bHof 9^ fa tb A state of nebraska Department of Public Instruction LINCOLN To the County and City Siipermtetidents , High School Principals and Boards of Education: COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT ^ ^, ^. „ Under separate cover we are sending to Oath — Time of • 4^ ^ + ui i * i ^.,. _, ^ „ county superintendents blanks for annual Filing — Report of , , , , x x, . ^ ^ ^ TT.- ^ • X • report to be made under oath to this omce. Each District in /. ^ , ,j ^ _, , This report should be on file, correct, corn- Balance plete, and in all respects ready for compila- tion, on or before August 15. It will be made up almost entirely of copies of the annual reports of the several directors, which are due the county superintendent's office within ten days after the annual meeting. In order to guard against mistakes, omissions, and conse- quent delay, it would be well to inspect and verify each director's report at the time of its delivery. To this end see: (1) That EVERY ITEM IS REPORTED. (2) That TOTAL RECEIPTS bal- ance TOTAL EXPENDITURES. (3) That the several items reported are consistent with each other. l:^ CENSUS Notice that the CENSUS should be reported Padding ^^^^^^j. ^^^^ j^^j^^ "NUMBER OF CHILDREN ^^ IN THE DISTRICT BETWEEN 5 AND 21 Census YEARS OF AGE." The corresponding item in the annual report of the director should be verified by checking .with the director's census report. Do not accept a director's report of census unless the same is made under oath. In spite of the care exercised in past years by county superintendents in protecting the integrity of the school census, some flagrant cases of school census padding have been brought to light. One school district was found to have padded its school census sixty-seven per cent, reporting over 1,700 more pupils of school age than were actually found residing therein, and receiving from the state s-^hool fund in one year over $3,000 to which it was not entitled. The matter was called to the attention of this department through the activities of the Commercial club of a rival city, with the result that the school district in ques- tion enumerated 1,700 fewer persons between the ages of five and twenty-one in 1906 than in 1905. County superintendents are here- by cautioned to accept no SThool census report from direct^^rs or othors authorized to ranke report cf enumeration of pernors of s hool age unless such report is made under oath, as provided by law; and school census enumerators are hereby warned that no cases of school census padding will be tolerated. When it is remembered that ap- proximately $7 00,000 annually are distributed among the 7,000 school districts of the state on the basis of the school population as sworn to by the respective census enumerators of said districts, a^d by the county superintendents of the ninety counties, in accordance with established law, it becomes apparent that this is not a matter to be treated lightly, and this department will leave no stones unturned in its efforts to bring to justice the class of offenders known as "school census padders." It is equally important that no pupils that fhould properly be enumerated be omitted from the school census. The careless omission of names is as grave an offense as is deliber- ate padding. Give to each district that to which it is entitled — no more, no less. It is the ruling of this department that only Non-Residents in ^^^ students of state, private and denomina- C4-n^ A T*i*i vit^p oi* ' _ , tional schools whose parents or legal guard- Denominational j^^^g maintain their legal residence in the Schools Xot school district in which such state, private or Ji,nunieia e denominational school is situated may legally be enumerated in such school district. Stating the proposition in- versely but concretely, all students of the University of Nebraska between the a.ges of five and twenty-one whose parents or legal guardians are legal residents o^ .thfe state of Nebraska and of the city of Lincoln are entitled to be enumerated in the school district of the City of Lincoln. All other students of the University of Ne- braska must be enumerated only in the school district where their parents or legal guardians maintain their legal residence, and not in the school district of the city of Lincoln. The same is true of the students in attendance at the state normal schools at Peru and Kearney, and at the colleges, private normal schools, and business colleges located at Bellevue, Crete, Fremont, Grand Island, Hastings, University Place, Wayne, York, and other places. Notice is hereby given that a strict compliance with the above ruling is demanded of every census enumerator and of every county superintendent in the state. This done, every person between the ages of five and twenty- one who may legally be enumerated in the school census of. the state will be counted once and only once in the distribution of the state's school fund. This is law. It is right, and the law and the right must prevail in so sacred a matter as the distribution of the state's common school fund. No person of school age who is an inmate [imiates ^ of State ^^ ^ ^^^^^ industrial school or of any state Institutions Not institution providing for both the care and education of its inmates may legally be enu- merated in the school census of any school district. Such persons are wards of the state. Their parents or legal guardians having surrendered to the state all legal responsibility for their control, maintenance and education, the school districts where such parents or guardians reside are relieved from the burden of providing school privileges for them and therefore have no legal right to the benefits arising from enumerating them in their school census. County super- intendents will require all census enumerators to eliminate the names of all such persons before accepting school census reports. "Average Daily Attendance" may be taken ^ . from the "Term Summary," as recorded in ^ ' ' the register, or from the