History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 126

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


USA > South Dakota > History of Dakota Territory, volume III > Part 126


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The city and town schools, as a whole, have advanced to a high standard of perfection. The reverse is true of the rural schools. In part this is due to the unconcern of the farmers themselves, or due to their lack of education and social culture. Rural people who are not thrown into community movements as often as those in the cities are, do not realize or feel the need of modern education and


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neighborly sociability as do the citizens of the cities. Accordingly they have not felt the necessity of securing higher education and social polish, but this result is not because they would not enjoy and welcome all the advantages of refined society and polite culture in vogue in the cities. They have found this course highly impracticable owing to the high cost and the loss of time required for the children to go to the cities to secure these improvements. It follows as a con- clusion that such social and mental improvement, so far as practicable, should be taken to them on the farm. This can not be accomplished except through township or community social organizations and high schools. They must be brought together in mannerly and cultured groups near where they live or the desired objects can not be attained.


In the city schools manual training, domestic science, and similar courses are now well advanced both in the secondary and elementary grades. But the teach- ing of scientific agriculture is a farce. High school standards for town and city pupils have been raised gradually during the last few years. Formal inspection of every department is an important feature, particularly health supervision. It has been found that 75 per cent of school children are defective in some bodily function-heart, eye, ear, lung, spine, breath, nutrition, teeth, tonsils, glands, adenoids, etc. In later years sanitation is considered equally as important as mental progress. Even in the rural schools this is observed. All agree that health comes first and is the chief asset of the growing child. By 1902 only eleven cities in the country had adopted medical inspection in the public schools. By 1912 over four hundred and forty-two had adopted this improvement. Of these only two were in South Dakota, namely, at Sioux Falls and Aberdeen. No one now questions the right and duty of the state to supervise the health of the children in the public schools.


Although the Legislature of 1907 authorized the state superintendent to in- spect and accredit high schools, that body failed to appoint an inspector, and hence the law became a dead letter. In 1912 there were 193 schools in the state offering work beyond the eighth grade, 102 of them offered four years' work, forty-cight two years' work and ten one year's work.


In April, 1911, a conference of city school executives was held at Pierre to revise the approved course of study and adopt the standards which were to govern accredited high schools. The following high schools were placed on the accredited list of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools; several years earlier: Deadwood, Leed, Mitchell, Sioux Falls, Water- town, and Yankton. A little later the following were added: Aberdeen, Brook- ings, Canton, Huron, Madison, Pierre, Rapid City, Redfield, Vermillion, and Webster. Still later forty-nine others were placed in line for the same honor. Of these schools, thirty-one offered other work than regular preparatory college courses ; fourteen offered domestic science, sixteen manual training, eleven com- mercial training, ten normal instruction and nine agriculture. The reason there was not more of such courses was because there were no competent teachers available to give instruction in the extra branches. It has come to be admitted that suitable teachers are of the greatest importance and should merit the prompt consideration of the authorities. Whatever cost is necessary should not offer the slightest excuse or apology. Particularly are teachers competent to instruct in scientific agriculture needed.


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The State Teachers' Association met at Pierre in 1911. The resolutions adopted asked for increased national aid for agriculture and the mechanic arts and endorsed the consolidation of rural schools and state aid for the more par- tially settled school districts. The loving cup which went to the county with the best reputation based on percentage of attendance and schools was given to Hyde County, which had held it for several former years. The County Superin- tendents' Department elected the following officers: President, Prof. C. G. Lawrence; vice president, Joseph Swenson; secretary, Della Wimple, member of the reading circle, Florence Glenn. The Common and Graded School Depart- ment selected for president, J. A. Johnson; vice president, B. F. Steece ; secre- tary, Lilly Patterson. The State Librarians who met at the same time chose for president Miss Edle Laurson; vice president, Miss Nettie Current ; secretary- treasurer, Maude R. Carter. The County Superintendents' Division had the state superintendent as ex-officio president. They elected Miss Della Wimple for vice president, and Mrs. Florence Glenn, secretary-treasurer. J. W. McClinton, superintendent of the Mitchell schools, was made president of the College and High School Department, and J. E. Johnson of Centerville, the head of the Department of Common Schools.


An interesting event in November, 1911, was the unveiling of the statue which was erected in the capitol building at Pierre in honor of Gen. W. H. H. Beadle, the "Father of South Dakota Public School System." The principal address was delivered by Prof. George M. Smith, of the state university, one of unusual literary and historic merit. The honor of the formal act of unveiling was conferred upon Mrs. Mae Beadle Frick, of Eugene, Ore., a daughter of General Beadle, and Miss Katherine French, of Vermillion, who drew aside the flags which covered the ornate work of H. Daniel Webster as a perpetual me- morial to General Beadle. The statue was built at the expense of the school children of the state. After the ceremony General Beadle formally received his hundreds of friends who sincerely and proudly congratulated him on the occasion.


