History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 121

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146

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The South Dakota Educational Association assembled at Yankton late in December, 1901. It was a notable gathering. The record of attendance was the largest in history. The papers and discussions were forcible, and the spirit of harmony, interest and goodwill were marked at every stage of the proceedings. In addition to the splendid general program, there were numerous attractive extemporaneous exercises. The cordial addresses of welcome were delivered by Bartlett Tripp and President Warren, and were responded to in appropriate terms by Doctor Graham. The address by Superintendent Hartranft was able

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in the extreme and most highly appreciated by all who heard it. His subject was "In the Doorway of the Twentieth Century." The exercises and proceed- ings throughout were interspersed with delightful music. State Superintendent Collins delivered an annual address of great power and practicability. One of the most notable features of his remarks was his earnest advocacy of rural con- centration of schools, consolidated schools, and the transportation of children to central points where they could be more economically and efficiently instructed in the higher branches. Another paper of great interest was one by President Heston, of the Agricultural College. The subject was "The Kind of Education for the Boys and Girls of South Dakota." He urged many radical changes in the courses of study, particularly in the town and city schools. His paper was listened to intently by the teachers present. The newspapers of the time noted with what power he swayed the great audience that listened to him. President Norton, of Sioux Falls, discussed in a masterful way the subject of "Ethical Culture in Our Public Schools." No teacher present heard this splendid address without feeling the spiritual uplift underlying its eloquent language and its high ideals. Superintendent Hamlin, of the Santee Indian School, of Nebraska, read an attractive paper on "Educating the Indian." It was particularly distinguished by its simplicity and by its practical delineation of what was necessary to be done to make the Indian youths civilized and law-abiding. Another leading feature was the lecture to the association given at the Congregational Church by Dr. Samuel Smith, of St. Paul, Minnesota. He was one of the principal speakers and thinkers on philosophy in the United States at this time. He gave a most interesting and valuable address on the subject, "Point of View." In this address he took an unusually broad and practical view of life, education and destiny. An important adjunct of the association at this time was the Reading Circle Board, consisting of nine members. As a whole this was a session of great value and importance. The exercises were attended by many teachers who sought improvement in methods of instruction and in educational progress.

The South Dakota Teachers' Reading Circle was established in 1886, at which time its first important work was done. For a year or two previously the advisability of the movement had been considered, with the final result of organi- zation. That year it met at Pierre. A committee was appointed to draft a con- stitution and effect an organization. At is said that the organization was in fact accomplished on board the train near Pierre, July 3, 1887. Gen. W. H. H. Beadle was elected president, and Prof. W. H. Dempster succeeded General Beadle as president. Professor Kratz resigned in 1891 to become city superintendent of schools, Sioux City, Iowa. At the meeting of the State Educational Association at Mitchell in December, 1891, H. J. Whipple was elected president of the Teachers' Reading Circle and Prof. W. H. Dempster was chosen secretary and treasurer. These two officers faithfully and efficiently shaped the destiny of the circle until March, 1902, when Professor Dempster gave up work, but Superin- tendent Whipple still continued as president. The members of the Circle Board for several years up to 1902 had been eight in number, two from each of the four departments of the State Teachers' Association. During the first year of the Circle's existence the membership embraced only nine counties, with a total of eighty-seven readers. In 1902 every county in the state was embraced, and dur- ing the year the readers numbered over two thousand, and besides there were

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scattered readers in almost every state in the Union, and in several of the foreign countries. It was the unanimous testimony of institute conductors and others that the counties which had the largest and strongest reading circles had likewise the ablest and best teachers. The books studied in 1902 were: Hinsdale's "Art of Story-Telling;" McNeil & Lynch's "American Literature." The study was conducted along two lines, one professional and the other literary or scientific.

In 1902 David Eastman, commissioner of school and public lands, demanded the repeal of the fence law then in force west of the Missouri River. He held that the fence law, greatly to the detriment of the public school fund, converted the whole country west of the Misssouri River into a range, and thus prevented the lease of the school lands located there. For this reason the school fund was not getting anything near what it should receive from the lease of its lands in that portion of the state.

