The five-or-less pupil school in six counties of Montana
by Agnes B Wiggenhorn
A THESIS Submitted to the Graduate Committee in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Master of Science in Agricultural Economics
Montana State University
© Copyright by Agnes B Wiggenhorn (1939)
Abstract:
This study presents the problem of the five-or-less-pupil school, where it is the only educational unit
located within and supported by an independent school district in Montana.
The discussion is carried forward under three divisions; first, the theory of elementary education in
urban and rural Ameriea; second,' the financing of the five-or-less-pupil school, third, the social value
of the small isolated schools The underlying theory of our present educational system in urban and
rural areas is discussed. Also some curriculum revisions which are designed to meet the needs of our
changing social order are presented.
The financial discussion is limited to the income and operating cost of the selected schools. She income
for the district is analyzed to establish the sources of revenue, to determine the proportion of the total
revenue derived from each source and to consider the method of distribution. The operating cost is
analyzed with reference to pupil attendance, teacher activity and curriculum offered.
The social value of the small school in an, isolated area is evaluated in terms of population mobility,
land settlement patterns, and curriculum extension for rural living. THE PHE-OR^ESS-PHPIL ,SOHOOL IH 81%
C.OMTIES SE MOHTMA
Agaes. B, WIggenliorn,
A THESIS
StibmaSted iso the SraduaSe Goimnittee
in p a rtia l fu lfillm en t o f the requirements
fo r th e BOgree o f Master o f Science''
in Agricultural Economics ;at
Montana State College
Bozeman^ Montana.
Junes 19S91
[ /s y z
W
sL
y
RUuiumM. tf>i iii
• c •
TABLE OF CONTESTS
Page
L is t o f T a b le s ............................... ......................................................................
4
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.......................................................................................................
6
ABSTRACT......................................................................................................................
7
INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................
8
Purpose o f th e S tu d y ............................................................................
10
Background fo r E ducational P o lic y . ..............................................
11
Rural Education in European C oun tries..................................
13
" Rural Education in America..............................................................
15
^ Two Methods o f C o n so lid a tio n ........................
16
F iv e-o r -1 e ss -p u p il
School as a Problem ... ...............................
18
THE SAMPLE COUNTIES..............................................................................................
20
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FIVE-OR-LESS-PUPILSCHOOL.................................
33
A ssessed V a lu a tio n s, L ev ies, and C o s t s ....................................
34
P ersonal Property and Real E sta te , and P u b lic
U t i l i t i e s ............................................................................
M illa g e ............................................................................
Enrollment and Revenues......................................................
56
38
40
SCHOOL INCOME...........................................................................................................
41
P u b lic School General Fund................................................................
42
Common Sohool I n te r e s t and Income Fund......................
43
S p ec ia l D is t r ic t Fund. ............................
46
County Fund...............................................................................................
47
A ll Other Income Sou rces................................
50
62363
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L i s t o f T ab les
Page
T ab le ! . - - T o t a l ta x a b le v a lu a tio n d i s t r i b u t e d a c c o rd in g t o
so u rc e f o r th e S t a t e 5 s i x sam ple c o u n tie s^ and a l l
s e le c te d fiv e -o r -le s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r th e se
c o u n tie s c l a s s i f i e d , by t h e s c h o o l y e a r s 1935-56 and
1957-38
T ab le I I . —P e r c e n t o f in c r e a s e o r d e c re a s e i n t h e ta x a b l e
v a lu a t io n o f p e rs o n a l p r o p e r ty a n d r e a l "estate* and
p u b lic u t i l i t i e s f o r a l l s e l e c t e d f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l
d i s t r i c t s o f t h e s i x sam ple c o u n tie s c l a s s i f i e d f o r
th e S chool y e a r s 1935—36 and 1937—3
8
*
3?
. a. -.
39
T able III™ —T o ta l s t a t e i n t e r e s t and income fu n d d i s t r i b u t e d
a c c o rd in g t o o r i g i n a l e n ro llm e n t f o r -state* s i x sample
c o u n tie s* and. a l l s e l e c t e d f i v e - o r - l e s s r p u p i l d i s t r i c t s
o f th o s e C C untlesa c l a s s i f i e d f o r t h e sc h o o l y e ars*
1935—3b and 1 937—3 8 .
T a b le IV . —T o ta l r e c e i p t s d i s t r i b u t e d a c c o rd in g t o so u rc e o f
income f o r s ta te * s i x sam ple c o u n tie s * and a l l s e l e c t e d
f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l d i s t r i c t s f o r t h e s e c o u n tie s* 1935. .. .. ... .
™» e - o . . . . . . . e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *. e
49
T a b le V .—T o ta l r e c e i p t s d i s t r i b u t e d a c c o rd in g t o so u rc e o f
income f o r s ta t e * s i x sam ple c o u n tie s* and a l l s e l e c t e d
f i v e - o r - l a s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r th e s e c o u n tie s a 195749
T able V I*—T o ta l amount s p e n t d i s t r i b u t e d a c c o rd in g t o Item
o f expense f o r s ta t e * s i x sam ple c o u n tie s* a n d a l l
s e l e c t e d f i w - o r - 1 e s s - p u p iI d i s t r i c t s f o r th e s e
c o u n tie s * 1938—30.
%
Table- V I I .—T o ta l am ount s p e n t d i s t r i b u t e d a c c o rd in g t o ite m
o f expense f o r s t a t e * s i x sam ple c o u n tie s* and a l l
s e l e c t e d f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l d i s t r i c t s f o r th e s e
c o u n ta e s* 1 937—3 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54
T able V I I l . - T r a n s p o r ta tio n c o s ts f o r e le m e n ta ry s c h o o ls m t M n
t h e s t a t e * s i x sam ple c o u n tie s* and w ith in a l l s e le c te d
f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l d i s t r i c t s o f t h e s e c o u n tie s* 1935-5S
und 1937-38
%
e* '5 k»
Page
T able IS o -^ Ib b a l a l l o th e r exp m s e d i s t r i b u t e d a c c o rd in g t o
ite m o f expense f o r s t a t e s s i x sample c o u n tie s ^ and
a l l s e l e c t e d f i r e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l d i s t r i c t s w ith in ;
th e s e c o u n tie s ^ I^ o S caSS ua^nop:. ooyna»oi)f»coyti
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T able X. —T otal a l l o th e r expense d i s t r i b u t e d a c c o rd in g t o
ite m o f expense f o r S ta te 3 s i x sam ple c o u n tie s* and
a l l s e le c te d £ Ive=-Or^less-=Pu p iI d i s t r i c t s w ith in
t h e s e OOUnfelLes9 IPSI-^-SS-a Al*--*
0^-
T ab le X Iy--T o ta l. a c r e s o f t a x a b l e and n o n -ta x a b le la n d
w ith in s t a t e 3, f o u r sam ple c o u n tie s * and w ith in a l l
s e l e c t e d d i s t r i c t s b y th e s e c o u n tie s* d i s t r i b u t e d
a c c o rd in g t o M n d o f p ro p e rty * 1 9 3 7 » * a ,a ,
70
».0
&0MOM,BD&MEa£S
Jtoe a u th o r i s in d e b te d t o D r, C arl F* E ra e a a e l f o r M s h e lp f u l
s u g g e s tio n s f o r p ro c e d u re and i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f th e d a ta o f t h i s s tu d y
and f o r t h e c o n s tr u c tiv e c r i t Ic is m » F u r th e r aoknowl edgmont i s made t o
*;
t h e S ta te D epartm ent o f P u b lic I n s t r u c t i o n , t h e County S u p e rin te n d e n ts
o f S chools o f th e s i x sam ple c o u n tie s* and th e % P v£ a f o r a s s is ta n c e i n
g a th e r in g and co m p ilin g d a t a , .
.
-
«-1
ISSB
ecmOL 131 3313:
COWTIES .o f m w t m a ■
ja s rm c T
T h is s tu d y p r e s e n ts t h e p ro tle ja o f t h e f i ’v g ^ o r-le s s ^ p u p il school^,
w here i t i s t h e o n ly e d u c a tio n a l m l t I h e a te d 'w ith in , an d s u p p o rte d h y an
in d e p en d e n t sch o o l d i s t r i c t i n Montana.
The d is c u s s io n i s c a r r i e d forw ard u n d e r t h r e e d iv is io n s ? f i r s t ,
t h e th e o ry o f elem entary e d u c a tio n i n urban an d r u r a l America? second,"
t h e f in a n c in g o f th e f i v e ^ o r - l e s S ^ p u p il school^, t h i r d , th e s o c i a l v a lu e
o f t h e s m a ll i s o l a t e d school^
...
The u n d e rly in g th e o r y o f o u r p r e s e n t e d u c a tio n a l system i n u rb a n
and r u r a l a r e a s i s d isc u sse d * A lso some c u rric u lu m r e v is io n s which a r e
d e sig n e d t o m eet th e n e e d s o f o u r changing s o c i a l o rd e r a r e p re se n te d *
The f i n a n c i a l d is c u s s io n i s l i m i t e d t o th e income and o p e ra tin g
c o s t o f t h e s e le c te d sch o o ls* She income, f o r th e d i s t r i c t i s -analyzed
t o e s t a b l i s h th e so u rces' o f revenue^, t o d e te rm in e t h e p r o p o r tio n o f th e
t o t a l revenue d e riv e d from e a c h so u rc e an d t o c o n sid e r th e method o f
d is tr ib u tio n * The o p e ra tin g c o s t is . a n a ly z e d w ith r e f e r e n c e t o p u p il
■ attendance, te a c h e r a c t i v i t y and curriculum o ffe r e d .
The s o c ia l v a lu e o f t h e sm a ll sch o o l i n an, i s o l a t e d a r e a i s
e v a lu a te d i n te rm s o f p o p u la tio n m o b ilit y , la n d s e ttle m e n t, p a t t e r n s ,
and c u rric u lu m e x te n s io n , f o r r u r a l liv in g * .
IE m o m c i io n
She g o al o f A m erican education, i s t h a t a l l c h ild re n , s h a l l have th e
o p p o rtu n ity o f developm ent a c c o rd in g t o t h e i r a b i l i t i e s and t h e i r n e e d s» l /
T h e o r e tic a lly Jh n e i t h e r lo c a t io n n o r economic c o n d itio n o f t h e p a r e n ts o r
t h e c h ild r e n changes th e m ajor o b je c tiv e s ,
A c tu a lly 0 th e fo rm a l and i n ­
fo rm a l e d u c a tio n a l c u r r i c u l a r o f f e r in g s t o u rb an c h ild r e n sh o u ld n o t be
more e x te n s iv e th a n f o r r u r a l c h ild r e n .
I n th e p a st* t h e id e a -was t o
p e rm it v a r i a t i o n s i n t a x a t i o n and t o f o s t e r sm all lo c a l sc h o o l d i s t r i c t s .
I t mas b e lie v e d t h a t a f t e r p r o v is io n was made f o r a minimum program , th e
p e o p le sh o u ld d e c id e f o r th e m selv e s what a d d itio n a l e d u c a tio n t h e y w ished
to o ffe r,
A community w a n tin g t o e x ten d i t s e d u c a tio n a l f a c i l i t i e s would
th e n s u p p o rt an e n la rg e d program f o r e x tr a t a x .
A p p a re n tly t h i s was l o g i c a l i n t h e e a r l y h i s t o r y o f A m erica when
p e o p le seldom moved b u t l i v e d i n one ,community m ost o f t h e i r l i v e s .
Today,
b ecau se o f h ig h e r m o b ility o f p o p u la tio n and changes i n o c c u p a tio n , th e
p r i n c i p l e i s no lo n g e r a p p lic a b le .
I t i s re c o g n iz e d , how ever, t h a t th e
means and m ethods o f p ro v id in g l i k e e d u c a tio n a l f a c i l i t i e s t o r u r a l- u r b a n
y o u th i s more d i f f i c u l t o f accom plishm ent in s p a r s e ly p o p u la te d a re a s th a n
i n th o s e o f g r e a te r p o p u la tio n d e n s it y .
T h is i s e s p e c ia ll y t r u e i f th e
f a c i l i t i e s a r e su p p o rte d by t h e lo c a l revenue and income a lo n e .
I t is
o n ly r e c e n tly t h a t th e id e a o f s t a t e a i d has been e x te n s iv e ly a p p lie d .
By
t h i s method o f ta x in g l a r g e r u n i t s , i t i s p o s s ib le t o make money a v a ila b le
t o poor rev en u e a re a s from w e ll- to - d o a r e a s ,
T / ® S s~ id e in r7 o r" ~ e d u c a H ^ rS s ~ b e e n ~ e 3 $ re ss e d ‘^ r^ i r r - B essw ~ * ^ ~
Goodykoontz3 A s s is ta n t Commissioner o f E d u c a tio n i n HB ie n n ia l Survey o f
E d u c a tio n i n t h e U n ite d S t a t e s , 1934-36” , C h ap ter V, p» I ,
«9 0 »
The id e a o f s t a t e a i d h a s s p re a d r a p id ly ,
'Undoubtedly, i t m i l be
n e c e s s a ry i n th e f u tu r e t o develop l e g i s l a t i o n a lo n g the, l i n e o f w id er
g r a n ts , Z j
Stephen Leacock i n The U nsolved S o c ia l J u s t i c e s a y s , tfThe
c h i e f im m ediate d i r e c t i o n o f s o c i a l e f f o r t should b e to w ard s th e a tte m p t
to g iv e t o e v e ry human b e in g i n ch ild h o o d a d e q u a te food,, c lo th in g , edu«
c a t i o n , an d an o p p o rtu n ity i n l i f e , .
o f many t h i n g s , ”
T h is m i l p ro v e t o b e t h e b e g in n in g
l a o rd e r t o m e et th e s e demands, th e t o t a l revenue o f t h e
n a tio n w i l l need t o be made a v a ila b le t o a l l t h e s c h o o l p o p u la tio n , '
T h is s ta te m e n t i s v e r i f i e d b y E r , G9 M, K ile who w r i t e s , nThe s t a t e s
have n o t y e t r e a l i z e d th e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f th e c i t i e s and t h e . g e n e ra l
p u b lic f o r th e m aintenance o f an a d eq u a te sch o o l system i n th e r u r a l .
s e c tio n s .
Most c i t y r e s i d e n t s s t i l l lo o k upon t h i s a s p u r e ly a lo c a l
problem f o r th e tow nship o r a t m ost th e co u n ty .
They do n o t r e a l i z e t h a t
th e r u r a l sch o o ls have e d u c a te d a goodly s h a re o f th e p o p u la tio n o f th e
c i t i e s a t any given tim e .
C a lc u la tio n s in d ic a te t h a t more th a n 200,000
farm boys and g i r l s , 15 t o 18 y e a rs o f ag e a r e tu rn e d o v er t o th e c i t i e s
each y e a r w ith t h e i r e d u c a tio n t o t h a t p o i n t f u l l y p a id f o r by fa rm e rs .
I f th e v i l l a g e and sm all-tow n m ig ra n ts t o t h e l a r g e r c i t i e s a re in c lu d e d ,
th e d e b t o f th e c i t i e s becomes much g r e a t e r ,
F ig u m n g o n ly the. 200,000
farm boys and g i r l s each y e a r needed t o keep up v i r i l i t y and s iz e o f th e
c i t i e s , and c a l c u l a t i n g t h e average t a x a t i o n c o s t o f e d u c a tin g th e s e young
p e o p le t o th e ag ed in d ic a te d —a p p ro x im a te ly #100 p e r y e a r o r #1,000 th ro u g h
th e second y e a r o f h ig h sc h o o l—we f in d t h a t th e c i t i e s r e a l l y owe th e
z / Cook, K» H ,, kkB le m ia l S urvey o f E d u c a tio n i n t h e T K i t e d S ta te 's ,
1934=36 , U n ite d S ta te s D epartm ent o f E d u c a tio n , W ashington3 D, Ce,
C h ap ter V, p , 1 2 ,
- 10
f a m ta x p a y e rs th e sum,o f §200„000^000 p e r year*
S in ce t h e r e a r e ISOsOOO
one-room sc h o o ls i n th e U n ite d S t a t e s s SO5OOO two-room s c h o o ls a and IS 5QOO
c o n s o lid a te d s Choolss t h i s (JiSOO5OOO5OOO5 i f d i s t r i b u t e d back t o th e p la c e s
w here th e e d u c a tio n a l work i s done- w ould mean about B l5OOO p e r r u r a l
sch o o l p e r year*
I f f ig u r e d on t h e t o t a l number o f sch o o l rooms e d u c a tin g
r u r a l C h ild ro n 5 th e d i s t r i b u t i o n would amount t o a b o u t
700 p e r room
p e r y e a r .” s /
I f t h e r u r a l a r e a s a re t o have com parable e d u c a tio n a l f a c i l i t i e s
w ith th e urban a r e a s 5 th e m ethod f o r e x te n d in g th e o f f e r in g s m ust d i f f e r
from t h a t o f t h e p a s t i n o rd e r to e n ab le e d u c a tio n t o u t i l i s e th e e n v iro n ­
m e n ta l re s o u r c e s and a d j u s t th e program t o th e in d iv id u a l and community
re q u ire m e n ts .
