USA > South Dakota > History of Dakota Territory, volume III > Part 115
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The state normal school at Madison, of which the president was W. H. H. Beadle, was doing excellent work in 1892. The graduates of 1892 represented ten counties of South Dakota and one county of North Dakota. Already the institution had turned out 180 graduates. The object of the school was to train teachers for the public schools of the state. Accordingly every study on the curriculum was chosen with that object in view. At the close of 1902 there
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were six grades of pupils from the first primary up. The latter was called the Model School and was composed principally of pupils living in the immediate vicinity of Madison. Many students attended the normal half a year and devoted the other half to teaching. Although the faculty numbered seven there was need for other instructors.
The legislative assembly which met at Yankton in 1881 established a normal school at Spearfish on condition that the town should donate forty acres of land for a site within six months. This condition was not complied with, whereupon the act became inoperative. The matter was again taken up by the Legislature of 1883 and an appropriation of $7,000 was made for the erection of a building and the maintenance of the school for one year. The required site was secured, a building was erected and on April 14, 1884, the school was opened with Prof. Van B. Baker as principal. At first the attendance promised to be considerable, but later dwindled to almost nothing. This was mainly due, it was alleged, to the incompetence of the principal. The legislature of 1885 appropriated $5,000 for the maintenance of the school for two years, and a new board was appointed-H. M. Gregg and Albert Powers of Spearfish and Samuel Cushion of Deadwood. Under their management the institution was opened for students in September, 1885. During the first week only seventeen names were enrolled, but after that time the attendance greatly increased. In 1892 the enrollment was 161 and the average daily attendance 112. The enroll- ment in the training department of the Model School was 218, thus making the total enrollment of the institution 379. At the legislative session of 1887 an appropriation of $25,000 for the construction of a suitable building was made and the structure was duly erected. The normal schools in 1892 reported many needs, if their growth, development and usefulness were to continue.
The work of the school of mines in 1892 was broader and better than during the year before; the studies were much better classified and covered advanced and elementary algebra, geometry, trigonometry, geology, surveying, mechanical drawing, mineralogy, assaying, general chemistry, qualitative analysis, physics, English literature, composition, rhetoric and arithmetic. Thus it will be seen that the curriculum was broad and at the same time technical. The buildings were not equal to the wants of the institution, so that the dean, W. P. Headden, asked for an additional structure. The total number of students at the close of 1902 was ten, and the total number, including those studying bookkeeping and a special course in chemistry, was fifty-six.
During the early years the first efforts of importance were made in the city schools. This was a natural step and was not a reflection upon the farmers, nor were they certainly wronged by this procedure. The city grammar schools were soon in prosperous condition, and the demand arose at once in the various towns and cities of the state for still higher instruction. This demand occasioned the organization of high schools. All of this had taken place during territorial times, but upon the organization of the state vast improvements were promptly made under the direction of competent school authorities. Perhaps the studies prescribed for the high schools cannot better be shown than by giving here the courses of study in the Aberdeen High School in 1892. Particular notice is called to the numerous studies for which rural children who expect to remain on the farm cannot and will not ever have any practical use :
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, ABERDEEN Erected in 1911
SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
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LATIN COURSE