In 1902 South Dakota had 3,544 schools. The average wages paid to male teachers was $36.07 per month, and to female teachers $32.31. At this time the schools of the state cost in one year a total of $1,791,153.55.

On September 9, 1902, the Northern Normal and Industrial School at Aber- deen was opened. At this time there were in the universities and colleges of South Dakota a total of 2,750 students.

In 1902 the permanent school fund of South Dakota amounted to $4,084,- 566.59, of which $50,887.66 was received from the sale of Government lands, $2,190,799.31 was paid in from the sale of school lands and $1,842,899.62 con- sisted of deferred payments. As fast as the money had been received it had been invested in school bonds and first mortgage loans. The money derived from such loans, also from interest on deferred payments and from the leasing of common school lands, constituted the interest and income fund which was appor- tioned to the various organized counties in proportion to the number of children of school age residing therein. There had been a gradual increase in the acreage leased up to this time. But it cannot be denied that the amount thus leased was far below the acreage that would have been leased had it not been for the free range law in force west of the Missouri River. The state authorities, therefore, at this time favored the repeal of this law. The department set at work several clerks, for whose services an appropriation had been made, to inspect the work in the field and see that there were no trespassers on school lands and that the lands were properly guarded. During the fiscal year 1901 there were employed' two clerks who examined sixteen counties in the southeastern part of the state and the following year inspected sixteen other counties in the northern part east of the Missouri. At the same time they begun the same work in the Black Hills district.

At this time, 1902, the endowment lands of the state for educational and charitable institutions aggregated 698,720 acres. Gradually as time had passed this acreage was patented to the state, the tracts were selected and still other tracts were to be chosen in the future. During the fiscal year 1900-01, 374,41I acres of endowment lands were leased, and the next year 405,231 acres were leased. The proceeds of the latter were $29,141. There was a large demand for school endowment lands at this time and for a few years previously. Particularly east of the Missouri River was the demand strong, and the price of sale and rate of lease was steadily increasing. A few school tracts in the Black Hills Vol. III-55

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country were heavily covered with timber. The last Legislature passed a bill providing for a constitutional amendment to be submitted to the voters in No- vember, 1902, to amend the rate of interest from 6 per cent to 5 per cent, owing to the fact that interest rates were decreasing, money was plentier, and it was difficult to loan all the school fund on hand at the high rate of 6 per cent. In June, 1902, there was on hand unloaned in the treasury $538,511 of this fund drawing no interest for the benefit of the schools. The efforts of the authorities were therefore directed to the task of seeing that all of this fund was properly loaned, and the above proposed constitutional amendment was one of the steps toward that end. It was further proposed now, as it had been in the past, that the amount to be loaned to any individual be increased from $500 to $1,000, and even to greater sums where the security was excellent. The authorities at this time did not press to secure deferred payments on lands that had been pur- chased, providing the interest was promptly paid when due. They preferred to have the payments remain deferred while drawing interest rather than have them in the treasury drawing no interest ; yet during the past year ending June, 1902, there had been paid into the treasury in full payments and deferred pay- ments the sum of $596,670. The full payments numbered 1,292 and aggregated $424,190. The average price had been greatly increased during the years from 1900 to 1902, inclusive, showing a marked appreciation of the value of land throughout the state. This increase during those three years amounted to an average of $15.19, $18 and $19.52, respectively.