The f in a n c in g o f such d em o cratic e d u c a tio n a l m ethods needs
t o he based* n o t on a b i l i t y t o p a y , b u t on th e la r g e r , p r i n c i p l e s o f p u b lic
w e lf a r e .
Modern tr a n s p o r ta tio n * communication* and p o p u la tio n m o b ility
b r in g th e once i s o l a t e d a re a s c lo s e to g e th e r ,
.Because o f th e s e f a c to rs *
th e in a d e q u a te ly e d u c a te d peo p le o f one a r e a may become th e f i n a n c i a l l y
dependent o f a n o th e r a r e a .
I t m ig h t p a y t h i s l a t t e r a r e a to p ro p e rly
ed u ca te th e former* so a s t o c u t d o m i t s f u tu r e c o s t,
purpose o f t h e Study
Tho e d u c a tio n a l s i t u a t i o n i n s p a r s e ly p o p u la te d s e c tio n s may b e s t
be u n d e rsto o d b y c o n s id e rin g some o f th e o u ts ta n d in g p ro b lem s.
I*
These are?
The f i n a n c i a l c o s t o f th e f iv e -o r- 1 e s s - p u p i l s c h o o ls in
com parison w ith th e c o s t o f s c h o o ls w ith la r g e r e n ro llm e n ts .
37
KiieV 0 . M«0 "The hew A g r i c u l t u r e ^ The Ma^miXTan^^panJy* 195ZL
11
2*
«=
Iho need f o r k e ep in g i s o l a t e d sch o o l c h ild r e n and th e
c h ild r e n o f th e f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l sch o o l n e a r th e home and th e
commmity by b r in g in g th e e d u c a tio n a l p l a n t t o th e c h ild r e n r a ttie r
th a n th e c h ild r e n t o th e e d u c a tio n a l p l a n t ,
3,
Ihe e s s e n t i a l s o f e d u c a tio n i n a fiv 6 -o r= » les3 ~ p u p il
sc h o o l from th e s ta n d p o in t o f c u rric u lu m and f a c i l i t i e s ,
4»
Ih e developm ent o f a p h ilo so p h y o f r u r a l and community
l i f e a s an a d ju n c t to e d u c a tio n i n t h e f i v e - o r = Io ss » p u p il s c h o o l,
I h i s s tu d y i s d e sig n e d t o c a l l a t t e n t i o n t o th e s e problem s i n
o th e r th a n c o n v e n tio n a l f a s h io n and m i l c o n ce rn i t s e l f l a r g e l y m t h I 3 2S
and 5 above.
Some in fe re n c e s c o n ce rn in g 4 w i l l be d ev elo p ed .
Background f o r E d u c a tio n a l P o lic y
In o rd e r t o u n d e rs ta n d th e p r e s e n t e d u c a tio n a l p r a c t i c e s in th e
r u r a l sc h o o l i n A m eriea5 i t i s n e c e s s a ry t o b r i e f l y re v ie w th e h is to r y o f
o ur n a t io n a l economy,
A t th e b e g in n in g o f o ur n a t i o n a l I i f e 5 a g r ic u ltu r e
was th e b a s is o f o u r economy.
A g r ic u ltu r e th e n depended f o r grow th and
p r o s p e r ity upon in d iv id u a l e f f o r t and i n i t i a t i v e .
L a te r w ith th e i n t r o ­
d u c tio n of" m an u factu rin g s many new p h a se s d ev elo p ed i n o u r economic sy stem .
I n o rd e r t o have th e n e c e s s a ry la b o r i n p r e v io u s ly undeveloped a g r i c u l t u r a l
and i n d u s t r i a l a re as,, p u b lic and p r i v a t e a g e n c ie s f o s te r e d p o p u la tio n move=
m e ats3 w h ile th e f e d e r a l government e n a c te d l e g i s l a t i o n f o r th e purpose o f
d is p o s in g o f th e p u b lic domain f o r a g r i c u l t u r a l s e ttle m e n t.
B oth th e
f e d e r a l government and t h e s t a t e s now sh ared th e management o f p u b lic la n d s ,
and th e m u tu al program s f o r la n d s e ttle m e n t and a g r i c u l t u r e were b a se d on
th e assum ption o f a n i n d e f i n i t e a g r i c u l t u r e ex p an sio n m t h u n lim ite d
n a tio n a l and i n t e r n a t i o n a l m a rk e ts,
h a te r w ith a s h i f t from an a g r i ­
c u l t u r a l economy t o an i n d u s t r i a l economy^ e n la rg e d d o m estic m ark ets
opened a s p e o p le engaged i n in d u s tr y p u rc h a se d goods th e y d id n o t p ro ­
duce,
B oth a g r i c u l t u r e and in d u s tr y c o n tin u e d t o expand due l a r g e l y t o
f o r e ig n im m ig ra tio n which in flu e n c e d o u r m ark ets a t home an d ab ro ad ,
European n a tio n s d id buy from us b u t Trea i n tu rn * d id n o t buy from them ,
C onsequentlyj t h e d e b to r n a tio n s wore fo r c e d i n t o a n a t i o n a l i s t i c po­
s i t i o n , t h e r e s u l t o f w hich was t h e l o s s o f o u r fo r e ig n m a rk e ts and a
change i n our la n d p o lic y .
S e v e ra l o th e r m o d ify in g f a c to r s have been p r o je c te d i n t o th e econo­
my,
F or example,, p o p u la tio n o f t h e c o u n try h a s f a i l e d t o in c r e a s e a t i t s
former r a t e , an d th e te n d e n c y i s tow ard a more s ta b le p o p u la tio n , 4 /
F u rth e rm o re , th e t o t a l su p p ly o f w o rld a g r i c u l t u r e produce h a s been i n ­
c r e a s e d by th e developm ent o f new la n d s i n f o r e ig n c o u n tr ie s , 5 /
These
th e n a r e some o f th e f a c t o r s r e s p o n s ib le f o r th e d e p re ss e d a g r i c u l t u r a l
'p r ic e s ,
lik e w is e , th e y a r e some o f t h e f a c t o r s t h a t m ust b e c o n s id e re d
i n p la n n in g th e f u tu r e p o lic y f o r la n d u se and p o p u la tio n s e ttle m e n t,
hence th e y a r e im p o rta n t i n any c o n s id e ra tio n o f o u r r u r a l sch o o l p o l i c i e s .
I t now a p p e a rs n e c e s s a ry t o aim a t a now p u rp o se o r o b je c tiv e i n
r u r a l l i f e , i f a g r ic u ltu r e and o u r e n t i r e economy a r e t o c o n tin u e i t s
c o n tr ib u tio n t o s o c ie ty .
The sc h o o l, t h e r e f o r e ^ becomes o f p rim a ry im­
p o rta n c e s in c e i t r e p r e s e n ts fu n d a m e n ta lly t h e American way o f b u ild in g ,
Thompson, W arren S ,," ^ 'o p u la tT o n ^ Pireblem s'', M e g ra w ^ ill " .
™
Company^* I h c , , 1935, C hapter
£>/ Bowman, I , , ttIh e W orld and I t s P e o p le ”, Ginn and Company, 1933,
** IS
I t i s b ecau se o f th e b e l i e f in th is :d e m o c r a tic p ro c e s s o f b u ild in g t h a t
th e Am ericans c o n c e iv e d 'th e id e a t h a t p u b lic e d u c a tio n i s th e f u n c tio n
o f t h e lo c a l community.
Mr. Edmund deS B runner Saysir wAs e a r l y a s th e
1 6 4 0 tS th e c o lo n y o f M a ssa c h u se tts p a s s e d tiro law s r e q u ir in g t h a t each
town (to w n sh ip ) t a x i t s c i t i z e n s fo r, th e s u p p o rt o f a sch ool" . 6 /
L a te r
w ith t h e developm ent o f m a n u fa c tu rin g began th e developm ent o f t h e u rb a n
c e n te r s .
P eo ple moved t o c i t i e s i n la r g e num bers^ and o u r t o t a l edu­
c a tio n a l p l a n t liras expanded t o p re p a re p e o p le f o r u rb an l i f e and n o t
ru ral lif e . ? /
E d u c a tio n I t s e l f 5 th e c u rric u lu m and i t s O o n ten t5 m s
c r e a te d by u rb a n in d iv id u a ls f o r u rb a n u s e .
I t was n o t th o u g h t n e c e s s a ry
t o 'p re p a re an ad eq u ate program f o r th e r u r a l 5 much l e s s t h e r u r a l i s o l a t e d
a re a s.
A t p r e s e n t, however, we a r e c o n fro n te d w ith th e problem o f c o n tin u ­
in g a s an i n d u s t r i a l n a tio n w ith la r g e c e n te r s o f p o p u la tio n , o r o f d e v o t­
i n g some a t t e n t i o n t o a g r i c u l t u r e a s a way o f l i f e i n more s c a tte r e d a r e a s .
I f o u rs i s to be th e l a t t e r c o u rs e , th e n t h e sch o o l and i t s p r o ­
gram m ust co n cern i t s e l f w i t h v is io n a s w e ll a s f a c t s .
I t m u st adm it th e
im p o rtan ce o f lin k in g up th e c h i l d 's sc h o o l w ith community l i f e .
I t m ust
co n ceiv e o f th e c h i l d 's e d u c a tio n a l c o u rs e i n te rm s o f a c t i v i t y and
e x p e rie n c e r a t h e r th a n th e a c q u is itio n o f knowledge a lo n e .
R u ral E d u c a tio n i n European Countries
Many European c o u n tr ie s in c lu d in g Ebrway5 Denmark-, and F in la n d
have b a se d t h e i r e d u c a tio n a l p la n n in g o n th e assu m p tio n t h a t b o th fo rm al
" ~ ^ ^ ^ ° % r ° ^ o lb T ^ T ^ r r ^ u d ^ ^ im n e r r ° E r ° d e 8 % T ^ R E u ^ r ^ F ^ F a r ^ o c io T o ^ ^ %
Houghton M if f lin Company5 1936, C h ap ter XVI.
7 / C hapin5 F . S. 5 " S o c ia l H e rita g e R o lls up on t h e Back o f
Schools’^*, School and S o c ie ty , Aug= 19, 1933..
»* 14 *»
and in fo rm a l t r a i n i n g i s f o r ev ery d ay I i f e j r u r a l a s w e ll a s u rb a n » s /
I t would a p p ea r t h a t Am erica m ight w e ll c o n s id e r t h i s a s a. d e f i n i t e
g o a l i n c o n s id e rin g i t s e d u c a tio n a l c u rric u lu m and i t s a d a p ta tio n t o th e
C h ild 4S need®
The sch o o l o f Horway does n o t s e p a r a te i t s e l f from t h e workaday
w orld*
The la b o r e r an d th e fa rm e r a r e n o t e d u c a te d away from t h e i r jobs*
b u t a r e ta u g h t t o b rin g t o i t a p e rs o n a l jo y i n w orking and a d eep er
a p p r e c ia tio n o f t h e i r work® 9 /
I n Denmark th e youth* by fo rm al a n d in fo rm a l tr a in in g * a r e imbued
w ith a p h ilo s o p h y t h a t sym bolizes t h e c o n cep t o f h e r n a tio n a l l i f e ,
"L eaders i n hom esteading movements i n Denmark b e lie v e t h a t a r e a l com- .
m u nity l i f e c lo s e t o t h e s o i l can r e s u l t i n a p o p u la r c u ltu r e o f a h ig h
o rd e r, and can produce th e d u ra b le s a t i s f a c t i o n t h a t r e s u l t s when o n e’s
d a i l y work i s made i n t e l l i g e n t and to u c h ed w ith im a g in a tio n .
on s m a ll farm s i s p r o f i t a b l e and e n jo y a b le .
R u ral l i f e
The s u b s is te n c e hom estead
see k s t o p ro v id e a c o m fo rta b le s ta n d a rd o f l i v i n g on r e l a t i v e l y sm all
income"* s t a t e s Dr® R» H, E c k le b e rry . i o /
The F in n is h S ta te assum es th e p r e s e r v a tio n o f i t s n a tio n a l l i f e
t o be dependent upon t h e s o l i d i t y o f th o u g h t and a c tio n among i t s p eo p le*
For t h i s re a so n i t m a in ta in s a d u al sch o o l system s one d iv is io n t r a i n s
f o r u rb a n lif e * a second d i v is io n t r a i n s f o r r u r a l l i f e .
The e n ro llm e n t
' m
"E d u catio n P ro g re ss I n -F o ro ig n C o u n trie s"* ’"
School and Society* December 26* 1956®
9 / W illiam s* T» C«* "The School f o r t h e Hew S o c ia l Order"* .School
L ife * June* 1933»
. I O / E ck leb erry * R» H»* " S u b s is te n c e H om esteading an d P ro g re s s iv e
E ducation"* School and S ociety* F e b ru a ry 24* 1934®
* 15
i n th e r u r a l stihool i s lim ite d i n o rd e r t h a t th e program o f G e lf-h elp *
s e lf - s e e k in g ^ and in d iv id u a l i n i t i a t i v e may more s u c c e s s f u lly c o n d itio n
t h e p u p il t o l i f e i n sm all groups.
The s t a t e , however, d o es n o t contem - '
p l a t e r e a r i n g a c i t i z e n r y d iv id e d i n p u rp o s e .
Hence, th ro u g h o u t th e
e n t i r e system c o o p e ra tio n i n a l l i t s p h a se s i s a s u b je c t o f m ajo r rank.
The s t a t e c o n s id e rs r u r a l l i f e and th e problem s o f r u r a l l i f e , and c i t y
l i f e and th e problem s o f c i t y l i f e a s b e in g o f s o c io l o g ic a l and economic
im portance to th e e x te n t t h a t a l l should be as f a m i l i a r w ith one of them
a s w ith th e o th e r , l l /
Bai'Gl E d u c a tio n i n Am erica
In th e U n ited S ta te s t h e id e a o f e d u c a tio n such a s has been
a tte m p te d b y European n a tio n s i s ta k in g h o ld .
Modern le a d e r s acknowledge
t h a t a c u rric u lu m w hich f i t s i t s e l f t o th e re q u ire m e n ts o f a p e o p le i s
more d e s ir a b le th a n a c u rric u lu m w h ich m eets s ta n d a rd s e t f o r accom plish­
ment w ith o u t re fe re n c e t o a p p lic a tio n .
Tb i s from t h i s l a t t e r v ie w p o in t t h a t th e worth o f t h e sm all sc h o o l
a s a n i n s t i t u t i o n has been d e b a te d by e d u c a to rs and e co n o m ists.
I t is
contended t h a t th e lim ite d , c u rric u lu m o f t r a d i t i o n a l o u t l i n e r e s u l t s in
u nequal o p p o r tu n i tie s .
Small e n ro llm e n ts , e v a lu a te d f o r e f f i c i e n c y on
th e te a c h e r - p u p il r a t i o , th u s r e s u l t i n h ig h c o s ts o f m aintenance'.
In
th e p a s t th e o n ly s o l u tio n pro p o sed f o r t h e problem has b e en c o n s o lid a tio n .
T his i s i n k e ep in g w ith t h e id e a o f em phasis on u rb a n c u rric u lu m e x p an sio n .
Y l / K a rtte n u n , Hanna, "Schools o f1F in la n d 1' , a “'g ra d u ate s tu d e n t
p a p er p re p a re d w h ile a g ra d u a te s tu d e n t i n Home Economics a t Montana S ta te
C o lle g e , 1958-59.
16 «=»
I t I s b e lie v e d t h a t th e c o n s o lid a te d sch o o ls w ith i t s e n la rg e d en ro ll®
m a t and more e x te n s iv e CuiTieuloma te n d s t o e q u a lis e o p p o rtu n ity .
The
fiv e ® o r- I e s s - p u p il s Chool3 as a stu d y group and equipped w ith th e p ro p e r
t o o l s f o r a program a d ju s te d t o i t s G o n d itio n 5 h a s re c e iv e d sm all a t t e n t i o n .
The ns 3d f o r su ch a t t e n t i o n can n o t he q u e s tio n e d .
A f te r a n a ly s t s in g d a ta
com piled i n a su rv ey o f r u r a l sc h o o ls o f I o m a Mr. 0 . H. Benson concluded
t h a t th e hoys and g i r l s who fa v o re d c o u n try l i f e were th o s e who had been
g iv e n o p p o rtu n ity a t bornea a t sc h o o la and d u rin g l e i s u r e tim e to s tu d y
and to f o llo w program s o f a d v e n tu re w ith e d u c a tio n a l and r e c r e a tio n a l
v a lu e and in to which elem ents o f l o c a l i n t e r e s t had been interw oven. 1 2 /
Two Methods o f C o n s o lid a tio n
There a re s e v e r a l ways by w hich th e ad v an tag es o f modern e d u c a tio n
can be ex ten d ed t o a l a r g e r p r o p o r tio n o f th e r u r a l p o p u la tio n .