ENGLISH COURSE
First Term
Algebra Latin Physical Geography
Algebra -
English
Physical Geography
-
First Year
Second Term
Algebra Latin
English
Physical Geography
Physical Geography J
Third Term
Algebra Latin Physiology
Algebra English
Physiology
Arithmetic Latin
Arithmetic Rhetoric Physiology
Arithmetic Latin
Second Term
Electives
Book-keeping
Arithmetic Rhetoric Book-keeping
Arithmetic Latin
Third Term
Electives
[ Book-keeping [ Rhetoric
Arithmetic Rhetoric Book-keeping
Geometry
First Term
Latin
English History
Geometry American Literature English History
Second Term
Geometry Latin
Geometry Psychology General History Reviews
Geometry
Geometry
Latin
Psychology
Third Term
Physics
Physics Botany
Botany
Botany Chemistry Physics
First Term
Botany Latin Physics
Electives
German French Chemistry
Electives
German French Latin
Civics
Civics Chemistry English Literature
Second Term
German
Electives
German French
Electives
French Latin
"English Literature Latin
German French
Electives
Teaching
Third Term
Electives
Astronomy
Methods of Teaching
German French Latin
Reviews
Reviews
Second Year
Third Year
Fourth Year
Latin English Literature
Chemistry
English Literature
Astronomy Methods of
General History Reviews
Rhetoric
Physiology
First Term
Algebra
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
The state superintendent stated in 1892 that at the present time the schools appeared to be isolated bodies without mutual support or community interests, and governed by diverse and antagonistic policies. Under such a condition of affairs a single controlling body, with power to survey critically the whole sys- tem and to unite all for a common and harmonious purpose, was greatly needed. Some authority should be empowered to exercise general supervision over all the public schools of the state. At this time the university, agricultural college and normal schools were in as prosperous condition as they could be with their limited appropriations. All were expanding their courses and the curriculums were constantly being improved and new departments were being added. How- ever, every educational institution in the state was compelled to do from one to three years' preparatory work before it was able to secure pupils for its fresh- man class. It was claimed that this was due to the lack of unison between the lower and the higher schools and that the higher schools had caused the lack of unity. As a matter of fact it cannot be truthfully said that the higher educational institutions had moved away from the line of progress for educational instruc- tion in the state. No such line had ever been formed. When the country was new, rural schools started and were made to conform to the wishes of their patrons and teachers. Finally the higher institutions opened with curriculums obtained from the older institutions farther east. Thus there were three or four distinct educational movements without any unity of action whatever in their work or designs. This was the condition in 1892. It remained for the authori- ties to correct at once this broken educational system and to transform it into one broad enough to give all classes of pupils the education they desired. At this juncture the first serious mistake was made. The apostles of higher education, without considering what was wanted or needed, aimed to shape the studies of the rural schools so as to prepare the children for collegiate education. To this day, 1915, this design has been more or less carried out by the continuous efforts of the friends of higher education, and during this period the farming community has held back, has refused to advance along the line proposed, has denied the right of the higher educational authorities to prescribe what studies their children shall pursue. In addition, no effort had been made to prepare teachers for instructing rural children in the studies they require for their labors, duties and future lives on the farms. For nearly a quarter of a century the school author- ities have stumbled along blindly, realizing the actual conditions, but being unable to devise practical plans to make rural education successful and satisfactory. For the last ten years at least such a system has been well known, but the school authorities have not been brave enough nor strong enough to force it into opera- tion. Another General Beadle is needed at this opportune moment.