It was believed at this time by the department that within a short time the state, if it so desired, could sell all its school land at an average price of not less than $14.60 an acre, which would produce a fund of nearly $31,500,000. The department recommended at this time that, in view of the present conditions and the excellent prospect of the future, no more than 50 per cent of the lands donated to the state by Congress and located in any one county, except public buildings land, should be offered for sale. At the same time they further recom- mended a provision for the leasing of lands withdrawn from market, both for agricultural as well as grazing and hay purposes, for a term not exceeding ninety- nine years, with a provision for reappraisement every ten years. This action was taken in view of the fact that the state was well provided with the nucleus of a common school and endowment fund for all of the state public institutions, which would, if wisely guarded, support the common schools and public insti- tutions in the not distant future. It was believed this course was wise because there were indications that the school lands for leasing purposes on long time and liberal terms would bring a larger revenue than any other plan. With about one- half of the land sold on this program there would be received a total of nearly $16,000,000, which the department believed would furnish far less interest to the state than would be obtained on the balance of the lands under lease contracts. In recent years there had been quite a number of recoveries of state lands through forfeitures and other failures to make good. A considerable sum had been received from the Taylor defalcation tracts. Timber in considerable quantity had been sold from school tracts in the Hills.

A notable fact connected with education in the state in 1902 was the vast improvement in the high schools. The number was greatly increased and their efficiency and compass were surprisingly improved. Outside of South Dakota

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the improvement in high schools was even more marked. In Minnesota all high schools of the state which attained a certain standard of efficiency received annu- ally a definite sum of money. Already this system had been adopted in North Dakota. Many educators of the state believed that South Dakota should at once pass a similar law. No state had a greater variety of high schools, both as regards development and course of study. All of this needed reconstruction and reor- ganization. In Minnesota the state appropriated $1,000 to each high school that attained the full standard of four years; the same was done in North Dakota by extending the course of study and preparing the graduates therefrom for en- trance into colleges and universities. It was suggested that a committee consist- ing of the superintendent of public instruction, the president of the university and a third member, should be appointed and should be given authority to pass final judgment as to whether a given high school was fit for this additional appro- priation ; other tests could be instituted. Examination questions on a given sub- ject could occasionally be made out by the committee, and the papers be examined in full to determine the status of the students in the schools. In this and other ways the standing of the high schools in the state could be ascertained. It was claimed that in the states where this system was in force and in addition to this elevation of the standard of high schools, many students were induced by the impulse thus acquired, to attend the higher institutions of learning. This plan provided that a graduate of any accredited high school would be admitted at once to the colleges without further examination. It was believed that this program would induce many young men and women to attend college when they would not do so under ordinary circumstances. President Droppers recommended that an appropriation of $400 for every high school adopting a four-year course of study should be made, and further that a board of examiners, who should be paid a small sum for their services, should be established or created.

The schools of the public school system and of the higher institutions of learning in South Dakota were not only the ones to furnish broad and liberal educations for students wanting such. From the earliest time private and denomi- national educational institutions had sprung up in all parts of the state. By 1890 many were in prosperous condition with large attendance and with an excellent curriculum for those requiring instruction along stated and specific lines. In 1902 the following denominational and private schools were in operation in this state: Under the Catholics were Sacred Heart Academy, Aberdeen, under the Presenta- tion Nuns; Sacred Heart Parish School, Aberdeen, Rev. B. Early, principal; St. Joseph Academy, Watertown, under Sisters of Mercy; Holy Family Parish School, Mitchell, Rev. H. Maher, principal; St. Lawrence Parish School, Milbank, Rev. P. Cassidy, principal; Immaculate Conception Industrial School, Rev. P. Boehm, principal; St. Edward's Academy, Deadwood, under Sisters of the Holy Cross ; St. Patrick's Parish School, Lead City, Rt. Rev. N. Redmond, president ; St. Mary's Parish School, Salem, Rev. Joseph Heidelberger, principal; St. Martin's Academy, Sturgis, under the Benedictine Sisters ; St. Francis' Industrial School, Rosebud, Rev. F. Digeman, principal; St. Rose's Academy, Sioux Falls, under the Ursuline Nuns ; St. Michael's Parish School, Sioux Falls, Rt. Rev. G. Sheehan, principal; Holy Rosary Industrial School, Pine Ridge, Rev. J. Jutz, principal; St. Peter's Parish School, Jefferson, Rev. C. Saint Pierre, principal; Sacred Heart Academy, Yankton, under the Benedictine Sisters; Sacred Heart