One
method i s th e c o n s o lid a tio n o f sm all d i s t r i c t s i n t o a w hole f o r a common
e d u c a tio n a l p l a n t and ta x in g u n it so t h a t t h e rev en u e i s s u f f i c i e n t t o
c a r r y on th e f u n c tio n s o f modern e d u c a tio n .
Under t h i s sytem th e c h ild r e n
o f o u tly in g a re a s a r e tr a n s p o r te d as a r u l e t o a common s c h o o l.
The
second method by w hich modem e d u c a tio n can be made a v a il a b le r e q u ir e s th e
c o n s o lid a tio n o f sm all sc h o o l d i s t r i c t s in to a common ta x in g base, b u t en­
co u rag es th e m aintenance o f t h e sm all s c h o o l.
Such a t a x b ase i s la r g e
enough i n a r e a and w e a lth t o c r e a te a common fu n d w hich can b e re a p p o rtio n ­
ed to th e in d iv id u a l u n i t s accordin g t o n eed s and re q u ire m e n ts i r r e s p e c t i v e
o f ta x a b le p r o p e r ty ,
"
1 2 / Ben'son5 O. H
^C ountry Boys and G ir ls Speaking”.;, R u ral Scout-*
in g Survey5 Emmet County5 Iowa5 O ctober O5 1931»
0 3
w 3.7
I n A m erica we have f o i l w e d th e f i r s t o f th e s e p r in c ip le s *
Thus
a fa v o ra b ly lo c a te d a r e a and u rb an c e n te r h a s found i t p o s s ib le t o ta k e
ad vantage o f modern ed u catio n *
But by t h i s v e ry p r a c tic e those sc h o o ls
which* boeauso o f is o la tio n * lo c a tio n * c o n d itio n o f roads* low ta x a b le
value* and o th e r re so u rc e s* have b e e n ex clu d ed from c o n so lid a tio n * hav e
b een d e p riv e d o f th e s e modern e d u c a tio n a l f a c i l i t i e s .
The d i s t r i c t s s u p p o rtin g c o n s o lid a te d sc h o o ls em brace la r g e geo­
g ra p h ic a r e a s .
In t h i s manner t h e t a x b a se i s s u f f i c i e n t l y b ro a d t o p ro ­
duce an income adequate t o m eet th e sch o o l n e e d s .
On t h e 1o th e r hand* th e
sc h o o ls w ith a sm all t a x b a s e a r e d e p riv e d o f s u f f i c i e n t re s o u rc e s t o
su p p o rt, a s im ila r program .
I f th e id e a o f c o n s o lid a tio n o f t a x b a s e w ere
ex ten d ed t o a l l a re a s in c lu d in g sm all d i s t r i c t s * a t a x b a se would be
e s ta b lis h e d w ide enough t o p ro d u ce ample rev en u e f o r th e su p p o rt o f
c o n s o lid a te d sc h o o ls w here p r a c tic a l* and o f i s o l a t e d sc h o o ls where
n e c e s s a ry .
Ih e common rev en u e -would be d i s t r i b u t e d a c c o rd in g t o n e c e s s ity *
and th e sm a ll d i s t r i c t would c o n tin u e o n ly from th e s ta n d p o in t o f o p e ra t­
in g and e d u c a tio n a l p l a n t .
I n sh o rt* modern e d u c a to rs would n e ed t o le a r n t o t h i n k i n terms
o f a d i s t i n c t i o n betw een c o n s o lid a tio n f o r revenue p u rp o ses and co n so li - d a tio n f o r e d u c a tio n a l p u rp o s e s.
In th e p a s t th e o n ly c o n s id e ra tio n has
b e e n c o n s o lid a tio n t o a cco m p lish a l a r g e r t a x b a se and a c e n t r a l school
p la n t.
Iiiherever c o n s o lid a tio n f o r e d u c a tio n a l p u rp o ses was b e in g h in d e re d
by t h e i s o l a t e d a re a s * th e s e i s o l a t e d a r e a s were o m itte d from th e t a x a s
w e ll *a s sc h o o l p l a n t c o n s o lid a tio n .
T h is s ta te m e n t i s v e r i f i e d b y
D r. J u lia n B u tte rw o rth who, when r e p o r tin g on c o n s o lid a tio n * s a id , 1lAs was
< /'
-*=> 28 <=•
t o be ex pected^ th e r e f o r e * th e r e M s b e e n a ten d en cy t o b r in g to g e th e r
a re a s in w hich t h e c o n s o lid a tio n c o u ld b e e f f e c t e d w ith minimum, C ostjl
n e g le c tin g th o s e c h ild r e n who l i v e i n t e r r i t o r y contiguous* b u t o f l i t t l e ,
w ealthy w hore t h e i r in c lu s io n would have pro d u ced l i t t l e a d d itio n a l in *
come m d s e r io u s e d u c a tio n a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s ?,? 1 5 / ■
F iv e * o r * le s s - p u p il School .as
Problem
The problem o f t h e five=-or*»less»pupiI school i s n o t c o n fin e d t o
Montana o r any s p e c ia l s e c tio n o f o u r country®
I t i s a b y -p ro d u c t o f a
s p a r s e p o p u la tio n p a t t e r n i n w hich th e s c h o o ls e n r o l l few pupils.®
Evi«*
donee t o s u b s t a n t i a t e t h i s s ta te m e n t i s fo u n d i n th e 1954 r e p o r t o f th e
F e d e ra l D epartm ent o f E d u c a tio n which l i s t e d f o r t h e U n ite d S ta te s * some
7*500 o r more o n e -te a c h e r schools* n o t a l l o f th e s e sc h o o ls b elo n g ed t o
th e f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l sc h o o l category®
The re p o rt* however* e stim a te d
th a t. 30*000 e le m e n ta ry s c h o o l c h ild r e n w ere e n r o lle d in f iv e - o r - le s s *
p u p il sch o o ls i n 1954, 1 4 / F o r th e same year* Dr® B, R® Renne a cc o u n te d
f o r 315 f i v e - o r - I e s s - p u p il sc h o o ls i n Montana® 1 5 /
F o r th e y e a r 1935-36 t h e r e were* i n 48 Montana c o u n ties* about 329
f i v e - o r - I e s s -pupi l sc h o o ls w ith a t o t a l a tte n d a n c e o f 1*306 p u p i l s ,
In
th e s i x c o u n tie s s tu d ie d i n t h i s survey* t h e r e w ere 72 su ch sc h o o ls w ith
an e n ro llm e n t o f 195 p u p i l s .
On th e o th e r hand* i n 1937-58* 54 MontanaI
I s / Butterwortha J u lia n * b i e n n i a l Survey o f E d u c a tio n i n th e
U n ite d S ta te s * 1932-34"* U n ite d S ta te s D epartm ent o f E ducation* Washington*
D, C0* C h ap ter T7* ■p , 5 4 ,
14/ Cook* K, M»* Op., c i t , * p , 2 0 ,
1 5 / Renne* R , R,* "F in a n c in g Montana S ch o o ls” * M ontana S ta te
C ollege* A g r ic u ltu r a l E xperim ent S ta tio n * B u l l e t i n Roe 307* 1935* p 0 9 ,
W
esr
c o m t i e s h ad 358 five-uoiro-less—p u p il s c h o o lS0
t h i s p e rio d re a c h e d 1 ,5 5 1 ,
The t o t a l e a ro llm e n t Toy
The s i x c o u n tie s s tu d ie d had 74 such sc h o o ls
t a t h a a e n ro llm e n t o f 247 p u p ils ,
T jhile t h e r e was o n ly a n e t a d d itio n o f
tw o f i v e - o r - l e s s ~pupi I s c h o o ls in t h e a r e a s o f s tu d y , com paring 1955-56
w ith 1957-58, th e t o t a l e n ro llm e n t f o r a l l t h e f iv e - o r - le s s - p u p il s c h o o ls
i n th e sample had in c re a s e d 2 6 ,7 p e r c e n t .
T h is in d ic a te s t h a t e n r o l l ­
ment h ad in c r e a s e d i n some h u t n o t a l l s c h o o ls , and t h a t th e in c re a s e
was su c h t h a t t h e a v erag e e n ro llm e n t p e r sch o o l rem ained f i v e - o r l e s s
p u p ils ,
In 1957»58 th e c o u n tie s w hich had opened f o r th e f i r s t tim e o r
reo p en ed f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l s c h o o ls were w itk one e x c e p tio n lo c a te d w e s t
o f t h e Roclty M ountain d iv id e , 1 6 /
The sm a ll sc h o o ls o f Montana a re g a in in g i n number i n s p i t e o f th e
f a c t t h a t c o n s o lid a tio n b o th o f d i s t r i c t s and sc h o o l p l a n t s has been
e f f e c t e d i n some p a r ts o f th e s t a t e .
In s p a r s e ly s e t t l e d com m unities e d u c a tio n i s b y no means w holly a
problem o f s c h o o ls w ith sm all a tte n d a n c e .
.o f eq u al ra n k .
School f in a n c in g i s a problem
T his i s e s p e c ia ll y t h e case where th e expense o f m ain­
t a i n i n g a sm all u n i t i s r e l a t i v e l y g r e a te r th a n th e p e r c a p i t a expense o f
m a in ta in in g a la r g e u n i t .
A gain r e fe re n c e t o th e F e d e ra l Departm ent o f
E d u c a tio n and D r, R ennet S r e p o r ts w i l l v e r i f y t h i s s ta te m e n t.
Comparison
o f d a ta from s e v e r a l s t a t e s le a d t o th e assu m p tio n t h a t when a sch o o l en ­
r o l l e d betw een one and f i v e p u p ils t h e a v erag e p e r p u p il c o s t ra n g e s from
1 6 / Some f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u ^ l " s c h o o ls t h a t had been c lo se d for~ tw o
o r more y e a r s w ere re o p e n ed .
20 <»
§250 t o §300, a s compared, w ith ft §75 p e r p u p il c o s t in e le m e n ta ry
sc h o o ls b a se d on th e n a tio n a l e n ro llm e n ts I ? /
D ata com piled f o r Montana
showed th e a v e ra g e p e r p u p il c o s t was §150 f o r s c h o o ls t h a t e n r o lle d f iv e
o r l e s s p u p ils a lth o u g h t h e a v e ra g e c o s t p e r e le m e n ta ry p u p il b a se d on
s t a t e e n ro llm e n t was a p p ro x im a te ly §87® 1 8 /
She c o n s id e r a tio n o f n e i t h e r e n ro llm e n t n o r c o s t o f th e s m a ll
s c h o o l w i l l s o lv e th e e d u c a tio n a l problem i f t h e p e r s i s t e n t movement o f
p e o p le from u rb a n c e n te r s back t o th e la n d and from one a r e a i n t o a n o th e r
a r e a continues®
I t would seem r a th o r t o in d ic a te th e r e w i l l ' bo added
n e e d f o r a k in d o f s e r v ic e such a s th e f i v e - o r g i e s s -p u p il sc h o o l can
rendor®
TBE SAMPLE GOtETlES .
i n view o f t h e f a c t t h a t a l l c o u n tie s i n Montana w i t h f iv e - o r I e s s - p u p il s c h o o ls could n o t b e s tu d ie d , a sample o f s i x c o u n tie s was
taken®
These sample c o u n tie s a r e lo c a te d i n d i f f e r e n t s e c tio n s o f t h e
s t a t e and g e o g ra p h ic a lly w e ll d i s t r i b u t e d { see map}.®
Although* i n p a r t ,
th e s e c o u n tie s p r e s e n t d if f e r e n c e s betw een th e v a rio u s a r e a s o f th e
s t a t e , th e y n e v e r th e le s s have a number o f common c h a r a cter istic s®
F ir s t,
XTrith one e x c e p tio n , t h e p e r c a p it a w e a lth and d e b t does n o t d i f f e r g re a tly *
Second, th e y a l l a re r u r a l from th e s ta n d p o in t o f p o p u la tio n d e n s ity -and
o ccu p atio n *
Four o f th e c o u n tie s have no c i t y l a r g e r th a n 2*500, w h ile
two c o u n tie s have one c i t y each t h a t exceeds t h i s number®,
Third* i n e a c h
c a se th e la n d s u rfa c e in c lu d e s rough h i l l y c o u n try a s w e ll a s p l a i n s ,
.. 1 7 / Sooka ”‘F-q' Mo/ Op* Clt*"' p® 25~®~'
1 8 / Henne, R® R®, Op® c it® , p,® 10®
..... ...... .. .. *....... .
.........
MONTANA
SIX SAMPLE COUNTIES -
«*>■ 32 'c»
-Kitli b o th ir r ig a te d end n o n - ir r ig a to d fa rm s.
F o u rth fr e v e ry c o u n ty i s
s u p p lie d V dth oae o r more p u b lic u t i l i t y s e r v ic e s .,
o f t h e c o u n tie s c la im a n o u ts ta n d in g industry,,
I n a d d itio n * f i v e
Theee v a r y a s t o S iz e 5
kind* and v a lu e by county*
The sam ple co u n ties a r e Beaverhead* B laine* Cascade* Chouteaus
Dawson* and M u s s e ls h e ll,
S h o rt H is to ry o f Sample C ounties
B eaverhead County»^-Beaverhead County was c re a te d , b y t h e f i r s t
t e r r i t o r i a l l e g i s l a t i v e a ssem b ly o f Idaho i n 1865* and when Montana be­
came a t e r r i t o r y i n 1864* th e co u n ty was In c o rp o ra te d w ith in t h e l a t t e r *s
lim its ,
Montanans f i r s t t e r r i t o r i a l l e g i s l a t i v e assem bly h e ld i t s
s e s s i o n s -at Bannackfr a t h r i v i n g m ining camp i n B eaverhead County,
In
1865 c a t t l e wore b ro u g h t i n t o t h e co u n ty and im m ed iately s to c k r a i s i n g
became a n im p o rta n t i n d u s tr y .
t o b e th e ra n k in g b u s in e s s .
I t has c o n tin u e d up to t h e p r e s e n t tim e
T h is i s due i n p a r t t o th e to p o g rap h y and.
t h e n a t u r a l re s o u rc e s a s w ild hay c o v e rs 182*058 a c r e s o f la n d w hile
821*455 a c r e s a r e c l a s s i f i e d a s good o n ly f o r g ra z in g la n d ,
Qn 144*609
n o n - i r r i g a t e d a c r e s a d d itio n a l hay* th e le a d in g crop* i s raised®
B eaverhead County has 50*568 a c r e s o f i r r i g a t e d la n d u s e d f o r t h e gy.ow®
l a g o f s m a ll g ra in s * a l f a l f a * and g a rd e n p ro d u ce.
M ining* w hich l e d t o
t h e e x p lo r a tio n and s e ttle m e n t o f th e county* s t i l l c la im s a p la c e i n t h e
com m ercial a c t i v i t i e s .
P a te n te d m in in g c la im s a g g re g a te 8*95? a c r e s ,
A
c o n s id e ra b le .p o rtio n o f th e co u n ty i s i n a f e d e r a l f o r e s t r e s e r v o w hich
c o n t r i b u t e s t o th e p u b lic sch o o l money.
I n 1932 t h e p e r c a p i t a w e a lth was
PUBLIC SERVICE MAP
LEGEND
RAILROADS
PRIMARY COUNTY ROADS
SECONDARY COUNTY ROADS
— —
STATE ROADS
“
SCHOOL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
■
SCHOOLS
®
VACANT SCHOOLS
©
LARGER TOWNS
©
POST OFFICES
-« — * POWER UNES
->— t TELEPHONE LINES
H H B
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s - 1957
BEAVERHEAD COUNTY
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s - 1935 I
I IUJ'?ry I
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s - 1SS5 & 1957
i
ro
03
I
- 24 §2>,000 sad th e p e r c a p it a co u n ty an d s c h o o l debt m s ^35»65.0. • $he t o t a l
p o p u la tio n was d s654 p e rs o n Sa making a n a v e ra g e d e n s it y o f '1*2 p e rso n s
p e r sq u a re m ile ,
'
'
I t i s a p p a r e n t from t h i s d e s c r ip ti o n t h a t th e n a tu r e o f &gri«=*
c u l t u r a l and n on -agricu ltural: e n te r p r is e s ,makes f o r a s p a r s e population®
I f t h i s c o n tin u e s t o b e th e b e s t method o f la n d usej, th e s m a ll sc h o o l
problem w i l l b e e v e r p r e s e n t, ■
B la ine C o u n ty .,--B la in e County was c r e a te d in, 1912 b y p e t i t i o n and
■ electio n .