At the meeting of the State Educational Association at Sioux Falls in 1890 there was appointed a committee to prepare a uniform course of study for the common schools. This committee consisted of County Superintendents L. H. Bras, R. S. Gleason and M. A. Lange. The committee carefully performed their work, and the course was introduced promptly into nearly every school of the state. This system was prepared with the object of fitting students of the primary schools for final entrance into the freshman classes of the higher educa- tional institutions. Little or no thought was given to the future occupation of the children, but the results were not such as had been anticipated. A harmonious
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
course of study necessarily requires a series of years for trial before it can accomplish notable improvement and effect unison among the schools. Accord- ingly changes of more or less importance were made annually, but still the hoped for results lagged behind and were finally seen to be more or less imaginary and evanescent. By 1892 the question of consolidated schools was duly and elaborately considered by the State Educational Association, state superintendent and all county superintendents. Here and there, occasionally, an effort to carry such plans into effect was made in the country, but the neighborhoods were too poor, scattered and fragmentary to effect any satisfactory results. Year after year the laws constantiy enlarged the powers of the county superintendent until he became and is to this day largely the dictator of county educational methods and man- agement. Teachers' institutes for normal purposes were a conspicuous feature of education immediately after the formation of the state. Almost every county had them and where a single county was unable to do so, several counties united for the purpose, and quite often groups of counties were formed into educational districts with the same object in view. The people were blindly doing their utmost to secure suitable education. The fact that brought out much complaint concerned the inadequacy of the school methods originated by the men and women who had presumed to dictate what the people might want. Reading circles were formed in many neighborhoods even in the country and particularly in the villages and cities. The special training schools such as school of mines, reform school, school for deaf mutes and school for the blind were likewise duly con- sidered, expanded and put in operation by the educational authorities. Kin- dergarten, primary and manual training departments were formed this early and gave promise of great usefulness. But in the meantime the real wants of the farming community for business and occupational training were lacking or withheld. Uniformity of text books was another question considered immedi- ately after the formation of the state, but did not help the rural situation. There was not a legislative session that did not pass additional laws or amendments that were expected to improve the rural schools, but still all was more or less experimental because the real wants of educational progress had not yet been studied out, defined and prescribed by the people themselves.
For the year ending June 30, 1891, the number of graded schools in the state was 80 and the number of ungraded schools 3,115. Of these schools 207 had libraries containing 3,836 volumes. The total number of school houses was 3,117 and the total number of teachers 4,313. The total amount paid teachers was $580,125. The total number of unmarried persons between six and twenty years was as follows: Male 38,730, female 34,818. The total enrollment of pupils was 63,975. The total receipts were $1,264,969.63 and the total expenditures $1,035,209.47. The city schools containing more than two hundred pupils were as follows : Sioux Falls, Huron, Yankton, Pierre, Aberdeen, Rapid City, Mitchell, Brookings, Canton, Vermillion, Madison, Scotland, Chamberlain, Milbank, Dead- wood, Redfield and Flandreau.
The course of instruction in the state normal schools was from the start thorough and efficient, so far as the school system of the state was concerned. The teachers were prepared to instruct in the studies recommended or dictated by the educational authorities of the state. The normal schools were required to give instruction in the studies which the teachers were expected to teach in the
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
rural schools as well as in other schools. The following is given as the course of study of the Madison Normal School in 1892:
FALL TERM
SPRING TERM
Algebra
First Year
Geography, with methods
United States history
Penmanship, with methods Vocal music
Civil Government
Penmanship and book-keeping
Algebra
Geometry
-
Composition and rhetoric
General history
Second Year
Zoology
Physical geography, 10 weeks
Physiology
Botany, 9 weeks
Drawing
American Classics
English Literature
Physics
Psychology
Pedagogy
Methods
Methods
Practice
Practice
Rhetorical exercises throughout the course
The following quantities of land were donated to South Dakota for the sev- eral educational purposes, as indicated, viz .:
Number of acres common school land. .2,823,320
Number of acres School of Mines 40,000
Number of acres Reform School 40,000
Number of acres Deaf and Dumb Asylum
40,000
Number of acres Agricultural College. 160,000
Number of acres State University
86,000
Number of acres State Normal Schools 80,000
Number of acres other educational and charitable purposes. 170,000
Number of acres for public buildings at capital.
82,000
Total
3,521,320
The number of acres of school lands sold from January 1, 1891, to December 31, 1892, was 101,879.56 and the amount of the sale was $1,387,318.71. The num- ber of acres of land leased from January 1, 1891, to December 31, 1892, was 908,103.29 and the amount received for the same was 48,572.65. The number of acres of endowment lands selected and assigned to each state institution by December, 1892, is shown in the following table :
Agricultural College 64,658.16
Deaf and Dumb Asylum 28,998.60
Educational and charitable purposes.