duplicate report filed Total ^ ' i J? with the county superintendent. In all cen- sus, enrollment, and attendance statistics, report boys, girls, total. part of the district which lies within your be taken to report the "Census" of only that In the case of a joint district, care should county; and the report for such joint district of finances, indebted- ness, enrollment, etc., in short, all items except the "census" should, to prevent duplication in our tables of statistics, be reported only from the county in which the school house is located, or if there be no school house in the district, from the county in which the director resides. Be careful to designate in what counties each joint district is situated, and by what number it is known in each county. TAX LEVY, APPORTIONMENT, ETC. _, Note that the blank calls for the report of School Tax for the past school year, in both Ijpvy mills and amount of money. This informa- tion may be obtained from the county clerk's records. Should any district in your county fail, for Apportionment ^^^ reason, to hold the minimum amount of school required by section 14, subdivision 2, for that district, be sure to note in a letter to this office the reason for such insufficiency of school, that, if it furnish a valid excuse, such district may be in- cluded in the next apportionment of state school funds to your county. Make report of "GENERAL STATISTICS" ^ in figures, and exact. Do not use "some," "but few," "nearly all," and such indefinite terms. One of the most fruitful sources of error in the annual report of the county superin- tendent is the practice of copying the original report, which has been carefully verified, and forwarding such copy to this office with- out verification. While neatness in these reports is very desirable, accuracy and completeness are the prime requisites. FILL ALL BLANKS, ADD ALL COLUMNS, AND VERIFY ALL RESULTS in the copy sent to this office. Reports not complete or not in balance will be returned. THE FREE HIGH SCHOOL LAW A greater appreciation of the importance Qualifications ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ school law is felt as preparation for meeting its requirements are High School being made by the schools of the state. The primary object of the free high school law was to provide four years of free high school privileges to every youth of the state. Seventy- five cents per week, the amount provided by law to be paid by the district for non-resident high school tuition, is sufficient to pay for good high school instruction. Our legislators wisely provided that no district shall pay free high school tuition to any but a high school of approved standard which can give value received to the district paying non-resident tuition. The effect of the application of this provision will be that many of our smaller high schools which here- tofore have maintained high schools inferior in course of study, equipment and teaching force, will provide better instruction for their own pupils in order to comply with the requirements of the law for admitting non-resident pupils. No high school district will be compelled to * change its course ol study, increase its teach- of JVIcetin*'' * mg force or provide better equipment unless equi 1 n such district desires to receive non-resident pupils under the provisions of the free high school attendance law. But the inducement offered to schools which do comply with the requirements are such that few if any high schools of the state which can do so will fail to meet the requirements. Many high school districts have been charging much less than $3 per month, and some as low as $1.50 and $1.00 per month tuition for non-resident pupils. In addition to the increased financial support coming from the high school which meets the requirements of the law, the advantages are felt in the attendance of these non-resident pupils acknowledged to be a stronger body of pupils, as a class, than the average high school student. With proper appreciation of the value of a well arranged course of study, of a strong teaching force and of proper equipment for the benefit of the pupils of its own district as well as for meeting the requirements for admission of non-resident pupils, every high school district in the state will meet this requirement if possible. ence will be strongest in assisting the high "^ pose, is the person in authority whose influ- ^ local inspector of high schools for this pur- Supermteiident ^j^^ county suprintendent, who becomes the school districts of the county to a proper understanding of the bene- fits and regulations of the law and to the means for meeting its requirements. A number of county superintendents have already visited the high schools of the county, explained the law and have induced the school boards to make provision for meeting the requirements. We quote here one example as taken from a clip- ping of a state paper of May 26. The clipping in part reads as fol- lows: "No high school can receive non-resident pupils under the new law unless its course of study conforms to the work as outlined in the High School Manual. A school carrying nine grades must have at least three teachers, one of ten grades at least four teachers and one of eleven grades at least two teachers in the high school. Greenwood, Eagle, Alvo, Avoca, Nehawka and Union are affected. Superintendent Gamble has conferred with the boards at all these places with the exception of Nehawka and all of these have arranged to meet the requirements, some by employing another teacher and others but cutting down one grade from the course of study." The school boards of some high school districts are waiting until the annual school district meeting when the matter will be presented to the voters of the district. Every county superintendent should see that the matter is properly understood by such school boards so that it may be properly presented at the school district meeting. While it will be to the advantage of a Hasty Action school