The o r i g i n a l a r e a .. was Bb700 sq u a re m ile s w hich was c u t in. 1915
t o 4 ,2 7 1 ,square m ile s by t h e l e s s o f a r e a s t o t h e new ly c r e a te d P h i l l i p s
C ounty,
I n e a r l y y e a r s t h e e n t i r e la n d o f t h i s s e c tio n o f Montana was
c o n tr o lle d by s t o ekgrow ers,
Hcwewera, i n 1910 t h e hom estead a c t b ro u g h t
v '
.
s e t t l e r s and a p a r t o f t h e 235,086 a c r e s o f t i l l a b l e la n d w h ic h l i e s
w ith in t h e b o u n d a rie s o f th e p r e s e n t B la in e Gountys was c o n v e rte d t o
fa rm in g .
S in c e t h a t p e r io d s m a ll g r a in a g r i c u l t u r e h a s f l o u r i s h e d and b e ­
come the- ra n k in g in d u s tr y .
On th e f l a t d ry p r a i r i e la n d s m a ll g r a in s
such a s Wheata o a t s 8 and f l a x a r e grown, w h ile t h e i r r i g a t e d s e c tio n .of
4 5 ,8 4 0 a c r e s b o r d e r in g t h e M ilk E lv e r i s g iv e n o v er t o t h e p ro d u c tio n -of
s u g a r b e e ts and p o ta to e s l a r g e l y . The s u g a r b e e t in d u s tr y w ith a f a c t o r y
’
;
' '
■‘
'
■ ' ' '•
a t Chinook,,- t h e county s e a t , i s a le a d i n g b u s in e s s a, s e r v in g n o t o n ly
B la in e County b u t a l l o f n o r th e r n M ontana,
H ere a ls o i s lo c a te d an
abundance, o f c o a l , m ined e x te n s iv e ly f o r l o c a l u s e , w h ile n a tu r a l gas,.
com m ercially e x p lo ite d , i s p ip e d t o many o f t h e n e ig h b o rin g com m unities.
S to ck r a is in g ,, w ith a b o u t 1 ,3 4 9 ,2 5 8 a c r e s o f a v a il a b le g r a z in g Ia n d 3
BLAHE COUNTY
T ,..!
!
g ...........
13
I
•
L
T ”
I
M-—
T i ■—
Pd
20
3
I
fort
JLi >
j
BClknap
incman res
/
/
(
i
I
I
i
!
____________________________
—
T-L,'
67
/
\
7 15
VJ
V
\
/
xj
\
PUBLIC SERVICE MAP
LEGEND
RAILROADS
PRIMARY COUNTY ROADS
«— «— SECONDARY COUNTY ROADS
—
STATE ROADS
--------- SCHOOL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
■
SCHOOLS
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s - 1937
S
VACANT SCHOOLS
©
LARGER TOWNS
®
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s - 1955
-a — t
PO ST OFFICES
POWER LINES
- t _ _ t TELEPHONE LINES
I
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s - 1935 & 1937
>
*• BS «
o o n tim e s a s a. p r o f i t a b l e b u s in e s s ,.
The p e r c a p ita w e a lth m s | 2 #00G
w ith a p e r c a p i t a county and ,sch o o l d e b t o f $65*83 i n 1932*
$he popu­
l a t i o n m s SffOOS- p e rso n s,m a k in g an a v e ra g e d e n s it y o f .2 ,1 p e r sq u are m ile .
The above d e s c r ip ti o n o f t h e e x i s t i n g economy a g a in shows t h a t
p o r tio n s o f th e county a re s p a r s e ly p o p u lated ,, c o n fro n te d w ith th e sm all
sch o o l problem .
C ascade County, —Part o f t h e la n d now in c lu d e d i n Cascade County
m s c ro s s e d b y th e le w is sad C la rk S a p e d itio n ff Tshichff i n ISOSff camped
f o r s e v e r a l weeks on th e p r e s e n t s i t e o f g r e a t F a l l s .
A member o f t h e
' party., s c o u tin g f o r M s I e a d e r s d is c o v e re d B lack E ag le and BMnbow F a l l s .
Ills d e s c r ip ti o n o f th e s e F a l l s ff p u b lis h e d l a t e r i n a S i, L o u is p a p er* le d
t o fu rth er e x p lo r a tio n o f t h e f a l l s t o d e te rm in e t h e i r , com m ercial v a lu e .
I n 1 908.a s y n d ic a te s e c u re d a f r a n c h i s e ff whereby i t g a in e d a u t h o r i t y t o
c o n s tr u c t a power s i t e and g e n e r a te e l e c t r i c i t y .
T h is m s fo llo w e d by
t h e e r e c t i o n o f a w ire ' and -cable m i l l ^ a ferfo -m an g an ese p l a n t and a
e l e c t r o l y t i c s in e p l a n t ,
g r e a t F a l l s ff t h e c e n te r o f Cascade Countyff be­
came t h e second ra n k in g i n d u s t r i a l c i t y o f M ontana,
S to ck r a is in g * a n e a r l y occupation* c o n tin u e d t o grow and t h e
791* 624 a c r e s o f g ra sin g , la n d f u r n is h e d f e e d .
On a p o r ti o n o f th e
457*271 a c r e s o f n o n - i r r i gated Ia n d s la r g e q u a n t i t i e s o f g ra in * e s p e c ia lly
wheat* a r e grow n.
The i r r i g a t e d land* some 28,829 a c re s * i s u s e d p r i n c i ­
p a l l y f o r th e p ro d u c tio n o f a l f a l f a .
I t i s e s tim a te d t h a t t h e r e a re
I* SlOff504 a c r e s o f a g r i c u l t u r a l -la n d i n the- county* a g r e a t p a r t o f w hich
h a s n o t a s y e t been d e v elo p e d .
l y a t h r i v i n g b u s in e s s *
Sold* s ilv e r * and q u a r ts m in in g was f orm er­
Boweverff th e p r e s e n t h ig h c o s t o f w o rk in g th e m in es
M
<1
*
• IJ
%
V
PUBLIC SERVICE MAP
LEGEND
RAILROADS
—
—
— ——
SECONDARY COUNTY r o a d s
school
■
i
^
I
p r im a r y c o u n t y r o a d s
------------ s t a t e r o a d s
-
d
♦
d is t r i c t
v
b o u n d a r ie s
SCHOOLS
®
VACANT SCHOOLS
®
LARGER TOWNS
®
PO ST OFFICES
"
POWER UNES
' — 1— 1 TELEPHONE LINES
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s - 1957
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s - 1955
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s - 1955 & 1957
=■ 28 •»’
h a s r e s t r i c t e d t h e p ro d u c tio n *
I n 1882. th e c o a l o u tp u t o f t h e . B e l t and
Send C oulse B in e s am ounted t o $1*000,000«
A t p r e s e n t th e t o t a l o u tp u t
h a s been- d ecrea se d * due t o t h e l o s s o f l o c a l m ark ets b e c a u se o f t h e in tro -"
d u c tio n o f n a t u r a l g a s .
Cascade i n 1957 had t h e l a r g e s t ta x a b le v a lu a tio n
among th e c o u n tie s o f th e s t a t e *
I n '1952 t h e p e r c a p it a w e a lth was #2*872
w ith a p e r c a p it a c o u n ty and s c h o o l d e b t o f #1?»04*
fh e t o t a l p o p u la tio n
was. 41*146, m aking a n a v e ra g e d e n s it y o f 15*2 p e rso n s p e r s q u a re m ile*
Chouteau Conntyo--C h o u te a u j one o f M ontanals n in e o r i g i n a l c o u n tie s ,
was c r e a te d b y t h e f i r s t t e r r i t o r i a l assem b ly i n 1865«
Sfhe a r e a o f t h e
o r i g i n a l c o u n ty was 50 ,8 0 0 sq u a re m ile s w hich h a s s in c e b een re d u c e d t o
S0842 sq u a re m ile s .
S to ck r a i s i n g h a s always, b een t h e le a d i n g in d u s try *
Ih e r o l l i n g p r a i r i e la n d a f f o r d s good p a s tu r a g e , w h ile t h e M iss o u ri B iv e r
and o th e r s m a ll stre a m s p ro v id e water f a c i l i t i e s *
T here -are 644,908
a c r e s o f c l a s s i f i e d grassing la n d and a n o th e r 1 ,2 8 1 ,8 9 6 a c r e s o f d ry la n d ,
m ost o f w h ich i s covered w ith n a tu r a l g ra ss* ■O nly a s m a ll p a r t i s u n d er
c u l t i v a t i o n and t h a t i s u sed f o r w h eat and o a ts *
Chouteau County h as
b u t 8 ,6 5 2 a c r e s o f i r r i g a t e d la n d w h ich l i e s m ain ly i n t h e M isso u ri R iv e r
b o tto m and i s d e v o te d t o th e grow ing o f a l f a l f a , .
I n 1932 t h e p e r c a p it a
w e a lth o f the- co u n ty was # 2 ,0 0 0 and t h e county and sc h o o l d e b t was #67.44.
The t o t a l p o p u la tio n num bered 8,636* making an average d e n s ity - o f 2 .2
p e rs o n s p e r square- m ile ,
Dawson County, ImDawson County,, i n 1882, was bounded on th e n o r th
b y Canada* on t h e e a s t b y D ak o ta.
I t was a b o u t 180 m ile s I m g , e a s t and
w e s t, and 150 m ile s wide* bub ■today i t s t o t a l a r e a i s o n ly ' 2 ,3 0 3 sq u are
m ile s*
A l a r g e p o r tio n o f th e county i s f l a t p r a i r i e o r lo w r o l l i n g h i l l s
'
T
.
M
CD
PUBLIC SERVICE MAP
LEGEND
CHOUTEAU
COUNTY
RAILROADS
—
COrtPt-.* J V
C '.'A N A
-.r
—
rcom es
—
SCHOOL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
■
SCHOOLS
#
VACANT SCHOOLS
@
e
POST OFFICES
tt-a
LARGER TOWNS
n POWER LINES
*— t— t
Selected Districts - 1937
SECONDARY COUNTY ROADS
STATE ROADS
STATE COLLEGE
-& :;< u l ’ u6> l
PRIMARY COUNTY ROADS
Selected Districts - 1935
TELEPHONE LINES
Selected Districts - 1935 & 1937
— 30 —»
DAW SON
COUNTY
COM PILED BY
MONTANA STATE COLLEGE
DEPARTMENT o f
A . CULTURAL
ECONOMICS
PUBLIC SERVICE MAP
LEGEND
RAILROADS
------- - PRIMARY co u n t y ROADS
SECONDARY COUNTY ro »55
• STATE ROAO'
—
1 SCHOOL DIST BOUNDARIES
■
SCHOOL HOUSES
©
LARGER TOWNS
*
POSTOFFICES
I L J J t POWER LINES
I------L
TELEPHONE LINES
V1SvSl
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s - 1957
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s - 1935
S e le c te d D i s t r i c t s
1935 & 1937
- a
-
b e t t e r a d a p te d to . s to c k r a i s i n g th a n a g r i c u l t u r e ?
Stoclc r a i s i n g W s t h e
le a d in g in d u s t r y u n t i l ISOO4c W en sm a ll g r a in a g r ic u ltu r a l ex pansion
gen» A f te r 1900 a c o n sid e ra b le p o r tio n o f t h e 554,999 a c r e s o f d ry la n d .
•was homesteaded*
The p r i n c i p a l c ro p s grown a r e o a t s , corn# f l a x , a n d hay*
In r e c e n t y e a r s much a g r i c u l t u r a l la n d h a s been abandoned w ith th e.
r e s u l t t h a t a second grow th o f s a t i r e g ra s s e s , i s beginn ing t o co v er th e
p r a ir ie * .
I n 195? t h e r e w ere 715,405 a c r e s o f c a s i n g la n d and 840 a c r e s
o f i r r i g a t e d la n d ,
As a r e a o f a b o u t 1,285*841 a c r e s w as c la s s if ie d , a s
a g r i c u l t u r a l la n d w ith li m i t e d im provem ents,
The l o r t h e m p a c i f i c r a i l ­
ro a d s h o p s, l o c a t e d i n S Ie n d iv e , th e co u n ty s e a t , a r e among t h e l a r g e s t
a s s e t s o f t h e county®
I n 1952 t h e t o t a l p e r c a p i t a w e a lth was #2,000 and
th e co u n ty and sc h o o l d e b t was #56»50$
The t o t a l p o p u la tio n was 9,881 s
m aking an a v e ra g e d e n s ity o f 4»2 p e rs o n s p e r sq u are m i l e ,
M u sse lsh e ll Gounty*- - I n 1866 M u s s e ls h e ll Oounty In c lu d e d 8 ,5 0 0
sq u a re m ile s o f la n d w ith in i t s b o u n d a rie s b u t by 1917 i t had -been re d u c e d
t o 1900 sq u are m i l e s , i t s p r e s e n t si%e»
F o r -many y e a rs some o f t h e w o rld 8s
l a r g e s t bands o f cheep •ra n g e d th e t e r r i t o r y and ■sheep growing, w as t h e fo r e ­
most iadus.try»
o f people*
I n 1908, b e c a u se o f t h e hom estead a c t , t h e r e was a n in f l u x
B arbed w ire fe n c e s c u t t h e open range*
Everyw here farm s w ere
d o tte d o v er th e 158,841 a c r e s o f d r y land* w hich was p u t t o t h e production
o f w heat, b a r le y ,' c o r n ,.h a y , and p o ta to e s*
However* r e c e n tly w ide s e c tio n s
h ave b e en d e s e r te d o r w ithdraw n from a g r i c u l t u r e b y th e f e d e r a l le n d p u r­
c h a s in g program *
Some o f t h i s lend*, added t o th e 796,718 a c r e s o f fo rm er
g ra c in g l a n d , i s a g a in s u p p o rtin g a c o n s id e ra b le number o f liv e s to c k s M u s s e ls h e ll C ounty h a s no i r r i g a t e d la n d a t t h e p r e s e n t tim e *
Soal m in in g
2.4/
■ !37
LEGEND
PUBLIC SFRVICE MAP
89
Selected Districts - 1937
M USSELSHELL
COUNTY
COMPILED
BY
M O N TA N A S T A I L
DEPARTMENT
Selected Districts - 1955
ur
COLLE
AtoWLULT URAL ECONOMICS
Selected Districts - 1935 & 1937
**■ 3S 63
i s th e c h i e f in d u s try *
Moro th a n WO sq u a re raiI e s o f c o a l la n d h as been
c h a r te d and from th e s e m ines h a s come a n a n n u al o u tp u t o f a b o u t IgOOOs OOO
te n s a
Iho c o u n ty h a s v a rio u s ty p e s o f la n d su rfa c e ^ rough and h i l l y a r e a s
c o v e re d n it h s c ru b p in e o r f l a t open p r a i r i e b o rd e rin g on b ad land*
She
p e r c a p ita , w e a lth i n IOSS was Dl3,SOO and th e p e r c a p it a co u n ty an d sch o o l
d e b t Tias 9186*46» 1 9 /
$he p o p u la tio n was 7*242, making an a v erag e o f 4*0
p e rs o n s p e r square m ile*
I t i s a p p a re n t from th e above d e s c r ip ti o n o f t h e sam ple c o u n tie s t h a t
a s p a r s e p o p u la tio n i s a common c h a r a c te r I s t i e
4
and t h a t t h e abandoning o f
sm a ll g r a in a g r i c u l t u r e m i l c o n tr ib u te t o f u r t h e r sp a rsity * .
A gain, l a r g e
• farm s and ra n c h e s , p o s s ib ly t h e b e a t u se o f land* m i l b e more r a t h e r th a n
l e s s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f a l l c o u n tie s*
Hences, th e sm all s c h o o l m i l he m ore
t y p i c a l o f Montana th a n i t h a s b e en i n th e p a s t* u n le s s a t o t a l l y d i f f e r e n t
p la n o f la n d u se and s e ttle m e n t th a n p r a c t i c e d a t p r e s e n t i s i n p ro sp e ct*
I t i s b e lie v e d t h a t th e c o u n tie s r e p r e s e n t a f a i r c r o s s - s e c t i o n o f t h e
s t a t e a s a whole from th e s ta n d p o in t, o f t h e sm a ll school- problem i n i t s
r e l a t i o n t o s p a r s i t y o f p o p u la tio n * la n d use* and r u r a l- u r b a n d i s t r i b u t i o n
o f p o p u la tio n *
CHmOIEBISHCS -OF IHE FXiE-OB-IESS-FJPIL SCHOOL
I n t h i s c h a p te r tjq w i l l c o n c e rn o u rs e lv e s w ith t h e f i n a n c i a l
s t a t u s o f th e fiv e = o r« = le ss-p u p il schools*, i n com parison w ith t h e l a r g e r
sc h o o l u n its * e m p h a sisin g t h e fo llo w in g :
I*
A ssessed v a lu a tio n * le v ie s * and c o s ts
i § / '% i T I I ^ n r i ^ r % T r ^ E a E o r i c 5 , H e v ie w s ^ T ^ e i^ a I n d ^ e n d e n tT "
1952»
2»
Iaeome
S
O p e ra tin g expenses
0
% e f iv e » o r = Ie s s ^ p u p il sc h o o ls a r e t o h e compared among th em s e lv e s on t h e b a s i s o f tvio su b d iv isio n s^- Hamelyjf (a ) th o s e £ iVe-Gr==Iessp u p il s c h o o ls TJith a lo w a s s e s s e d V a ln a tio n a and. (b ) th o s e w ith a h ig h
a s s e s s e d valuation®
These two s u b d iv is io n s and a l l f i v e - o r ^ l e s s ^ p u p il .
s c h o o ls a r e t o be compared w ith d a ta f o r t h e county a s a Tdiole and t h e
s ta te in i t s e n tire ty .