In the summer of 1912 the Government traded with South Dakota a tract of land in Custer County about eight by twelve miles, containing 60,000 acres for a corresponding number of school sections, Numbers 16 and 36 in each township in the Black Hills Forest Reserve.


During the year 1912 and previous years, it was found necessary to conduct special normal institutes throughout the state in order to increase the number of teachers who were qualified to impart instruction along normal school lines. During 1912 and earlier, kindergarten instruction was imparted in nearly all the cities of the state.


In 1912 the agricultural college, under the head of "College Extension Work," conducted an elaborate course of agricultural instruction by mail. These courses were sent out and were pursued by students in almost every state of the Union. Among the subjects covered in the course were the following: Elementary agriculture, animal industry, poultry culture, elements of botany, horticulture, fruit culture, vegetable gardening, biology, home economics and home sanitation.


In November, 1912, the freshman class at the Agricultural College contained ninety-eight high school graduates. At this time the record was investigated and the following facts were learned: That in 1907 there were in the freshman class at the Agricultural College 40 per cent of high school graduates; in 1908,


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57 per cent ; 1909, 58 per cent ; 1910, 72 per cent ; 1911, 72 per cent ; 1912, 98 per cent. In this year the enrollment was about eight hundred, which was a 30 per cent increase over that of the previous year.


A state system of inspecting schools in order to maintain the health of the pupils was well in operation in 1912. The object was to prevent disease rather than cure, and to maintain a certain and fixed standard of health in all the public schools. The call was for more doctors of public health and fewer doctors of medicine. "Our system of paying doctors to do something when we are sick ought to be largely discarded for the Chinese system of paying them to keep us from getting sick," said Dr. F. B. Dressler of the United States Bureau of Education. He maintained that there should be state supervision of health, and declared that a thorough investigation which had been in progress in the various cities for a number of years had accomplished wonders in preventing any serious sickness.


At a meeting of the educational association in Mitchell in 1912, the subject of "Normal Training in the High Schools" was elaborately considered. The plan was encouraged in order to increase the number of competent teachers of industrial education. From all counties at this time came calls for normal grad- uates to teach in the public schools. The normal schools could not furnish more than one-tenth of the number needed. The plan now proposed was to have a department of normal training attached to each high school and to sustain such department with funds furnished by the state. It was again earnestly advocated at this time that a special tax for the educational institutions in place of the usual appropriations should be adopted. It was also urged that normal schools should confine their whole attention to the preparation of men and women to teach school. The voters were asked to decide the future policy of the state schools at Vermillion, Brookings and Rapid City. It was a difficult matter to state the definite needs of the state educational institutions. Perhaps no man was qualified to judge as to the size of the appropriation necessary. Each legis- lature plunged more or less blindly into the appropriation field, and often cut out appropriations that were absolutely needed. This condition of things had gone on so long that the people generally began to demand a fixed sum for each institution, the sum to be graduated as the years passed to meet the increase in size and the corresponding increase in demand. The board of regents were often in doubt as to what sums were really needed for the state institutions, and, of course, the Legislature knew less concerning the matter than the board of regents and accordingly, as no one really knew, mistakes were made. How- ever, it was not often the case that the mistake of making too large an appro- priation was made. The president of the board of regents at this time admitted that they could not certainly determine nor decide on the proper course to pursue. Often when they had decided on a fixed sum, the Legislature would change it entirely, and thus defeat all calculations that had been made. The only way out of this dilemma seemed to be an annual levy upon a certain basis whereby each institution would secure what it actually needed for advancement. As it was, each institution had nothing definite to advance on, but was subject to the caprices and lack of knowledge of the Legislature and the board of regents. With a regular levy or a fixed sum, this mistake could be remedied. A bill to this effect was introduced in the Legislature of 1911, but failed to


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become a law. This Legislature, however, amended the school law so that three courses of study were made practical in the normal schools, as follows: (1) A 2-year normal course after the high school course with a state certificate to the student ; (2) a 2-year course of normal study of a grade of the third and fourth years of the high school including some professional training, with a first grade certificate to the pupil; (3) a 2-year course of study of the grade included in the first and second years of the high schools with a certificate showing the account of the training, with a second grade certificate to the student.