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Parish School, Yankton, Rev. Ed. Jones, principal. Methodist Episcopal: Dakota University, Mitchell, L. A. Stout, president; Black Hills College, Hot Springs, J. W. Hameher, principal. Free Methodist: Wessington Springs Seminary, J. K. Freeland, principal. Congregational: Yankton College, Yankton, A. T. Free, president; Redfield College, Redfield. United Norwegian: Lutheran Au- gustina College, Canton, Anthony G. Tuve, president. Presbyterian : Pierre Uni- versity, Pierre, William Blackburn, president. Baptist: Sioux Falls University, Sioux Falls, E. B. Meredith, president. Episcopal: All Saints' School, Sioux Falls, W. H. Hare, president. Norwegian Lutheran: Lutheran College, Sioux Falls, A. Mikkleson, principal. In addition there was Watertown Kindergarten, Watertown, with Sara B. Bodtker as principal.

In January, 1903, the Agricultural College taught the following course: (1) agriculture and horticulture; (2) botany, zoology and bacteriology; (3) chem- istry ; (4) pharmacy; (5) physics and its application; (6) mathematics and sur- veying; (7) all English branches; (8) French, German and Latin (optional) ; (9) history and political and social science; (10) mechanical, electrical, civil and agricultural engineering; (II) domestic science and industrial art ; (12) business and amanuensis ; (13) music and physical and military culture ; (14) short courses of twelve weeks early in each year as follows-(a) agriculture, (b) dairy, (c) horticulture, (d) steam engineering, (e) home reading for farmers.

The South Dakota School of Mines was planned and equipped for imparting technical knowledge in mining, metallurgy and engineering. Literature, language and commercial courses were added. During the summer there was much prac- tical field work. In 1902 the institution had two old buildings and a new one, and had enrolled about one hundred and twenty students from all parts of the United States. At this time Robert L. Slagle, Ph. D., was dean and professor of chemistry ; Charles H. Fulton, M. E., professor of metallurgy and mining engi- neering, also of assaying; Howard L. McLeary, teacher of mathematics; C. C. O'Harra, instructor in mineralogy and geology ; E. M. Stevens, instructor in Ger- man and other languages; Anna R. Slagle, instructor in English and history. She had charge of the ladies' dormitory.

At a meeting of the State Teachers' Institutes at Canton in May, 1903, an entirely new course of study for the public schools was adopted. This course proved so satisfactory to the county superintendents that the schools throughout the eastern part of the state prepared to put in operation at once the course of study thus adopted. In June, 1903, there was held at Rapid City a joint teachers' institute for the counties of Butte, Meade and Pennington. More than two hun- dred teachers were present, and a program of great interest and value was carried into effect.

In early years the school authorities had great trouble in keeping the school fund invested. Often many thousands of dollars were idle in the treasury. Grad- ually as the state settled up this condition changed so that by the middle of July, 1903, not a dollar of the school fund remained uninvested; the whole had been taken up by school and municipal authorities. In previous years the commis- sioner's office often received complaints that the school authorities were forcing school funds on the counties which they did not want and compelling them to pay interest thereon. By November, 1903, the complaint was just as severe that the counties could not get enough school money, and that the farmers were unable

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to secure loans from the school fund. This transformation occurred within from three to five years. Previous to 1903 no complaint for this fund had come to the commissioner's office. Before that date other steps to invest this fund had to be taken. Much of the trouble in early years concerning school funds was due to the carelessness of counties in not returning the funds according to law. There was then no co-operation between the county authorities and the state authorities concerning the investment of the school fund. Out of this condition of things the state board, consisting of Governor Herreid, Land Commissioner Bach and Public Examiner Hemmingway, devised plans to force the counties to comply with the law. They thoroughly investigated many counties concerning school fund management and found great carelessness existing. At this time the state authorities opposed making loans at 5 per cent in order to take up old loans which were drawing 6 per cent.