A sse sse d T a lu a tio n s 2f L e v ie s j, and C o sts
She ta x a b le v a lu a tio n o f a sch o o l d i s t r i c t i s a c o n t r o l l i n g f a c t o r
i n th e M n d o f sch o o l t h a t can be s u p p o rte d b e ca u se th e d i s t r i c t i s th e
u n i t from w hich th e l a r g e r p a r t o f -a ll re v e n u e i s r a i s e d .
clu d es t h e fo llo w in g p ro v is io n ?
She la w in ­
t h e r e s h a l l b e a le v y o f fro m S t o
m i l l s on a l l p r o p e r ty o f th e county f o r t h e s u p p o rt o f s c h o o ls ,
re v e n u e i s t o b e d i s t r i b u t e d on a c e n su s b a s i s ,
8
8
S h is
F u r th e r jf a le v y o f from
t o 10 m ills on a l l p r o p e r ty o f th e d i s t r i c t s h a l l fee a sse sse d *
If if
i s a n t i c i p a t e d t h a t t h i s d i s t r i c t m ill ag e M i l n o t p ro d u ce enough income
f o r t h e year-, th e la w s a n c tio n s a s p e c ia l d i s t r i c t le v y o v er and above
m i l l s on c o n d itio n t h a t t h e v o te r s o f th e d i s t r i c t ap p ro v e su ch le v y .
1 0
In
c a s e a d i s t r i c t h a s in c u r r e d a defets th e sch o o l s t a t u t e s make i t o b lig a ­
t o r y f o r th e county com m issioners t o s e t a n a d d itio n a l le v y a t a f ig u r e
l a r g e enough t o r a i s e s u f f i c i e n t money f o r th e p u rp o se o f r e t i r i n g t h e
d i s t r i c t s o u ts ta n d in g d e b ts d u rin g a g iv e n p e rio d o f tim e*
6
2 0
/
A ll
—ggp/ f t e s e 're fe re n c e s' ^Fe''mf ^ m d " ^ , t^ ^ o n iin a ^ S c h o o ir ^ W a ^ g ig f * '""
County L e v y -S ec tio n 1202 g D i s t r i c t G eneral Fund L ev y -S ec tio n 1203j- D i s t r i c t
Fbztra L e v y -S e c tio n 1219s D i s t r i c t Debt F m d - S e e tio n 1224*26.
m SS
d i s t r i c t rev en u e i s r a i s e d from d i s t r i c t p r o p e r ty even th o u g h t h e a s s e s s ­
m ents a r e made by th e c o u n ty com m issioners a t la rg e #
d i f f e r i n amounts by d i s t r i c t s #
The l e v i e s may
The im p o rtan c e o f th e d i s t r i c t a s a t a g
b a s e i s sh o rn in a sta te m e n t by D r, E
t h r e e p u p ils o r l e s s se c u re d o v er
6 8
9
E
9
Benned nI n 1951 t h e sc h o o ls w ith
p e r c e n t o f t h e i r t o t a l r e c e ip ts
from t h e i r own l e v i e s ”# Z l /
The ta x a b l e v a lu a tio n v a r i e s by d i s t r i c t s and o f te n i t i s found
t o b e 'l e s s th a n 075,000 p e r d i s t r i c t a lth o u g h t h e s t a t e la w f o r b id s th e
c r e a t i o n o f a d i s t r i c t t h a t has l e s s than 075,000 w o rth o f ta x a b le
p ro p e rty # 2 2 /
A number o f re a so n s may b e a s s ig n e d f o r th e a p p a re n t
v io l a t i o n o f t h i s s ta t u te #
o f t h e fo llo w in g causes#
how ever, i t f r e q u e n tly i s th e r e s u l t o f one
B i r s t s t h e county a s s e s s o r s and th e S ta te Board
o f E q u a liz a tio n may r e a p p r a is e a l l h o ld in g s r a i s i n g o r lo w e rin g th e v a lu e s#
Eonce a d i s t r i c t t h a t o r i g i n a l l y m et th e above l e g a l re q u ire m e n t may f in d
i t s ta x a b le v a lu a t io n lo w ered t o -a f i g u r e l e s s th a n 075,000 i n l a t e r y e a r s .
Second, t h e d i s t r i c t may have been c r e a te d p r i o r t o th e amendment o f th e
law#
T h ird , th e t o t a l v a lu a tio n o f th e d i s t r i c t may have d e c re a se d b ecau se
o f th e . a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e f e d e r a l la n d p u rc h a se program , w hich w ithdrew
la r g e t r a c t s o f la n d from ta x a tio n #
I n a n y e a s e , th e r e s u l t i s th e same# Uemely
p r o p e r ty v a lu e th a n e s ta b lis h e d by law#
3
a lo w er ta x a b le
S in c e e ac h d i s t r i c t c a r r i e s i t s
own b u rd en t o a l a r g e e x t e n t , th e s e v a r i a t i o n s i n co u n ty and d i s t r i c t
w e a lth mean u n e q u al t a x b u rd e n s a n d unequal e d u c a tio n a l o p p o r tu n itie s .
“" 2 3 /
p# 55#
Sg/
Benne
3
R» Ra
8
"O rg an izatlo n ^m id c d s ts ' o f M m itm iarS cE o o ls^T ^^
Montana S shool Law
3
1957, S e c tio n 1024, p„ 39#
Jh is- i § e s p e c i a l l y tru e , o f th o s e d i s t r i c t s -dependent t o t a l l y upon p e rs o n a l
p ro p e r ty and, r e a l e s t a t e f o r ta x e s,, as. in. many eases, th e t o t a l income from
th e p r o p e r ty w i l l n o t j u s t i f y a le v y su c h -as would h e r e q u ir e d t o r a i s e
s u f f i c i e n t revenue f o r an a d eq u a te , sc h o o l program*
P e rs o n a l Property an d R e a l E s ta te * -and P u b lic- U t i l i t i e s , ^ l n 1935*
th e combined ta x a b le v a lu a tio n o f th e s i x c o u n tie s was d is tr ib u te d a b o u t
79,9 p e r c e n t t o p e r s o n a l' p r o p e r ty end r e a l e s t a t e an d 20 p e r c e n t to
p u b lic u t i l i t i e s (s e e t a b l e l ) « -in th e same y e a r t h e p e rs o n a l p ro p e rty
and r e a l e s t a t e ;o f t h e w e a l t h i e s t o f th e s i x c o u n tie s r e p r e s e n te d 85 p e r ­
c e n t o f th e t o t a l ta x a b le , v a lu a tio n an d p u b lic u t i l i t i e s ab o u t 15 p e r c e n t
w h ile i n -th e p o o re s t o f th e s ix v g f^ p le c o u n tie s * 74. p e r c e n t o f t h e t o t a l
ta x a b le v a lu a tio n w ae' b l a a ^ i f i e d a s p e rs o n a l p r o p e r ty m d r e a l e s ta te ^
and 25 p e r c e n t a s p u b l i c - - u t i l i t i e s *
Jhe- w e a lth i e s t county%s t o t a l t a x
v a lu e was a p p ro x im a te ly -e ig h t tim e s g r e a t e r th a n t h a t o f t h e p o o r e s t .
county*
■■ '
■ .
... ' ■
. ,
•
1
,-
,By 1957 a -g e n e ral downward -ad ju stm en t -of --the t a x base., f o r t h e s t a t e
and th e S ix c o u n tie s had b e e n a cc o m p lish e d .-through th e re d u c tio n , o f th e
a p p ra is e d v a lu a tio n , o f p e r s o n a l p r o p e r ty and. r e a l e s t a t e and p u b lic u t i l i ­
tie s »
For t h e s t a t e a s a. Wholoa a , g r e a t e r d e p r e c ia tio n was -assigned t o th e
fo rm e r th a n t o t h e , l a t t e r (s e e ta b le . I )«
I n t h e tq ta l u p p e r and lo w er
h a l f , and th e u p p e r h a l f o f -a ll s e l e c t e d I iv e a o r -I ess - p u p il d i s t r i c t s * t h e
t a x v a lu a t io n -of p e rs o n a l p ro p e rty and T e a l -e s ta te was in c r e a s e d betw een
17 and 18 p e r c e n t ■i n 1937 o v e r 1935* w h ile the- ta x a b le
v a lu a t io n o f ,
p u b lic u t i l i t i e s 'w a s - d e c re a se d betw een 5 an d 4 p e r cent* ' D u rin g t h i s
p e rio d s ■i n t h e low er h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d f i v e «o r - I e s s "pupi l d is t r ic t s *
TABLE !.--TOTAL TAXABLE VALUATIOH DISTRIBUTED AOCORDIHG TO SOURCE FOR TBB STATE,
SIX SAMPLE COtoTIES MD ALL SELECTED FlVB-OR-LESS-PUPIL DISTRICTS FOR
THESE COURTIBS CLASSIFIED BT TEE SCHOOL TEARS 1935-56 MD 1957-38
5
526,886,736
78 .5
2
54,300*295
79 ,9
T o ta l o f a l l s e l e c t e d f i v e - o r l e s s - p u p i l d i s t r i c t s fo r s ix
sample c o u n tie s
2,670*976
Upper h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d f i v e o r ^ le s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i x sample c o u n tie s
Lcmer h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d f l v e o r-le s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s fo r
s i x sample c o u n tie s
S ta te
S ix sample c o m itie s a l l d i s t r i c t s
512,447,175
71.3
2 8 .6
2 0 ,0
61,884*628
79,9
2
7 7 ,4
22^6
5 ,012,428
8 0 ,6
1 9 .5
1 ,8 9 6 ,8 2 6
71*6
28,3
2 ,1 1 6 ,1 7 6
7 6 ,7
2 4 .2
775,650
9 1 ,6
8 ,4
897,262
92.1
7 .8
1
. 6
0
, 0
AS J
1935%5"6
.. ' ''''
.......
1937-58
P e rso n a l
P e rs o n a l
T o ta l t a x a ­ p r o p e r ty
T o ta l ta x a ­ p ro p e rty
b le v a lu ­
b le v a lu ­
and r e a l P u b lic
and r e a l P u b lic
e s ta te U t ility
a tio n
a tio n
e s ta te u t i l i t y
p er cent per cent
d o lla rs
d o lla rs
per cent per cent
38 -
th e t a x v a lu e o f p e rs o n a l p r o p e r ty and r e a l e s t a t e In c re a s e d a b o u t 16 p e r
c e n t and t h e t a x v a lu e o f p u b lic u t i l i t i e s , a b o u t 7 p e r c e n t (s e e t a b l e I l ) »
I t i s se e n fro m th e s e com parisons t h a t a d ju stm e n ts i n th e value, o f ta x a b le
p r o p e r t i e s may have a c o n tr a r y e f f e c t i n one t a x d iv is io n t o t h a t i n an=
o th e r t a x d iv is io n *
M illa g e ==fhe e f f e c t o f t h i s change on county and d i s t r i c t t o t a l
9
ta x a b le v a lu a tio n i s made c l e a r by a com parison o f t h e t o t a l av erag e sch o o l
levy*
I n 1935 th e co u n ty o f th e f i r s t ra n k su p p o rte d a t o t a l a v erag e le v y
o f 27*32 m i l l s and i n 1937 i t m s lo w ered t o 26*58 m ills *
Compared w ith
t h i s a t h e c o u n ty o f t h e lo w e st ra n k s u p p o rte d a t o t a l a v e ra g e sc h o o l le v y
o f 30*81 m i l l s i n 1935 which w as r a i s e d t o 35*00 m i l l s i n 1937* 2 3 /
These county v a r i a t i o n s i n ta x a b le p ro p e rty and changes i n l e v i e s
betw een 1955=36 and 1937-38 w ere a ls o e v id e n t when com paring in d iv id u a l
d i s t r i c t s o f th e same o r d i f f e r e n t co u n tie s*
I t i s s i g n i f i c a n t to o b serv e t h a t i n t h e co u n ty o f t h e f i r s t ran k *
40 p e r c e n t o f th e s e l e c t e d d i s t r i c t s in c lu d e d some -type o f p u b lic u t i l i t y *
w h ile i n t h e c o u n ty o f lo w e s t ra n k o n ly 16 p e r c e n t o f t h e d i s t r i c t s i n ­
c lu d ed l i k e property*.
'When, t h e over c a p i t a l i s e d p r i v a t e p ro p e rty and r e a l
e s t a t e h ad been a d ju s te d t o a lo w e r le v e l* th e p r o p e r t i e s t h a t c o n tin u e d
t o b e ta x e d c a r r i e d a g r e a te r levy*
To m eet th e new ly im posed o b lig a tio n *
t h e c a p a c ity o f t h e la n d i s ta x e d t o th e utm ost*
I t is * th e r e f o r e * con­
d i t i o n s su ch a s th e s e t h a t a r e a s s i s t i n g c a u se s i n th e c o n tin u e d d e p re c i­
a t i o n o f m o n etary and p ro d u c tiv e v a lu e o f lan d *
**"'1""
2 3 /" These 'd a ta a r e ta k e n fro m ' th e s e v e n th and e i ^ ^ T b T e n n i a l
r e p o r t s o f t h e S ta te Board o f E q u a lis a tio n *
TABLE II.— PEP, OBHT OF IH CREASE OR DECREASE IH TBE TAXABLE TALC ATI OH OF PERSONAL PROPERTY
AHD REAL ESTATE^ AHD POBLIC BTILITlES FOR ALL SELECTED FIFE' OR LESS P W I L DISTRICTS
OF THE SIX SAMPLE GOCHTIES CLASSIFIED FOR THE SCHOOL YEARS 1935-56 AHD 1957*38
P e rs o n a l p r o p e r t y '
and r e a l e s t a t e
1935
1937
d o lla rs
d o lla r s
Gain or
lo s s
1937
p e t.