It was planned to have the courses of study so arranged that the graduate of a high school could take a normal course of one year and then secure a first" grade certificate. It was further planned to have the board harmonize the work of the normal schools with the law of 1911 and with the duties of the state superintendent and the presidents of the various normal schools. The board adopted definite courses of study in July, 1911. The object was to give the normal schools a chance to serve the common school system by confining its work to the preparation of teachers, leaving higher education to the colleges and universities. Thus the plan was to drop the general academic work of the normal schools. There was a general demand that rural schools and grade schools of the cities below the eighth grade should give to students such training as was needed by boys and girls who were unable to take high school courses. Teachers were required to give instruction in the new elementary courses of study. The important question was, Should the state elementary institutions be readjusted? If so, then the plans should be (1) To consolidate the State University, Agricultural College and State School of Mines and form therefrom one immense university; (2) to keep each institution separate as it was, but so unite or co-ordinate them and their courses of study that they would be a unit in method and effect. Before action, all of this, of course, was planned to be submitted to the voters after a campaign of education. It was suggested that a commission of five members under authority of the Legislature should be appointed to examine the merits of this problem, to publish the same and to report in full to the governor by January 1, 1914. After that, whatever action was necessary could be brought to the attention of the voters. But all these well-meaning plans were abortive; no action was taken.


In November, 1912, the board of examiners for teachers gave certificates to 62 per cent of all applicants. This was a larger percentage than had ever been given before. Usually the percentage was about 50. At this time there were 1,23I applicants, of whom 425 received second grade certificates; 339, third grade certificates, and 4, primary certificates.


In November, 1912, State Superintendent C. G. Lawrence delivered an address before the educational association, in which he said that public education was not a philanthropy but an investment by the state. He criticized the usual fault finding, but said it was no worse than were complacency and inaction. While moving pictures had great influence on youth, they were not objectionable if properly censored. He insisted that homes and schools should be brought closer together, and that pupils should be taught what they would require in the pursuits of after life. He urged the formation of corn clubs for boys, home culture clubs for girls, and favored special training where all had an equal chance. During the years from 1901 to 1911 inclusive, the schools of South Dakota had


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enjoyed vast improvement, said the superintendent. The average term of the rural school had increased from 5.9 months to 7.5 months each year and the average salary had increased from $32 to $49. He urged better teachers and higher wages as the only effective method of securing greater efficiency. He urged the training of teachers in high schools. On this point he was at a variance with other educational authorities of the state.


In December, 1912, South Dakota had 5,167 teachers. The normal schools of the state turned out this year 319 graduates qualified to teach. There was thus 'still an enormous lack of normal graduates to teach in the rural schools. In 1912 there were a total of 4,725 schools of all kinds in the state. There were 4,689 schoolhouses in the rural districts and 5,167 rural teachers. The total enrollment was 184,389. There were enrolled in the high schools of cities and towns 7,507 pupils and in the high schools of country districts 1,400. There were 193 high schools, of which 102 gave four years' work, 33 gave three years' work; 48 gave two years' work, and 10 gave one year's work. Fourteen offered courses in domestic science, 16 in manual training, 11 in commercial courses, 10 in normal training and 9 in agriculture.


Of the total of 4,725 schools in 1912, 4,584 had only one teacher, 141 had two or more teachers, 293 had no sessions during the year, 253 had sessions less than six months, 4,472 had over six months' session. Within the state were 4,48I frame houses, 27 brick houses, 76 log houses and 74 sod houses. The number of male teachers was 845 and the number of female teachers 4,322. In the rural districts the male scholars numbered 63,563 and the female scholars 58,423. In the rural schools below the high schools were 90,389 scholars. The average daily attendance in the rural district was 55,138. There were 4,451 school libraries with a total of 343,117 volumes. The rural school annual appor- tionment was $542,341.51. The district tax amounted to $2,120.435.78. The district school receipts from all sources were $3,676,513.81. The teachers' wages amounted to $1,605,457.65. The independent districts of the cities and towns had 275 buildings, with a seating capacity of 48,648 pupils. In these districts were 226 male teachers and 1,171 female teachers. In such schools the children of school age were: males, 24,253; females, 25,478. Also in such schools the scholars below the high school numbered 33,468, high school pupils, 7,507. In such schools the eighth grade graduates numbered 1,929 and the high school graduates 836. At this time (1912) county institute work was in vogue in every county of the state except eight. Compulsory education prevailed. No parent could lawfully refuse to have his child instructed in the branches required by law, according to an opinion of the attorney general.


