problems of the timbered country of the North are certainly not those of the prairies of the West. Like- wise, the problems of the Red River Valley are not those of that part of the Mississippi Valley adjacent to the Twin Cities. Naturally, too, the problems of the Red River Valley cannot be worked out under the different conditions which prevail in the part of the Mississippi Valley named. The physical factors of farming are not portable.
Furthermore, the object of a technical agricultural school is to train young men so that they may go back to the land and cultivate it with success. Obvi- ously, the thing to do is to train thiem on the kind of farm to which they are to return, or as nearly that as possible, and not on some other kind, where dif- ferent conditions rule and different problems have to be worked out.
The Experimental Station, then, was established in the first place to work out the agricultural problems of the Red River Valley, and the school came later as a means of training young men from the Red River Valley farms, on a Red River Valley farm, in order that they might go back to Red River Valley farms to build them on sounder principles. This and more fundamental problems of agriculture are not at all neglected at the Crookston School, but it is simply to say that the special problems of the region receive the special attention they demand.
NEW BUILDINGS DEDICATED.
The fall of 1908 was an auspicious one for the new institution. Two magnificent buildings were ready for occupancy, and the School had gained a reputa- tion for earnest efficient effort, and was rapidly forg- ing ahead. At the time of the dedication of the boys' dormitory, it was named Stephens Hall, in honor
108
COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPITY OF POLK COUNTY
of Senator A. D. Stephens, of Crookston, who repre- sented Polk County in the State Senate during these years, and to whose sueeessful efforts to secure funds for the school building and equipment, as well as ade- quate provision for its support, much eredit is due. James J. Hill was present at the dedieation exercises, and delivered a prophetic address.
Stephens Hall is a beautiful three-story brick build- ing, a model of eomfort and convenience. The two upper floors are used as a boys' dormitory, and the first floor for the dining club, with its dining room, kitehen, bakeshop, and other necessary quarters. The dining club quarters were installed temporarily, as a separate building is planned eventually to aceommo- date that department. Stephens Hall will then provide comfortable rooms for 150 young men. The in- dustrial building provided the same year, now named S. M. Owen Hall, contains the blacksmith and carpen- try shops, stoek judging room, dairy room, mechanical drawing room, and a large addition constructed in 1911 provides commodious quarters for the farm en- gineering department.
One hundred and one students attended during the third year of the school (1908-1909), more than double the second year's enrollment of 41.
DEATH OF SUPERINTENDENT WM. ROBERTSON.
The year 1910 was one of many changes. Early in January occurred the very sudden and deeply re- gretted death of the first superintendent of the School, William Robertson. His death east a pall of gloom over the entire School that could not be re- moved. His services and enthusiasm had been mighty factors in establishing the School and in out- lining policies and plans. The School's pioneer days were passed under the direction of Prof. Robertson and his estimable wife, who was also his co-worker in all the numerous activities necessary during these early days.
THE SCHOOL'S ADVANCEMENT AND GROWTH.
The Legislative session of 1909 fairly outdid its pre- vious record in the matter of having a larger vision
regarding the School's future work and usefulness, both in the matter of providing buildings and equip- ment, and also in the very important matter of es- tablishing an annual maintenance fund sufficient to permit the School to increase the faculty and extend the work. These buildings were under construction when the new superintendent came to Crookston. For this position the Board of Regents selected Mr. C. G. Selvig, whose work began August 1, 1910.
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