P u h lic U t i l i t i e s
1935
1937
d o lla r s
d o lla r s
Gain o r
lo s s
1937
pet
6
T o ta l o f a l l s e l e c t e d f i v e - o r I e s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r s ix
sample c o u n tie s
2 ,0 6 7 ,8 7 7
2 ,4 2 8 ,9 8 9
1 7 .4
603,598
583,439
<=3,S
Upper h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d f i v e o r-le s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s fo r
s i x sample c o u n tie s
1 ,3 5 7 ,6 7 8
1 ,6 0 2 ,4 8 7
1 8 .0
537,747
512,689
- 4 .6
Lower h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d f i v e o r - e s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r
s ix Sample c o u n tie s
709,799
896,508
65,851
70,750
6 .9
1
C_
16*3 -
99
»-
6
E aro lliB eat a ad B ew aues?
e x p e n d itu re s f o r e d u c at ion. a re
d i r e c t l y in f lu e n c e d b y t h e amount o f revenue a v a ila b le - co u p led m t h t h e
number enrolled®
Between 1955 aad 195? c o n sid e ra b le r e d u c tio n l a t h e
a v a il a b le fu n d s fo llo w e d t h e low ered a s s e s s e d v a lu a t io n s i n t h e s i z
c o u n tie s ,
g reater®
Howevera th e d e c re a s e d e a r o llm e a t m s p r o p o r tio n a t e ly much
Eor t h i s re a so n th e s i x c o u n tie s c o u ld spend #110,28 p e r o r ig i n
a a l e n ro llm e n t i n 1955 aad #151*03 l a $95? w ith o u t c r e a tin g a. d e fic it®
A
t a x r e l i e f program seems n e t t o have Jaaen eonsId e re d a. th o u g h from e v id en c e
p r e s e n te d i t . i s l i k e l y some r e d u c tio n i n th e expense p e r , p u p i l co u ld have
b een made w ith o u t e n d an g erin g t h e program®
I n 1955 th e c o u n ty o f th e h igh=
e s t r a n k s p e n t #116,12 p e r c h ild o r i g i n a l l y e n r o lls d w h ile i n 198? th e c o s t
advanced t o # 1 28,59,
AS Showns i n t h e l a t t e r y e a r t h e le v y h a d ' decreased
s l i g h t l y a lth o u g h t h e t a x b a se was s u b s t a n t i a l l y t h e sam e,
amount a v a ila b le f o r sc h o o l m s I e s s
0
!h e e n tir e
y e t a s i n t h e p re v io u s case m ention=
eda s m a lle r e n ro llm e n t r a i s e d th e p e r c a p i t a sum and a cc o u n te d f o r t h e in =
c re a s e d expenditure®
W ith t h e ' e x c e p tio n o f d e c re a se d e n ro llm e n t a re v e rs e d
s i t u a t i o n a p p e a re d i n t h e co u n ty o f lo w e s t rank*
I n 1955 th e a v e ra g e p u p il
c o s t was #120*42,3. and b y 185? i t h ad b e e n lo w ered t o #109*48*
As p re v io u s=
I y s ta te d * t h e le v y had r i s e n w h ile t h e ta x a b le v a lu a tio n and. e n ro llm e n t
had fa lle n ®
I t As th u s e v id e n t t h a t i n t h e ' county o f lo w e s t r a n k i n s p i t e
o f decreased, e n ro llm e n t and. t h e h ig h e r le v ie s * th e u n i t s w ith lew t a x
v a lu e were u n a b le t o pro d u ce s u f f i c i e n t rev en u e so t h a t th e p e r c a p ita ■
e x p e n d itu re for.' e ac h o r i g i n a l l y e n ro lle d , p u p i l .co u ld e q u a l t h e p e r c a p ita
e x p e n d itu re f o r t h e s i x sam ple c o u n tie s c o lle c tiv e ly *
The e x p e n d itu re p e r o r i g i n a l e n ro llm e n t f o r t h e t o t a l u p p er ■and. lo w er
41
h a l f a th e u p p er h a l f an d t h e I w e r h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d fire = o r« le G s «
p u p il d i s t r i c t s o f th e s i x c o u n tie s w ere more I n 1937 th a n i n 1935»
although t h e o r i g i n a l e n ro llm e n t had in c re a s e d *
But a s p r e v io u s ly p o in te d
o u ts i n e a c h o f t h e t h r e e d iv is io n s o f t h e s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s ^ t h e t o t a l
t a x v a lu e o f a l l p ro p e r ty had been a d ju s te d upward*
C onsequently^ t h e r e
was in c re a s e d rev en u e f o r t h e s c h o o l program (s e e t a b l e s I l and I I I d
ap pendix B)®
A change i n t h e le v y o f t a x b ase i s commonly assumed t o mean one
o f tw o t h i n g s ; ( a ) e i t h e r a l e s s e f f i c i e n t sc h o o l w ith p o o re r in s tr u c tio n ,,
a s h o r t e r term*, in a d e q u a te equipm ent, o r (b ) p e rs o n a l p ro p e rty and r e a l
e s t a t e w i l l su p p o rt- th e f u l l le v y f o r an adequate sc h o o l a t th e s a c r i f i c e
o f t h e p r o p e r ty .
SCHOOL IMCOlB
E a r ly in t h e h i s t o r y o f t h i s country th e f a c t o f p u b lic response®
b i l i t y f o r f in a n c in g ' and c o n t r o l l i n g f r e e e le m e n ta ry e d u c a tio n m s a d o p ted
a s a n a tio n a l p o lic y *
P u b lic la n d s were g ra n te d by t h e f e d e r a l government
t o th e s t a t e s u n d er t h e p r o v is io n t h a t a system o f p u b lic * f r e e common
s c h o o ls sh o u ld be o rg a n iz e d and fin an ced * 8 4 /
T his o b lig a tio n was a c c e p te d
b y th e s t a t e s w hich i n t u r n s h i f t e d t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r f in a n c e and
c o n tr o l t o t h e s m a lle r u n its * (th e d i s t r i c t and th e to w n sh ip ) to. a la r g e
e x te n t .
I n many c a se s t h e burden o f l o c a l l y f in a n c in g education h a s been,
great* p a r t i c u l a r l y i s t h i s t r u e f o r some r u r a l a re a s *
Prom tim e t o tim e
e d u c a to rs an d laymen have e x e r te d c o n s id e ra b le p r e s s u r e i n a n e f f o r t t o
'84/' Montana School Law* 193?*' f a b l i n g A o t / p , 5*
di3
SB
s e c u re l e g i s l a t i m Tiiereby t h e s t a t e and f e d e r a l goxmrnments Tmald eon*
t r i b u t e s u .b s ta a ti a l I y t o th e s u p p o rt o f a l l schools®
C o u certed oppo­
s i t i o n h a s d ev elo p ed i n both u rb an and r u r a l a r e a s t o e v e ry movement o f
t h i s land®
$he o p p o s itio n e n c o u n te re d i n r u r a l a r e a s may b e e x p la in e d by
th e s ta te m e n t o f Dr®
B« B u b te m o rth
9
wShe r u r a l p o p u la tio n i s a r e l a ­
t i v e l y c o n s e rv a tiv e and in d ep en d en t one e.nd ev en in, t h e f a c e o f Omergency9
0
te n d s t o r e l y l a r g e l y upon i t s own r e s o u r c e s ,w SB / i n e x p la n a tio n f o r th e
o p p o s itio n i n u rb a n c e n te r s may b e t r a c e d t o t h e p r e v a i l i n g th o u g h t h e ld
by a la r g e p er c e n t o f c i t y d w e lle r s a namely* t h a t e d u c a tio n i s a p u re ly
l o c a l problem f o r th e tow nship* d i s t r i c t * o r c o u n ty ,
They do n o t r e a l i s e
t h a t r u r a l s c h o o ls have e d u ca te d a g o o d ly s h a r e o f th e p o p u la tio n o f th e.
c i t i e s a t a l l times®
The p r e s e n t economic c o n d itio n w i th in o u r c o u n try h a s been i n s t r u ­
m en tal i n a ro u s in g unusual; i n t e r e s t i n p u b lic a g e n c ie s so t h a t a l l p u b lic
a g e n c ie s a re now b e in g c a r e f u l l y s c r u t i n i s e d t o d e term in e t h e ir v a lu e t o
s o c ie ty .
Throughout th e c o u n try t h e e le m e n ta ry s c h o o l i s p r o f i t i n g b y
t h i s e x p e rie n c e a s t h e in e q u a lit ie s i n b o th program and s u p p o rt a r e b e in g
d is c lo s e d .
Movements tow ard r e o r g a n is a tio n o f th e system o f s t a t e s u p p o rt
a r e -w idespread»
F or th e f i r s t tim e i n many y e a r s th e r e h a s b e e n Sn a
number o f .s ta t e s a fa v o ra b le r e a c t i o n t o t h i s movement,
ptynmnaiwiUTtwiH
u b lic tSchool
G en eral
Fund
i'tiwitw Wiftumftier ^
nrw^.iaiwn' W*,ftft***M*
im uiuichwi
The Montana S ta te , P u b lic S chool G en eral Fund
5
o n ly r e c e n t l y adopted*
i s d e s ig n e d t o e x te n d g r e a t e r - s t a t e a i d t o a l l sc h o o ls and t o provide- f o r
**' 4S •”
a s o m e q u ita b le m th o ti o f d istr ib u tio n , th a n i s p o s s ib le u n d er t h e s ta te
Sbimoa School I n t e r e s t and laeome Fund
0
A t t h e p r e s e n t tim e* a l l moneys
a c c r u in g t o th e F u b lio S chool G eneral Fund a r e a l l o c a t e d t o t r e n s p o r t a t i o n „
H w e v e re when t h e tim e a r r iv e s t h a t t h i s program s h e l l o p e r a te i n a c c o rd #
once v iith e l l o f i t s p r o v is io n s a . th e r e sh o u ld ho a d e c lin e i n th e property
t a x o f t h e d i s t r i c t w h ile more money m i l h e a v a ila b le f o r e d u catio n * 2 d /
Iemmon School I n t e r e s t and Income Fund 2 7 /
■f W f f M w y r t M f e f t W
W iy i—
<« ,' I w i I m i .M W W r H m W M
' t e u O T . fb w i .ii i i,i j . i . i n i »
ii i i ^ in ,,
Iwwf t a t
The c o n s t i t u t i o n o f M ontana p ro v id e d s t a t e a i d f o r e le m e n ta ry edu«*
c a ti o n by e s ta b lis h in g , th e Common S chool I n t e r e s t and Income Fund
0
SB /
The a n n u al a l l o c a t i o n s from t h i s fu n d a r e u n c e r ta in b e ca u se o f th e f lu c t u ­
a tio n s i n t h e incom es from i t s d i f f e r e n t s o u rc e s s su ch a s g ra z in g T eess
la n d r e n t a l S
3
and sales,*
F u rth er,s th e m ethod o f d i s t r i b u t i o n w h ich i s
b ased on the: c en su s co u n t r a t h e r th a n p u p il e n ro llm e n t* c r e a te s added
d i f f i c u l t y * e s p e c i a l l y i n r u r a l a r e a s where p o p u la tio n s h i f t among th e
age group 18 t o S I i s la rg e *
These y o u th s m ig ra te t o th e l a r g e r c e n te r s
w hich i n t u r n p r o f i t by t h e i r re s id e n c e *
• I n 1935 th e p e r c a p it a s t a t e a llo tm e n t f o r e le m e n ta ry e d u c a tio n
from t h e S t a t e Common School I n t e r e s t and Income Fund was §6»16a. In 1937
t h e a llo tm e n t had d e c re a se d t o 05»OS p e r person*
I n 1935 th e cen su s r o l l s
f o r a l l sc h o o l d i s t r i c t s l i s t e d 159*789 c h ild r e n betw een
age*
M 1937 t h i s num ber in c re a s e d t o 163*320 children*.
6
and E l y e a rs o f
The r e s u l t o f th e
Z y / The c o n s t i t u t i o n o f Montana e s t a b l i s h e d t h e Common School
P erm anent Fund* T te e a r n in g s from the. p erm an en t sch o o l fu n d go in to th e
Common S chool I n t e r e s t and Income Fund*
SB / Montana School law* 1937* A r t i c l e XI* S e c tio n 5* p* 7»
in o re a s o i a th e census r a i l m s a d e c re a se i n t h e p e r c a p i t a a llo tm e n t
from t h e S ta te Common Sehool I n t e r e s t and Incom e Fand . Z f th e a llo tm en ts
4
f o r th e s t a t e from t h i s f m d had been d i s t r i b u t e d on th e b a s i s o f o r i g i n a l
e n ro llm e n t in s te a d o f on t h e b a s is o f c e n su s count# t h e a v e ra g e p e r c a p i t a
a llo tm e n t f o r t h e s t a t e w u l d have been tw ic e a s la r g e a s i t a c t u a l l y was
f o r b o th th e y e a r s 1955 an d 1957«
The t h r e e d i v i s i o n s o f th e s e l e c t e d f iv e - o r - le s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s i n
1955 r e c e iv e d th e e q u iv a le n t o f 2*5 t o 5 tim es more a id from t h e S ta te
I n t e r e s t an d I n e m e Ftmd whlbn t h e s t a t e a llo tm e n ts t o t h e s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s w ere f ig u r e d on th e . b a s i s o f o r i g i n a l e n ro llm e n t r a t h e r th a n
census*
A gain i n 198?# when t h e s e fu n d s w ere r e d i s t r i b u t e d w ith in t h e
s e l e c t e d f i v e - o r - l e s s -p u p ll d i s t r i c t s # t h e p e r c a p ita a p p o rtio n m en t f o r
each o r i g i n a l e n ro llm e n t e q u ale d fro m 3 t o
apportionm ent (s e e t a b l e I I I ) ,
8
0
S tim e s t h e p e r c a p it a cen su s
F o r 1935# th e p e r c a p i t a a i d f o r t h e upper
h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d d i s t r i c t s from t h e S t a t e I n t e r e s t and Income Fund was
more th a n f o r t h e lo w e r h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d d i s t r i c t s r e g a r d le s s o f th e
m ethod o f d i s t r i b u t i o n ,
A l a r g e r c en su s c o u n t and e q u al e n ro llm e n t i s th e
e x p la n a tio n f o r th e d iffe re n c e ., . In. 1937 t h e d if f e r e n c e i n t h e o r i g i n a l
e n ro llm e n t a p p o rtio n m e n t was e v e n g r ea ter th a n i n 1985 b e ca u se i n th e lo w er
h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d f i v e - o r - l e s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s th e cen su s c o u n t was
s m a lle r an d th e e n ro llm e n t c o n s id e ra b ly l a r g e r (se e t a b l e I s ap p en d ix B)»
B oth o f th e s e f a c t o r s w i l l d e c re a se t h e p e r c a p ita s u p p o rt. I t may b e
c o n clu d e d t h a t s t a t e a id d i s t r i b u t e d on t h e b a s i s e f c en su s c o u n t does
n o t p ro v id e an e q u a l amount o f su p p o rt fo r a l l c h ild r e n e n r o l l e d i n t h e
p u b lic sch o o ls*
\
- 46
2&3LE IIIrwaOBM. SKBKEE
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EEI^GTBB E im O R '^ ^ SE ^ W IL SQLgKERIXBBf; OP =EBEGKG GO#TIES*
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M B l93?*Se
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18+48.
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less«*p«pil d i s t r i c t s f o r s i x
sample e o taa tie s
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Upper- h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d f iv e =
or«-less*»papil d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i x sam ple o o u a tie s
18*48
lo w e r h a l f o f a H s e le c te d f i v e or-»les s «papi I d i s t r i c t s f o r
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S p e c ia l D i s t r i c t ffiaifl
By f a r t h e l a r g e s t p r o p o r tie a o f t h e t o t a l r e c e i p t s f o r sc h o o l
p u rp o se s comes from t h e S p e c ia l D i s t r i c t Fund i n r u r a l -areas*
One re a so n
f o r t h i s i s t h a t th e le g a l p ro v is io n s f o r ta x in g p r o p e r ty w ith in a d i s t r i c t
a r e u n lik e t h e p ro v is io n s f o r ta x in g p ro p e r ty w ith in t h e s t a t e o r county*
The la w r e s t r i c t s o r l i m i t s t h e number o f m i l l s t h a t may be l e v i e d a g a in s t
p r o p e r ty w ith in t h e s t a t e and t h e county*
On th e o th e r hand* th e r e a r e no
s p e c if ie d l i m i t s t o govern th e amount o f tax: le v y t h a t may b e a s s e s s e d
a g a in s t d i s t r i c t p ro p e rty *
However* t h i s p ro c e d u re i s necessary* b e c a u se
m t k f l u c t u a t i o n s i n v a lu a tio n s * d e lin q u e n t ta x e s * u n c e r ta in s t a t e s u p p o rt
and changing sc h o o l expenses* i t i s im p o s s ib le t o d e term in e t h e s c h o o l
n eed e x c e p t f o r t h e c u r r e n t y ear*
I n 1937 t h e amount c o lle c te d from t h e S p e c ia l D i s t r i c t Fund b y a l l
u p p e r and low er h a l f f i v e ^ o r t l e s s - p u p l l d i s t r i c t s was l e s s th a n i n 1935»
A r ed u c tio n i n p r o p e r ty v a lu a t io n s may hav e acco u n ted f o r a s m a ll p a r t
o f th e d iffe re n c e .
However* t h e change i s m ore d i r e c t l y tr a c e a b le t o t h e
f a c t t h a t o n ly IS o f th e
8
8
d i s t r i c t s had o u ts ta n d in g in d e b te d n e s s f o r
which s in k in g fund and i n t e r e s t l e v i e s w ere -2a i d .
n o l e v i e s f o r t e x t b o o k s.
Moreover* th e r e w ere
S u f f i c i e n t funds re m a in ed o n r e s e r v e t o buy
books* t h e c o s t o f w hich w as ab o u t 1 ,2 5 p e r c e n t o f th e t o t a l sch o o l
e x p en d itu re* 2 9 / An ad d ed reason* a s b e fo re s ta te d * was t h e d i r e c t r e ­
l a t i o n s h i p e x i s t i n g betw een a d e c r e a s in g S p e c ia l D i s t r i c t Fmyl an d a n in-=c r e a s in g A ll O ther S o u rces Fund*
1"""""""~r" 29/ “"Compiled f r o m 'f l i e s " o f th e
I n s tr u c tio n * H elena,
8
t ^ e ^ ^ p r in te n d e n ^ o F ? d T c ^ ™ ^
9
6
3
® 47 «=» '.
County Fund
•wcwaMnheoieS* i'j»n r»nhv n
Ibo com m issioners o f e a c h co unty a r e req u ired , b y lat% t o make a
connty-Tride Ie y y f o r t h e s u p p o rt o f t h e e le m e n ta ry sch o o ls?