In 1912, of the total number of teachers in the state, there were in the rural districts 4,800. Of the latter one-third were teaching their first terms-about one thousand six hundred. At the June commencement, 1912, there were only 319 normal graduates sent out in the state. Not all of the 319 were employed as teachers. It was estimated that perhaps only about one hundred normal school graduates began to teach each year, so that about one thousand five hundred teachers without normal training were hired each year in the rural schools. This fact caused the school authorities to plan that high schools should supple- ment normal schools with normal courses, in order that qualified teachers could be turned out as soon as possible in sufficient number to supply all schools of


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the state. Thus it appeared that rural schools not only were deprived of normal teachers, but also were deprived of the special studies or courses the parents and pupils wanted. Steadily for about a decade the high schools had been grad- ually turned in the direction of normal teaching. A general normal training law for all schools was recommended. This program has been agreed upon by state superintendents and high school principals who have recommended at their meetings the following courses: (1) Agriculture and the industrial arts to be improved by the State Department of Education; (2) each school adopting the normal training department to receive aid from the state to the amount of $500 per year; (3) such school to have at least eight students to secure such normal training department; (4) high schools in counties where normals are located not to have such appropriations; (5) teachers having charge of normal training courses to be graduates of the State University or a school of equal rank; State Agricultural College graduates to have had a 4-year course in a normal school and two years at least of successful school work; (6) students taking normal training courses to be pledged to the teaching profession, be required to complete the high school course and be examined for their teachers' certificates.


Recently attention has been called to the fact that teachers' institutes have fallen short of the demands required by the teachers of various grades. The institute work, it is claimed, was too much routine along certain definite lines and did not reach or effect many practical problems which the teachers were required to compass and overcome in the school room. It was claimed that by reason of this state of affairs, few teachers in the institutes took much interest in many phases of the proceedings. Apparently their wants and ideas were not satisfied or supplied by the institutes as conducted by the representatives of higher education.


In South Dakota as in many other states county superintendents are unwisely overburdened with work, the most of which could be performed by clerks at small wages, while the valuable time of the superintendents could be much better employed day after day in the inefficient school rooms throughout the county. The time is coming, if not already here, when new ideals concerning rural schools at least are bound to prevail. All county superintendents will soon be required to master the branches which the farmers require in the rural schools. Now as never before the teaching of all branches of practical and scientific agriculture is becoming imperative and paramount. The greatest problem at the present time is to produce normal teachers who can give proper and prac- tical instruction to rural children in the studies they require and must have to fit them for life and labor upon the farm. A certificate should not be granted to a rural teacher at least unless it embraces a mastery of the primary principles of scientific agriculture as established by the agricultural colleges, the experiment stations and the United States Department of Agriculture. It is true that agri- cultural school books have been already introduced and primary work in agri- culture has commenced in the country schools, but very few if any agricultural school text books now in use are suitable, correct or comprehensive enough to be of any practical value. Special field experiments already in operation through- out the state, particularly in practical corn growing, possess the highest merit, but it is extremely difficult to place scientific agriculture in text book form so


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that the country pupils, after having mastered such books, can readily apply their teachings to the practical operation of all farm work. Thus it would seem that teachers in rural schools must understand practical and scientific agriculture, the text books used there must teach it, so that the children month after month on the farm will be thereby able to put the knowledge thus gained in actual operations. Until this result is reached the wishes of the farmers and the wants of their children will continue to go begging.


An entirely different curriculum for the country schools is now being evolved and put in practice. New instructors along different lines and according to the new standards will take the place of the old teachers. It has come to be believed that the solution of the rural school problem will be furnished by consolidated schools. Whether the rural schools are consolidated, or whether the townships or communities establish high schools, the same result probably will be accom- plished. The high schools or consolidated schools of the rural districts must adopt entirely different standards of education, because the ends sought are entirely different as the occupations to be followed by children are entirely divergent. Even though the city high schools should adopt courses agreeable to the rural pupils, still the consolidated schools or the rural high schools must be established, because the farmers will not, perhaps cannot, stand the expense of sending their children to the city high schools. As it is all children of the rural schools are bunched together like a bushel of potatoes or onions. It would be unwise to mix together flour, sugar, salt, butter, eggs, baking powder, etc., and expect to produce from such a mixture bread from one bunch, cake from another, pie from another, etc., as it is to lump into the same school courses the studies needed by children aiming for different pursuits. Unless instructive methods have definite objects and are planned for all pursuits, many children. as now, will continue to come from the school ovens half baked. The whole system at present is objectionable from the standpoint of the rural schools. The studies generally are unfitted for rural children. The teachers themselves, having been trained in almost all cases under the old program, have wrong ideas and prac- tices and hence cannot be suitable instructors in the rural schools. Fully half of the rural children's time is wasted on studies they will never need and will soon outgrow or forget from disuse. Either teachers who can teach what rural children want must be graduated from the normal schools as they now exist, or special normal schools adapted for teachers who can instruct rural children must be established.




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