63.462.33
Normal Schools
49,835.22
Public Buildings
55,961.74
Reform Schools
27,341.23
Schools of Mines 23,761.51
University 77,052.16
Military Reservation not assigned
82,000.00
-
Total
473,070.95
Third Year
Arithmetic, with methods Grammar, with methods
Elocution
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
The report of the land commissioner showed that on January 1, 1891, there were forty-nine mining, stone and other claims for as many quarter sections of school lands pending before the general land office. Thereafter until December, 1892, eleven additional claims were filed for quarter sections east of the Missouri River, thus making a total of sixty adverse claims for portions of the school lands. Of these cases thirty-six had been heard before the commissioner of the general land office and decision in all cases had resulted in favor of the state. One case known as the Rapid City School Section, had been before the secre- tary of the interior for two years and was one of the most important ever tried by that department. The claimants spent over seven thousand dollars in prose- cuting their claim to the land involved, but in the end lost. It was coal land variously estimated to be worth from ninety thousand to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
The commissioner recommended that suit should be commenced against the Dell Rapids Mining Company to set aside a patent which it had secured for 200 acres. Should the state win this case, many others of similar character could likewise be won. The commissioner asked for authority to commence action against several railway companies to determine whether they should pay for the right of way across school sections occupied by them prior to the admission of the state. There were about four thousand acres going under this head. He stated that the law relating to trespassing on school lands was incomplete and should be made more effective. Under the existing law state's attorneys in many counties refused to act on cases of trespass. The commissioner stated that under the present existing law the cutting of timber in the Black Hill counties on school lands could not be stopped ; grand juries would not indict, and it was next to impossible to convict no matter how strong the evidence. The existing law was not sufficient to stop the cultivation of leased school lands, nor to collect damages for violations of that character. The commissioner asked for an act legalizing the proceedings of several counties for loans of the permanent school fund and providing specifically to which the securities should run, state or county. He suggested that laws should be enacted empowering the commissioner to con- duct the public sale of all school and public lands belonging to the state, and that the county auditor of each county should be empowered to lease the school and public lands. He called attention to the fact that the constitution provided that the permanent school funds should be invested in first mortgages and well improved farm lands within the state; the bonds of school corporations within the state; bonds of the United States, and bonds of the State of South Dakota. He recommended that this constitutional provision should be extended to embrace county bonds. The commissioner pointed out many other discrepancies in the laws and in the constitution concerning the detailed management of the school funds. He estimated that the indemnity lands would amount to about 69,215.61 acres and that he had already selected 40,880 acres. He estimated that land from Indian filings and mineral claims would reach from 20,000 to 30,000 acres.
In the 'gos H. E. Kratz, professor in the state university, undertook to solve the question, "Does college education pay?" It was at this date a momentous question and was doing the rounds of the press. Andrew Carnegie had recently said: "The total business of the college graduate in many departments of affairs should be deeply weighed. I have inquired and searched everywhere, but find
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
scarcely a trace of him. Where, then, is the college made man?" Professor Kratz, upon investigation, learned that nearly two-thirds of the presidents, United States senators and members of Congress were college bred men. His investiga- tions led him to believe that one man in every two hundred in the United States was college bred. Others placed the number at one man in every 100. Pro- fessor Kratz sent a letter to fifteen of the largest cities and towns of South Dakota, asking that the following steps be taken: "First make out a list of five leading men in each of the following professions and occupation, viz .: Ministry, teaching, law, medicine, journalism, banking, merchandise and manu- facturing, the last two to be considered as one class; these leading men are not to be selected with reference to college men as such. Second, ascertain from them whether they are college men or not; regard all who have pursued a regular college course two years or more as college men." These inquiries were sent to Sioux Falls, Yankton, Pierre, Aberdeen, Huron, Watertown, Mitchell, Deadwood, Rapid City, Madison, Elk Point, Vermillion, Brookings, Canton and Milbank and the result represented the canvass of 533 leading men of the state made up as follows: Ministers canvassed 67, college bred 60; teachers 65, college bred 55 ; lawyers 78, college bred 53 ; doctors 85, college bred 52; bankers 66, college bred 26; editors 53, college bred 16; merchants and manufacturers 119, college bred 31. Thus out of the 533 leading men of South Dakota engaged in the above pursuits 293, or 55 per cent, were college bred. It seemed, therefore, that there were great odds in favor of a college education, in view of the fact that only one man in every 100 to 200 in the state was a college bred man. If the college bred man had no advantage over his fellowmen, there would have been found only I per cent of them, or about 6 in 533, whereas in reality there were 293, or nearly fifty times the proportionate number. It was thus announced by Professor Kratz that a college education improved chances of success and prominence from twenty-five to fifty times. He further found that out of 15,138 biographies in Appleton's Cyclopedia of Biography 5,322 were of college graduates. As these men had been written up owing to their prominence it was clear that college graduates had much the better chance to become prominent.