The annual
I o t y tf w hich t a r i e s 'because o f sc h o o l o p e ra tin g c o s t, i s n o t l e s s th a n
m i l l s n o r more t h a n
8
5
m i l l s on a l l r e a l and p e rs o n a l p ro p e rty i n t h e
county# SG / The money d e r iv e d from t h i s t a x , Imovrn a s t h e G en ersl School
Fund, i s a p p o rtio n e d by th e county s u p e rin te n d e n t o f s c h o o ls on th e cen su s
b a s is * S i /
I n 1935 th e p e r c e n t o f s u p p o rt •o b ta in e d from th e C ounty G eneral
School Fund exceeded t h a t o f 1957 i n t h e s t a t e , t h e s i x c o u n tie s , a l l
u p p er and low er h a l f o f d i s t r i c t s , an d th e lo w er h a l f o f a l l d i s t r i c t s #
F o r th e u p p er h a l f o f a l l d i s t r i c t s , th e a p p o rtio n m en t m s in c re a s e d b y
a s m a ll m argin i n 1937 o v er t h a t o f 1955 ( s e e t a b l e s ' IF and V ).
S e v e ra l
th in g s may a c c o u n t f o r th e changes * F i r s t * t h e t o t a l ta x a b le v a lu a tio n
f o r th e s t a t e and t h e s i x c o u n tie s m s h ig h e r i n 1955 chan i n 1937»
On
th e o th e r h and, a r e v e r s e c o n d itio n e x is te d i n th e s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s a s
a g ro u p , o r when c o n sid e re d on th e b a s i s o f th o s e d i s t r i c t s f a l l i n g in
t h e upper h a l f and th o s e f a l l i n g i n t h e lo w er h a l f from th e s ta n d p o in t o f
a s s e s s e d v a lu a tio n #
F o r t h e s e s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s th e t a x a b l e v a lu a tio n
was greater i n 1937 th a n l a 1935 (s e e t a b l e I ) ,
a g e n e r a l payment o f d e lin q u e n t ta x es#
Second, i n 1935 th e r e m s
These payments w ere th e r e s u l t o f
f e d e r a l lo a n s s e c u re d on p r o p e r ty and o u t r i g h t p e rs o n a l g ra n tsa
T h ird ,
l^ r r ■' ''S^^M onfe’a na S cho i^T aV ^^ lS S ?, e e t i m " 1 9 0 2 ^ ^ ^ 9 6 7 ^ ^ ^ ^
B i / Funds d i s t r i b u t e d t o d i s t r i c t s a r e b a se d on th e number o f
c h ild re n ~ b etw e e n th e a g es o f
an d SI r e s i d i n g i n t h e d i s t r i c t #
1
8
6
TABLE I?*-.TOTAL B E G E M S DISTRIBUTED AOGGBDSTG TO SOURCE OF M C O I S FOB STATE,
SIX SAHPLE CODHTIES, ABB ALL SELECTED FIiE-OB-LESS^PUFIL DISTRICTS
FOR THESE GOIXTTIESi, 1935=36
A pportion=
m e at. S ta te
In te re s t &
Income Fund
p er cent
Apportion­
ment, Go*
Z Iill
L ew
per cent
S p e c ia l
D is tric ts
LOW
p er cent
A ll O ther
Sources
per cent
9 ,7 2 8 ,8 7 7 .7 0
1 0 ,5
26 ,0
.61,5
1 2 ,9
S ix sam ple c o m itie s a l l d i s t r i c t s I 11ASTaSSTagS
9 .4
2 6 .6
6 4 .2
1
T o ta l o f a l l s e le c te d fiv e -o r =
I e s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r sis:
sample c o u n tie s
4 5 ,7 2 4 .7 1
BA
1 7 ,9
62,0
1 3 .9
U pper h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d fiv e =
o r-le s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s fo r
s i x sample c o u n tie s
SBiaSAS0Gl
6 ,7
18 .2
6 4 ,2
13 ,8
Lower h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d fiv e o r = le s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i x sample c o u n tie s
1 7 ,3 8 1 ,1 0
6
2 0 .7
6 8 .6
1 4 .0
T o ta l r e c e i p t s
d o lla rs
S ta te
, 6
6
- 8
0
, 8
TABLB Vo— TOTAL RECEIPTS DISTRIBUTED ACCORD 3 ! G TO SOURCE OF IUCOJffi FOR STATE,
SIX, SAMPLE GOUBTIES» ASD ALL SELECTED F m - O F ^ L E S S - P U P I L DISTRICTS
FOR THESE COtMTIBSjt 1957-38
nft
ml"
.I T^r.,r,n,.,1
A p p o rtio n # “ A p p o rtio n * '
mentj, s t a t e w ent, Co.
S p e c ia l
In te re s t &
M ill
D is tric ts
LSw
Income Ptmd
L e ty
p e r cent'
per cent
p er cent
6 * 8
I
I
•w.j
T o ta l r e c e i p t s
S ta te
9,276*680,12
A ll O th er
Sources
per cent
8*9
9 1 .8
4 5 .2
25*6
S ix sam ple o o u n tie e a l l d i s t r i c t s I s SdSs SSSeSS
6
21*3
44*5
2 6.2
T o ta l of. a l l s e le c te d f i v e - o r le s s ^ p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r s i x
sample c o u n tie s
48*191.28
6 .2
16*2
4 5 ,5
3 2 .0
U pper h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d f i v e o r-lo s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i x sam ple c o u n tie s .
26*495.55
6 .5
1 6 ,8
52.1
2 4 ,5
L o se r h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d , f i v e o r ^ l e s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i x sample c o u n tie s
21*695.69
6 .0
1 6 ,4
3 7 .4
41*1
- SR
. 0
« 50 t h e H o n ta m t a x B o rato riu m T m a f f e c t i n g t a x c o lle c tio n s * S g /
s in c e a l l
ta x e s r e v e r t t o t h e Goimtgr G eneral School Jhmd an y in c r e a s e d payments
a f f e c t th e t o t a l amount t o h e a p p o rtio n e d and
9
th e re fo re ,, a f f e c t th e
d i s t r i c t a llo c a tio n s »
A ll O th er income S o u rc e s
A l l O th er S o u rce s o f Income in c lu d e s am accumulated re v e n u e d e r iv e d
from s t a t e and c o u n ty funds* s u c h a s e q u a l i s a t i o n a id * f o r e s t r e c e ip ts *
f in e s * r e n ta ls * t u i t i o n * p r o p e r ty s a le s * and insurance a d ju stm en ts*
F o r any c u r r e n t y e a r t h e amount o f a i d a v a ila b le from t h i s so u rc e
i s u n p re d ic ta b le b ecau se am in c r e a s e o r d e c r e a s e i n th e r e c e i p t s from one
A
o r more c o n t r i b u t i n g fu n d m i l e f f e c t t h e t o t a l sum*
F r e q u e n tly th e a llo c a tio n s from A U O th er S o u rces have g r e a t e r
in flu e n c e on th e f in a n c e s o f th e e n su in g y e a r th a n on t h e c u r r e n t year*
IM S i s t r u e b ecause u n d e r t h e M ontana e le m e n ta ry sc h o o l budget law* t h e
d i c t a t e d e x p e n d itu re s f o r a f i s c a l y e a r a r e n o t su b jec t t o change even
th o u g h t h e fu n d s f o r sc h o o l p u rp o s e s may b e in c re a s e d o r decreased*
She
la w f u r t h e r p ro v id e s t h a t a l l u n a p p ro p ria te d ■fu n d s s h a l l r e v e r t t o t h e
sch o o l G en eral Fund a t t h e c lo s e o f th e f i s c a l year* S g /
fh e b a la n c e on
hand th e n d e te rm in e s t h e amount o f revenue t h a t s h a l l b e r a i s e d b y tax™
• a tio n f o r t h e n e x t y e a r ’s budget*
She p e r c a p it a o r i g i n a l e n ro llm e n t a l l o c a tio n f o r t h e s e le c te d five-=
p r o M d ^ f b r th e paym ent ofHie=
lin q u e n ^ v a x e s w ith o u t -p e n a lty * Tlierefore * many p ro p e rty owners to o k
ad v an tag e o f th e law* They borrow ed f e d e r a l money a n d p a id th e t a x
p r i n c i p a l w ith o u t t h e i n t e r e s t p e n a lty *
S b / Montana S chool law* 1957* S e c tio n IG lS 017* p® 56*
51 »
o r ^ le s s ^ p u p tI d i s t r i c t s from t h e A ll O th e r So1U rcss F m d was S»5 tim es
l a r g e r th a n th e a v erag e a l l o c a t i o n f o r t h e s t a t e and th e s i x c o u n tie s i n
1955 cad 1937,
The d i s t r i b u t i o n from A ll O th e r S o u rces Fund i s b a se d on
t h e c en su s c o u n t.
T h e re fo re ^ i f t h e c e n su s r o l l i s c o n s id e ra b ly g r e a te r
th a n t h e o r i g i n a l e n ro llm en t^ w hich i s , t r u e i n a l l s e le c te d f i v e ^ o r - l e s s.*»
p u p il d i s t r i c t s ^ t h e p e r c a p it a o r i g i n a l e n ro llm e n t a i d w i l l he l a r g e ,
A
com parison o f d a ta (s e e t a b l e s I f and f ) shows t h a t an in c r e a s e i n th e
fu n d known a s A ll O th er S ources te n d s t o d e c re a s e th e re v e n u e a c c ru e d i n
t h e S p e c ia l D i s t r i c t Fund,
T h is may b e fu r th e r i n t e r p r e t e d t o in d ic a te
t h a t a c o l l e c t i o n o f moneys from so u rc e s o th e r th a n t a x rev en u e le v e r s th e
t a x b u rd e n on p e rs o n a l p r o p e r ty and r e a l e s t a t e i n t h e s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s ,
QEERATIBG G08I8
Many e d u c a to rs and laym en have c o n s id e re d th e fiv e - o r - le s s ^ p u p il
sc h o o l an u n n e c e s s a ry i n s t i t u t i o n s th e f i n a n c i a l b u rd en o f w hich i s
in to le ra b le , 3 4 /
H e v e rth e le s s a com parisons o f O p e ratin g ex p en se f o r
s c h o o ls o f eq u al f i n a n c i a l a n d e d u c a tio n a l s ta n d in g show ex trem e vari«?
a tio n s i n g e n e ra l c o s t and" i n c o st, o f s p e c i f i c ite m s .
T h is l a c k o f uni®
fo rm lty w hich e x i s t s among such com parable s c h o o ls i s a s s o c ia te d w ith
a d m in is tr a tiv e p o lic y *
W iile th e s t a t e la w o u tlin e s a g e n e ra l scheme f o r
sc h o o l a d m in is tr a tiv e p ro c e d u re and d e s ig n a te s th e e le m e n ta ry s u b je c ts f o r
stu d y * t h e l o c a l s c h o o l a u t h o r i t i e s d e c id e o n how th e program w i l l be p u t
unusual p e r 'c a p i t a c o s t'’in ' sc h o o ls o f l f 'i v ^ o r ^ e s s ^ u p i l s '
i s se e n i n t h e fo llo w in g : f o r Maine* i n a sch o o l w ith a tte n d a n c e o f 1*5
p u p i l s , t h e a v e ra g e c o s t p e r p u p il was $232; f o r Id ah o t h e av erag e c o s t
p e r p u p il i n such s c h o o ls was $288; f o r M in n eso ta, th e a v e ra g e c o s t f o r a
nine*month t e r n i n a s c h o o l e n r o l l i n g S®9 w as 0218* w h ile i n a sch o o l en­
r o llin g 1 - 4 , th e a v erag e c o s t p e r p u p il was 0590»
9
TABLE VI,— TOTAL M O X E T SPEIT DISTRIBUTED AGCORDEto SO ITEI OF BXEEBSE FOR STATE,
SIX 5AHPLE COXSTIESi ABB ALL SELECTED FI¥E~OR-LESS~PUPIL DISTRICTS
FOR THESE COEITIESi 1936-56
T o ta l amount T eacher
spent
s a la r y
p er cent
d o lla rs
School
Board &
B u sin ess
O ffic e
per cent
8,490*101.48
4 4 .6
2
Si% sample c o u n tie s a l l d i s t r i c t s I i SrMi OlSaSB
4 7 .8
2 ,3
S ta te
. 0
Texb
T ran s­
books
p o r ta tio n
p e r cen t p e r cent
1
. 8
XoS
A ll
o th e r
expenses
per c e n tL
7 ,6
4 4 .3
8
4 1 .7
. 6
a
T o ta l o f a l l s e le c te d f i v e - o r le s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s fo r s ix
sam ple c o u n tie s
3 7 ,3 5 3 .0 1
8 7 ,0
2 .7
1 ,4
12 .5
1 6 ,3
Upper h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d fiv e =
o r ^ l e s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i x sam ple c o u n tie s
2 1 ,1 8 7 .0 5
65 ,0
2
1 .3
15 ,1
1 8 .7
Lower h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d f i v e o r - le s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r
s ix sam ple c o u n tie s
1 6 ,2 2 6 .9 6
6 9 ,7
3 ,7
1 .4
9 ,1
1 7 ,0
3
, 8
'
■w
in'bo a O
o Im o
53
g s / F o r t h i s re a so n a p h ase o f
w o rk
em phasized 'by one sch o o l
may ha s c a r c e ly to u c h e d i n a n o th e r^ h en ce t h e d if f e r e n c e i n sch o o l e x p en d i­
t u r e s f o r s c h o o ls o f s i m i l a r rating.*
S im ila r ly tf n u m b erless problem s a r e
ap proached from e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t a n g le s ^
The p u rp o se o f th e sch o o l I s
o f te n e x p re sse d i n th e k in d o f ex p en d itu res: t h a t a r e Ktade
1
and i n some
5
in s ta n c e s th e w o rth o f t h e p h y s ic a l p l a n t seems t o o u tw eigh th e v a lu e o f
t h e e d u c a tio n a l ,service*.
The f i r s t co n cern o f th e f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l sch o o l i s t h e o p e ra tin g
c o s t (s e e t a b l e s i l l and 17111}e Those who recommend e o n s o lid a tio n c la im
t h a t e f f i c i e n c y i n s c h o o l a d m in is tr a tio n and sc h o o l te c h n ic would be i n ­
c r e a s e d by t h e e lim in a tio n o f th e s m a ll sc h o o l w ith i t s l i m i t e d f a c i l i t i e s
and Itw g e e x p e n d itu re s*
Howeverg i n s p a r s e ly s e t t l e d a r e a s th e c o n d itio n s
im posed b y t h i s p la n may d e p riv e some c h ild r e n o f Schooltf w h ile th e c o s t
o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n may o f f s e t any g a in a c c ru in g from o th e r savings*
T ra n sp o rta tio n ,-"The t r a n s p o r t a t i o n o f p u b lic sch o o l p u p ils i s now
g e n e r a lly a c c e p te d a s a fu n c tio n o f t h e s t a t e sch o o l system*
i t m ust b e ta k e n i n t o a c c o u n t a s a p a r t o f sch o o l c o st* 5 6 /
T h erefo re tf
Only in r e c e n t
y e a r s h a s t h i s problem been s e r io u s ly c o n s id e re d b y many sc h o o l d i r e c t o r s .
T h is i s e s p e c i a l l y t r u e i n t h e c ase o f I s o l a t e d a re a s *
H ontanatf f o r e x -
Smpletf h a s a sch o o l law w hich p ro v id e s f o r th e payment o f p u p il b ra n s C
p o r t a t i o a from th e l o c a l d i s t r i c t fe n d ,
Bbwevertf t h i s la w h a s n o t b een
i n t e r p r e t e d t o compel th e t r u s t e e s t o make s u c h paym ent.
They may do so
n ^ t 'm a School Iawtf 1957, S e c tio n 1084% p* 56, '
^
—— 5 6 / B o b e rts Bay Tl, tf, fiA n a ly sis o f t h e C ost o f P u p il T r a n s p o rta tio n
i n A rkansasntf A g r ic u ltu r a l E xperim ent Bfcatioatf F a y e t t e v I l l e tf. A rb n asastf
B esearo h B u lle tin S l tf IBSSa p , I ,
8
6
%ABLB 7lI.*a%DTAL ABOOBT SFBKT DIBTBIBUTED AOCOBDIKO TO ITEM OF EZfEESE FOB STATE,
GIZ S M m E OOm TIES, ABB AI-L SELECTED FT7B*QB*&E88*FQPIL DISTRI CTS
FOB TBESB G0U8TIBS* 1957-38
’~
' ~
' 1
’'
'
^
S ta te
'.... ' ' '
'
‘
......^S ch o o T ^™ ^ '.............. ™ -~-Board A
A ll
T o ta l amoiint To&ohor
BusiaseA
T est
Trans=
o th e r
p o r ta f io n expenses.
hoo&s
s a l a r y . ... O ffic e
.......
p e r cent' p e r C ent p e r c etit ' p e r C ent
d o lla r s
jper c e n t
8,599*090.43
4 6 ,4 '
1+8
1*8
9*5
41*6
S ix sam ple c o u n t! gs a l l B l s t r i e t e XsSdZgBSB9I S
.43,1
.