district to decide as early as possible Unnecessary ^^ order that a sufficient teaching force may be engaged, the school district will have until the opening of school next fall to make a showing for meeting the requirements of the law. Hasty action is not necessary but an acquaintance with the requirements and benefits of the law and a knowledge of the needs of the district will enable the people of the district to be carefully considering the matter and in due time take such action as they may choose. Let us each do our part that every qualified student may receive the anticipated benefits of the free high school law and that every high school district which maintains a course of study, a teaching force or equipment which does not conform to the recog- nized standard for Nebraska may be stimulated to raise the standard of its own school, thereby providing better education for its own pupils and a means of higher education for non-resident pupils. Eleven and twelve grade schools accredited Accredited ^^ ^.j^^ University of Nebraska and nine and ^"" ten grades approved by the University of Ne- Approved Schools braska will be considered as qualified to meet the requirements of the free high school attendance law. Since entrance credit will be given at the state normal schools and at the Nebraska School of Agriculture to graduate of ninth and tenth grade schools which are approved by the University of Nebraska and since such approval is accepted also as evidence of qualification for meeting the requirements of the free high school attendance law, it will be to the advantage of all ninth and tenth grade high schools to maintain courses of study that will entitle them to ap- proval by the University. • The county superintendent is the sole au- Qualiflcations thority for granting certificates admitting a *** _ non-resident pupil to the high school under the Pupil ^j^g jj.gg j^jgj^ school law. The county super- intendent will employ such means as he deems expedient and neces- sary for deciding upon the qualifications of pupils who graduate from ninth, tenth and eleventh grade schools and desire to continue high school work in other districts. He may accept the diploma of gradu- ation from the home high school as evidence of qualification or he may require pupils to pass examination before receiving the desired county certificate for free high school attendance. Every reason- able opportunity should be given the pupil to exhibit his qualifica- tions for receiving the county certificate for free high school at- tendance before the final date of making application by the parent or guardian for free high school privileges. In our examination for teachers we allow teachers retrials in subjects in which they have failed and we appoint special examination dates and places for their convenience. We should extend the same privileges to pupils. While exercising due care that no pupil unprepared to do high school work shall receive a certificate for that purpose, we should exercise equal care that no worthy pupil be deprived of the privileges of the free high school attendance law. A failure to receive his certifi- cate in time for his parent to make application to the county super- intendent for free high school privileges debars the pupil from free high school attendance next year. This makes the matter of oppor- tunity to show his qualifications until the last possible date of much more importance to the pupil than it has been heretofore. The county superintndent who feels the responsibility of holding in his hands the future of these young people will modify any arbitrary rulings he may have made under other conditions in order that justice may be meted out to all. For the purposes of the free high school Course of Study j^^ ^^^ Illinois Course of Study for Common and Required Schools has been officially adopted for the first Branches^ for ^j^j^^ grades of work in the public schools of County Eighth Nebraska. The minimum requirement for Grade High School graduation from the eighth grade course of Certificates study and for receiving county certificates for free high school tuition is evidence of completion of the work in the following named subjects: Reading, grammar and English composi- tion, arithmetic, mental arithmetic, geography, history, physiology, writing and spelling. Agriculture, civics, bookkeeping and drawing are not required for county certificates granting free high school privileges. When transfer for school privileges is in Where Transfer ^^^^^ under Section 4a, Subdivision 5, School for School Laws of Nebraska for 1907, the legal resi- Frivileges dence of the parent or guardian for school is in Force privileges is the school district to which transfer has been made. Where transfer for school privileges is in force, high school tuition under the free high school law shall be paid by the district to which the transfer has been made. The parent or guardian of the pupil desiring free high school attendance should make application in writing to the county superintendent of the county embracing the school district in which said parent or guardian maintains his legal residence for school privileges. The transfer law as amended by the legislature of 1907 makes the parent or guardian who is transferred for school privileges a legal voter in the district to which he is transferred. This amendment actually makes the parent or guardian a legal resident of the district to which he is transferred. Where transfer for school privileges is made across the county line. the application for free high school privileges should be made to the county superintendent of the county to which the transfer has been made. SPECIAL EXAMINATIONS Special examination for teachers' certifi- Program cates may be given at the close of the County May Be Institute. The county superintendent may Changed vary the regular program of examination to suit his needs, but should allow examination in a given subject for but one half day. All who want to take a particular