The State Educational Association met at Brookings late in December, 1892, and continued in session three days. The program was interesting and instruc- tive. The mayor of Brookings welcomed the teachers to that city and President Young responded. The proceedings were opened by President Young with an address on the subject of "Some Problems in Education." He showed that modern education, when tested by its result upon society, was open to serious criticism. He discussed how education was related to all social movements and programs. He asked for a greater effort in character building, for more training and less cramming, and showed how education was destroyed by politics or diverted from its high purposes. A paper on "Educational Fads," by Prof. George M. Smith, was much enjoyed. Concerning this paper the official press report said, "This was one of the best papers ever presented before the asso- ciation and was listened to with great interest. Professor Smith struck some vicious blows at the senseless methods which to a large extent characterize modern education. The paper was thoroughly discussed and in the discussion it appeared that the professor had stirred up an educational hornet's nest, but the expression heard on every hand was one entirely complimentary to Professor
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
Smith. The paper served to enliven the thought and discussion of the conven- tion." The South Dakota Educator said, "Its intent to provoke criticism fully met its intention. It was a valuable paper and dealt heavy blows against the prevail- ing tendency to substitute a time worn method for individuality. The discussion that followed was spirited and roused the association to a high degree of enthusi- asm." Professor Dukes and others ably discussed the subject of "Psychology in the Class Room." B. F. Hood read a strong paper on the "Need of Our Public Schools." He showed the weaknesses of the existing educational system and strongly advocated its removal from politics. He further asked for a higher standard of teaching and for a better supervision of all schools of the state. Doc- tor McLouth discussed the subject of "High Schools and Colleges; Their Mutual Relations." His remarks were warmly welcomed by the teachers. He showed the utter want of unity of system in South Dakota and likewise disclosed its impor- tance. The reading circle gave a most interesting and valuable exercise on Wednesday. Its work as a whole for a year had been satisfactory. Professor Demptster was the practical and efficient manager of this department. Prof. Susan W. Hassell read a valuable paper on "English Literature and How to Teach It." The paper was so exceedingly well written and ornate that all realized it well exemplified her subject. Department meetings were held by the superintendents of high schools and valuable papers were read and critical remarks were made. Professor Orcutt read a paper on the "Science of Alcohol" which elicited great interest and called out numerous questions. He declared that alcohol was a nar- cotic. The questions asked by the teachers were designed to secure information so that they could return to their school charges well armed with arguments and statistics against the use of alcoholic liquors. Prof. C. M. Young, of Vermillion, was re-elected president of the association; Kate Taubman, secretary, and H. L. Bras, treasurer. The association petitioned the governor and Legislature to revise the school law in several important particulars. A legislative committee to lobby for the measure wanted was thereupon appointed. They were: J. K. Faling, Kate Taubman, A. M. Rowe, K. L. Gleason and Prof. C. M. Young. The Coun- cil of Education was organized at this session, with President Mauck of the Uni- versity as president and Professor Hassell, of Redfield, as secretary. It was decided to hold the next annual meeting at Parker.
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