In September, 1903, Commissioner Bach learned that in numerous cases where the interest on deferred payments for school lands had been neglected by the purchasers for a year or more, some as far back as 1900, no action had been taken by county authorities to remedy this condition of things. Accordingly he prepared on an extensive scale to take legal steps to bring all delinquents within the requirements of the law. As the crops of 1903 were excellent, one of the best thus far in the state, he announced that there was no excuse for the detention of money, and that the sums must be paid, because they were needed by the schoools. By 1903 there were immmense leases of lands to cattle growers in the range section of the state west of the Missouri. During that year up to September, there had been received $17,054 for new leases from homesteaders who were securing large quantities of the land in that portion of the state.

According to law, school district officers were required to meet once a year in each county at the call of the county superintendents to consider various educa- tional questions. In October, 1903, it was concluded, in view of the fact that these county meetings were held at the same time, to provide that no two should be held jointly in the state, and furthermore to require the state superintendent to be present at each one of these meetings. This was arranged by the state super- intendent, who prepared to meet the school authorities of every county in order to get in touch with the movements of education in all parts of the state.

In 1903 the state examiners were selected by State Superintendent Nash to mark under the new law the papers of teachers that came from all parts of the state.

On November 19, 1903, the state school fund idle in the treasury amounted to nothing, and was thus the lowest since statehood began. Every dollar was out drawing interest among farmers, villages and towns. One year before this time there was in the treasury about $400,000.

At the legislative session of 1903 a bill was introduced to give the state super- intendent power to issue uniform certificates to all teachers, and that such certifi- cates should be good in every county of the state. A recent amendment to the constitution permitted school funds to be loaned at a minimum interest of 5 per cent, and immediately thereafter nearly a half million dollars of the school fund was loaned. Thus in 1904 all school money was busy drawing 5 per cent interest. At this time the Regents of Education and the Board of Charities and Correc- tions were paid salaries. Previous to this time they received nothing.

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The conferences with county school officers did more to unite the educa- tional authorities into a general movement for advancement than anything done in the state thus far. It did more good really than the teachers' institutes, be- cause the latter were isolated, did not cover the practical instruction and methods in the rural schools, and were held for but short periods in each year. If the institutes had any weakness it was that they did not give the teachers practical knowledge along advanced lines, something that was actually needed by them every day in the schoolrooms.

At this time the country school debt throughout the state had been greatly reduced, and in many counties, particularly in the eastern part of the state, had been wholly liquidated. All state educational institutions at this time were more prosperous than ever before. All had a larger attendance, state, private and sectarian. By this time even the Indians had made great progress in education. The old time village custom among them was nearly broken up. Each family at last was alone, owned a good home, had families and live stock and were law- abiding like the whites.

"The plan recently adopted of having a board of examiners grade teachers' papers for the granting of certificates, appears to be practical and well advised. Local favoritism which has had debilitating effects on our educational system in the past, will by this method be done largely away with. No member of the examining board is permitted to grade papers from his own county. Out of 657 applications for certificates at the recent examinations, 279 were rejected. As a consequence of the weeding out process, many districts will be without teachers this coming winter."- Dakota Herald, September, 1903.

No doubt the bankers of the state were largely instrumental in having the school fund rate of interest reduced to 5 per cent. Through their influence the fund was then secured by them and loaned on municipal and township securities so that farmers were unable to get it, which fact enabled the banks to raise their rates to farmers to 10 per cent and 12 per cent. However, the net result to the schools was about twenty-five thousand dollars more than it had been before, and all of the fund was safely invested. Why did not the farmers take it at 6 or 7 per cent when they could do so? The school fund drawing interest in December, 1903, closely approximated four million dollars, and no considerable amount was idle in the treasury. Comparatively small loans were held by farm- ers. There was loaned to the counties alone about two million five hundred thou- sand dollars. At this time there remained out in deferred payments $1,344,595 from the sale of school lands, and there was outstanding and past due in deferred payments about two hundred twenty-four thousand nine hundred and seventy-nine dollars. All the deferred payments yet outstanding drew 6 per cent interest, so that the school authorities were not complaining. In December, 1903, there were in the state 132,150 children of school age. The only loss that ever occurred to the school fund was the Taylor defalcation, and nearly or quite all of that was secured at a later date.

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History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 121

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146