subject must be required to do so at the same half day's session, or they must be required to take the oath provided in Rule 8. The county superin- tendent may offer all of the examination on one day, or he may give it on two Saturdays in counties where the institute lasts two weeks. County superintendents and institute in- Must Not structors are urged, as heretofore, to make Interfere With ^^^ institute a professional rally and not a institute place for cramming for the examination. The examinations should not be considered in planning work for the in- stitute. They are offered for the convenience of teachers, and will save the expense of an extra journey to the county seat. These extra examinations are a source of expense to this office, and are possibly an annoyance to county superintendents, but the conven- ience of the teacher should be decisive. Hence county superintend- ents need not give the examination when in their judgment the teachers will not be commensurately benefitted. Last summer the extra examinations ^ offered at normal schools cost the state nearly a thousand dollars extra, but the saving to the teachers who took these examinations, in railroad fare alone was nearly fifty times the expense to the state. Hence, we shall offer these examinations again, subject to such re- strictions as will fully protect the interests of both the teacher and the county superintendent. SUMMER SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. It is recommended that county superintend- ents excuse from institute every teacher who attends a good summer school for at least six weeks. It requires no logic to prove that the teacher who does six weeks' work in a good summer school will Teachers Excused From Institute gain more strength and teaching power therefrom than the one who attends a one or two weelcs' county institute, and that such a teacher is entitled to recognition for such attendance by being ex- cused from the additional requirement of attending the county in- stitute. This department will not sanction any revocation of certifi- cates for non-attendance at institute by teachers who attend summer school at least six weeks. This ruling would without doubt be up- held by the courts. County superintendents as a rule are reasonable in such matters, and no refusal to recognize summer school attend- ance is anticipated. STATE AID FOR WEAK DISTRICTS House Roll 356 (sections 14a, 14b, and 14c, subdivision 2), providing for at least seven months of school in all districts, and ForcG appropriating $50,000 therefor, does not go into effect until July 1, and no legal action can be taken in the mat- ter before that time. All that is required of weak districts that expect to come under the provisions of this law is that they vote, at the annual meeting the last Monday in June, to hold at least seven months of school the ensuing year and also vote school taxes in an amount equal to 25 miles on the dollar of assessed valuation. All districts doing this and conducting their affairs in the proper man- ner as provided by law, will, upon proper evidence of the same, and upon proof of their right to state aid under this act, be permitted to receive such aid. Permit me to announce that H. R. 3 56 was ivision ^^^ enacted for the purpose of encouraging .** . the formation of new districts, and this de- Districts partment will hold that any attempt to form new districts for the purpose of securing state aid under this act would be an illegal procedure, fraudulent on its face. (In due time a bulletin will be issued giving the law, and rules and regulations relative thereto.) SCHOOL LAWS FOR 1907 By express prepaid there will be shipped ipmen ^j^^^ week to every county superintendent in the state a sufficient number of copies of the new School Laws to supply one to each school district. These should be promptly mailed out so they may be in the hands of the directors a suflicient length of time before the annual meeting. We liave already mailed to each county superintendent and to each town and city superintendent or principal and secretary of board of education in the state a copy of said laws. The following shows subdivisions and sec- New Laws tions where each of the new laws passed by How Found ^^^ ^^^^ legislature may be found: S. F. 217, Free High School Law — Sections 5-8c, Subdivision VI. H. R. 2 47, Normal Training in High Schools — Sections 24-31, Sub- division XIII. H. R. 356, State Aid to Enable Weak Districts to Have at Least Seven Months of School — Sections 14a-14c, Subdivision II. S. F. 22 6, Repeal of the State School Tax — Eliminated Section 1, Subdivision XI, S. L. 1905. Does not appear in S. L. 1907. S. F. 232, Junior Normal Schools — Sections 20-23, Subdivision XIII. H. R. 72, School Libraries — Sections 11-13, Subdivision XVIIl. S. F. 2 67, Institutions Authoi'ized to Grant Teachers' Certificates — Sections la, lb, 6, 7, 8, and 9, Subdivision IX. S. F. 259, State Normal Entrance Requirements — Section 16, Sub- division XIII. S. F, 270, School Tax Levy in Joint Districts — Sections lib and lie. Subdivision II. S. F. 309, Vote in District to Which Transferred — Last paragraph section 4a, Subdivision V. S. F. 50, Compulsory Education Law Amended for City and Met- ropolitan City School Districts — Section 1, Subdivision VXI. H. R. 429, School District Boundaries in Districts Having Three Sections or Less — Section 4a, Subdivision I. S. F. 178, School District Bonds in Districts Having 150 or More Children of School Age — Section 5, Subdivision XV. H. R. 221, Condemnation of Ground for Schoolhouse Site, and Right of Eminent Domain for City Districts — Sections 1-4, Subdivi- sion XII. S. F. 151, Time for Holding County Institute — Section 1, Subdi- vision X. S. F. 376, County High School — Sections 20-35, Subdivision VI. H. R. 115, Dissolution of School District — Section 2 5, Subdivi- sion I. June 6, 1907. J. L. McBRIEN, State Superintendent. 9r~- LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 021 289 198 8 \