1*7
1 ,1
7*8
46*3
T o ta l o f . a l l s e le c t e d fiv e -o r =
le s s = p u g il d i s t r i c t s f o r s i x
sample- c o u n tie s - ■
58,443465
6 4 ,9
.
2*9
1*5
16*3
14*5
D pgor h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d f i r e =
or-»less«=pup'il d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i x sam ple c o u n tie s
2$;gG9+&@
@2+1
3*1
1 .4
1 8 .7
14+6
Lower h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d f i r e =
o r« le s s = p n p il d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i x sample c o u n tie s
83,074*59
68+8
2 .8
1*2
1 3 .5
1 4 .4
55
IABLB m i . — IHMSFOSTATXCBf COSTS FCB ELEMMTABY SCHOOLS L ITHH TIB STATE,
SIX SAMPLE CODHTIES, AID IITHIH ALL SELECTED FIHi-OR-LESS^PDPIL
DISTRICTS OF THESE CO®TIES 1355-56 AHD 1957-38
3
1935-56
d o lla rs
1957-38'
d o lla rs
5 9 7 ,2 1 9 .9 2
771*768.57
84*642.80
1 0 9 ,4 5 4 .8 6
T o ta l o f a l l s o le e to d f i v e - o r le s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r s ix
sample c o u n tie s
4 ,6 6 9 .8 1
8 ,5 6 4 .7 7
Hpper h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d f i r e o r-le s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s fo r
s i x sample c o u n tie s
3 *183.55
5 ,4 7 7 .6 5
Lower h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d f i r e o r-le s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s fo r
s i x sam ple c o u n tie s
1*486*28
3 ,0 8 7 .1 2
S ta te
S ix sam ple c o u n tie s a l l d i s t r i c t s
7
56
■whoa th e y deem I t t o th e b e s t I n t e r e s t o f t h e p u p il o r th e d i s t r i c t « 5 7 / .
The, d e cisio n , a s t o th e n e e d f o r in d iv id u a l o r p u b lic t r a n s p o r t a t i o n r e s t s
upon th e p e rs o n a l o p in io n o f th e b o a rd members» P e r t h i s re a s o n th e
d e c is io n s a r e o f te n b ia s e d and u n f a ir ,'
F re q u e n tly th e d e s ir e t o c u r t a i l
and c u t sc h o o l c o s ts r a t h e r th a n t h e needs- o f th e c h ild r e n in v o lv e d in *
fin a n c e th e a c ti o n o f t h e board..
T h is i s sh o rn b y t h e amount o f money a llo c a te d f o r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n
b y th e s e v e r a l d i s t r i c t s - (s e e t a b l e PX Il)*
T h ere a re w ide d if f e r e n c e s i s
the. g ra n ts f o r in d iv id u a l t r a n s p o r t a t i o n paym ents and t h e k in d o f bus
s e r v ic e re n d e re d by some d i s t r i c t s a s compared w ith t h e s e o f a d jo in in g
d i s t r i c t s oven w ith in t h e same county.
The f a c t t h a t e ac h b o a rd o f
t r u s t e e s i n th e s t a t e may a c t in d e p e n d e n tly upon t h e q u e s tio n o f d i s t r i c t
tr a n s p o r t a t i o n paym ent a c c o u n ts n o t o n ly f o r t h e d is c r e p a n c ie s i n a i d
g iv e n b u t a ls o f o r th e la c k o f u n ifo r m ity i n th e a d m in is tr a tio n o f th e
law .
In 1955 th e E ontona S ta te P u b lic S chool G eneral Fund was e s­
ta b lis h e d . 5 8 /
T h is m easure w as in te n d e d t o in c r e a s e s t a t e aid* which
was m ost inadequate.^ s in c e a c c o rd in g t o a 1934 r e p o r t , s t a t e a i d amounted
t o l e s s th a n o n e - te n th o f t h e t o t a l s u p p o rt f o r s c h o o ls . 5 9 / Under p re se n t,
c o n d itio n s s u f f i c i e n t fu n d s a r e n o t a v a ila b le t o c a r ry o u t t h e f u l l i n t e n t
o f t h e Iaw
6
S o v e rth e le s s , th e S ta te P u b lic School G eneral Fuad, though
I im ite d ff h a s p ro v id e d a d d itio n a l a id f o r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n t o th o s e c h ild r e n
5 7 / Eonta n a ^ c lto o l'
P*
SB / I b i d ff S e c tio n 1220®. ff p . 9 5 .
5 9 / See a n n u al r e p o r t o f t h e S t a t e S u p e rin te n d e n t o f P u b lic
I n s t r u c t i o n s H e len a .
6
- 57 -
who l i r e th r e e o r more m ile s from s c h o o l.
I n 1937*58 a l l school a g e n c ie s
p a id more f o r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n th a n i n any p rev io u s y e a r .
T h is uptrard t r e n d
may b e e x p e c te d t o c o n tin u e inasm uch a s t h e money accum ulated under th e
P u b lic School G eneral Fund
tt
3 .1 1
b e g r e a t e r e a c h y e a r a s t h e re v e n u e s
d e riv e d from th e s e v e r a l s o u rc e s in c r e a s e .
The tr a n s p o r t a t i o n a llo c a tio n s
v a i l bo i n p ro p o rtio n t o th e t o t a l in c r e a s e o f th e fund.
In 1937 th e f iv e ~ o r » le s s - p u p il s c h o o ls o f th e s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s o f
th e s i x c o u n tie s e n r o lle d 218 p u p ils ( s e e t a b l e I s- a p p en d ix
8
) & This \m$
l e s s th a n .3 p e r cent, o f t h e t o t a l s t a t e e n ro llm e n t and a p p ro x im a te ly 1«%
p e r c e n t o f t h e t o t a l e n ro llm e n t f o r th e s i x c o u n tie s .
d i s t r i c t s th e c o s t o f tr a n s p o r ta tio n -was
1
. 1
W ith in th e s e l e c t e d
p e r c e n t o f th e sta tew id e
c o s t f o r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n and 7*8 p e r c e n t o f t h e c o s t f o r t h e s i x c o u n tie s
(s e e t a b l e T i l l ) .
S in c e t h e r e i s a d e f i n i t e r e l a t i o n s h i p betw een enroll**
m eats and t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f o r th e fiv e -< o r» le ss« p u p il school* an a n a ly s is
o f th e e n ro llm e n t d is c lo s e d t h a t 58 p u p ils o f t h e 218 e n r o lle d liv e d a
d is ta n c e o f 3-6 m iles*, 21 l i v e d a d is ta n c e o f 7-11 m ile s a 3 liv e d a
d is ta n c e o f 18 o r more m ile s* and 136 l i v e d w ith in ■3 m ile s o f t h e s c h o o l.
A ccording t o th e la w o n ly t h e 83 p u p ils * or 37?6 p e r cent* who liv e d
beyond th e 3 m ile l i m i t w ere i n t i t l e d t o draw, tr a n sp o r ta tio n . 4 0 /
I n 1935-36 th e u p p e r h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s p a id ab o u t 46
p e r c e n t more f o r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n th a n d id th e lo w er h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d
d is tric ts .
W hile i n 1937-38 th e u p p e r h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s had
in c r e a s e d t h e i r payments t o a b o u t 56' p e r c e n t more th a n t h e lo w er h a l f o f
a l l s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s .
40/
I n 1937-38 b o th t h e upper h a l f and th e lo w er h a l f
M ontana School ia ffs T t^ 3 7 r^ o ^ a cS n ^ '2 0 .1 s p . 9 1 .
"
** SS
o f a l l s e l e c t e d d i s t r i c t s toad p r o f i t e d toy th e t r a a s p o r ta tlo a a llo tm en ts
from t h e S t a t e R ito lic S chool S e a e ra l FuadU
The d if f e r e n c e i n th e s e t r a n s ­
p o r t a t i o n payments, made toy th e two g ro u p s may in d i c a t e one o f two th in g s*
E i t h e r a more l i b e r a l a llo m m c e f o r t ra n sp o r t a t i on i s made toy one group
th an toy t h e O th e r
5
o r i t may mean t h e d is ta n c e f o r t r a n s p o r tin g t h e a v e ra g e
p u p il tm e g r e a t e r i n one c a s e than i n th e other* r e s u l t i n g i n c o s t d i f f e r ­
ences®
I t i s d i f f i c u l t t o a n a ly s e and compare t r a n s p o r t a t i o n c o s ts in
M ontana b e ca u se o f t h e many and v a ry in g f a c t o r s t h a t e n t e r i n t o th e problem
a s a whole *. The p re c e d in g d a ta show t h a t a change i n c e r t a i n f a c t o r s su c h
a s p u p ils tr a n s p o rte d * m ile s t r a v e l e d and m ethod f o r tr a n s p o r tin g a r e
accom panied toy R a n g e s i n c o s t o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n » The H ontana law s e t s a
d is ta n c e o f t h r e e m ile s a s a lim it, f o r the. f i r s t sons o f payment* 4 1 / Wo
a llo w a n c e s a r e made f o r t h e a c c e s s i b i l i t y o r i n a c c e s s i b i l i t y o f t h e sc h o o l
p la n t*
T h ree m ile s i n a b u s on a pav ed c i t y s t r e e t o r a r t e r i a l highway
can s c a r c e ly toe com pared w ith th r e e m ile s m a h o rs e on a mud ro ad *
How-
ever* in th e ey es o f th e law* such d i f f e r e n c e s a r e c o n s id e re d equal*
In
th e fiv e -o r
p o r ta tio n *
» 1
e s s - p u p il sc h o o ls .studied*, n o b u sse s w ere u s e d f o r t r a n s ­
E ach c h i l d m s r e s p o n s ib le f o r h i s own tr a n s p o r ta tio n ^ a con­
d i t i o n w hich ad d ed t o th e t o t a l sch o o l c o s t and r a i s e d t h e av erag e c o s t
p e r pupil®
T r a n s p o r ta tio n i s re c o g n is e d a s a n e s s e n t i a l p a r t o f th e c o n - ■
s o l i d a t e d sc h o o l program.
F or t h i s re a s o n f a c i l i t i e s f o r t r a n s p o r t i n g th e
p u p ils a r e f u r n is h e d e i t h e r toy d i s t r i c t bus* o r toy p u b lic c a r r y - a l l or toy
4 l / A d is ta n c e o f th r e e m ile s u s u a lly measurecTfrom th e s c h o o l^ "
d o o r to"™the f r o n t g a te o f th e c M ld ?s home®
- 59
d i r e c t payment to th e in d iv id u a l p u p i l P On th e o th e r hand* t h e r e s p o n s i^
M l i t y S o r t r a n s p o r tin g p u p ils has n o t "been a s f u l l y a c c e p te d i n th e
i s o l a t e d s c h o o l a s i n th e c o n s o lid a te d sch o o l*
C o n seq u en tly , i s many
d i s t r i c t s o f th e i s o l a t e d a re a s # tr a n s p o r ta tio n , i s n o t a c c o u n te d f o r a s a
n e c e s s a ry p a r t o f th e program* a lth o u g h i n th e i s o l a t e d sc h o o l t h e n e ed ■
f o r tr a n s p o r ta tio n i s a s g r e a t o r g r e a te r t h a n i n t h e c o n s o lid a te d .school*
School Board and B u sin e ss Q f f ic es* ^ jh c p e n se s i n c i d e n t a l t o th e
sch o o l h o ard s an d b u s in e s s o f f i c e s a r e p e rh a p s one o f t h e m ost c o n s ta n t
c o s ts o f e d u c a tio n * H oraver * th e expense o f th e sch o o l h o a rd s and th e
expense o f t h e b u s in e s s o f f ic e s # t h e two ite m s w hich go t o make up th e
t o t a l expense^ a r e in flu e n c e d b y d i f f e r e n t fa c to rs =
Therefore* each o f
t h e s e a d m in is tr a tiv e a g e n c ie s sh o u ld h e a n a ly s e d s e p a r a te ly *
The expenses f o r t r u s t e e m eetin g s may v a ry w ith in d i s t r i c t s o f th e
same c la s s * , h u t th e d e g re e o f v a r i a t i o n . I s lim ited * - inasm uch a s once th e
t r u s t e e s a r e assem bled th e c o s t o f th e h o a rd m e etin g i s th e same w h eth er
t h e h o a rd i s a d m in is tr a tin g th e a f f a i r s o f a sy stem w ith s e v e r a l p u p ils
o r s e v e r a l hundred p u p ils * , TM s i s p o s s ib le b ecau se t h e la w d e s ig n a te s
th e number o f board members who s h a l l se rv e i n d i s t r i c t s o f each c l a s s , 4 8 /
The law f u r t h e r l i m i t s th e p o s s ib le expense o f b o a rd m e etin g s b y regu=
lu t in g t h e number o f m e etin g s f o r w hich m ile a g e may be drawn* and m ile ­
age i s th e o n ly com pensation a llo w e d a b o a rd member f o r M s s e rv ic e s * J g /
As a r e s u l t o f th e above r e s t r i c t i o n # t h e sch o o l b o a rd expense
w ith in a d i s t r i c t becomes n e a r ly c o n sta n t# an d a t th e same tim e th e busi-<=
"""
4 5
/
MoMeam' Sohbbl Law# T W f / ^ e ’c t x ^ r ^ e T ^ T ^ O o
Ib id * S e c tio n 1096,* p . 16»
’
...r
S3 60 M
S
n e s s o f f i c e expense TJhich i s U n r e s t r ie te d a andv t h e r e f o r e a l e s s d eterm in e
S h le if he come s th e v a r ia b le i n th e t o t a l sc h o o l h o a rd and b u s in e s s o f f i c e
expense#
The b u s in e s s O ffie e a w hich i s a n overhead charge#, may be in «
fin a n c e d by t h e p u p i l enrollm ent# s in c e t h e work i n t h i s o f f i c e i s c lo s e ly
r e l a t e d t o t h e admani s t r a t i on o f t h e sc h o o l s u p p lie s and th e p h y s ic a l
p la n t,
i n in c r e a s e e n ro llm e n t may r e q u ir e a d d itio n a l b u ild in g # equipm ent
placement#, and o th e r a c t i v i t i e s w hich w ould te n d t o in c r e a s e t h e work# and#
th e re fo re # t h e c o st*
re d u c e d ex p en d itu res*
On t h e c o n tra ry # d e c re a se e n ro llm e n t may r e s u l t i n
S till# , th e change i n th e expense f o r t h i s departm ent
i s n o t i n p r o p o r tio n t o t h e change i n o th e r ex p en ses t h a t i s a f f e c t e d b y
in c r e a s e d o r d e c re a s e d en ro llm en t*
I n th e flY e»or»less«= pupll s c h o o ls f o r 1955-36 and 1937-58# the- ex­
p e n se s f o r s c h o o l b o a rd an d b u s in e s s o f f i c e i n t h e u p p e r h a l f o f a l l f i v e o r - e s s -p u p i l d i s t r i c t s exceeded th o s e o f t h e lo w er h a l f o f a l l f i v e - o r 1
l o s s - p u p i l d i s t r i c t s # w h ile t h e e n ro llm e n t was n e a r l y t h e same*
I k i s may
b e i n t e r p r e t e d t o mean a l a r g e r t r u s t e e expense b ecau se o f t h e g r e a te r
d is ta n c e * he b o a rd members c o v ered when a tte n d in g th e m eetings# o r i t may
6
mean added sc h o o l b u s in e s s c au sed b y o th e r th a n p u p il e n ro llm en t*
Between 1955-58 and 1957-58# t h e s t a t e and .six c o u n tie s d e c re a se d
t h e i r t o t a l exp en d itu res f o r sch o o l b o a rd s and b u sin ess, o f f i c e s (se e
t a b l e s T I an d Tll)-*
A lso# d u rin g t h i s p e rio d t h e t o t a l s c h o o l e n ro llm e n t
f o r b o th th e s t a t e and s i x sample c o u n tie s d ecreased *
S hese d a ta would
in d ic a te t h a t a d e c re a s e i n t h e expense o f t h e b u s in e s s o f f i c e may be
d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d t o p u p i l enro llm en t# s in c e a s s t a t e d b e fo re # t h e expense
f o r th e Board o f S r u s te e i s n o t s u b je c t t o w id e v a r ia tio n s *
Therefore# t h e
fr> 61 <»•
i n c r e a s e . o r d e c re a se i n th e t o t a l combined expenditure f o r sc h o o l h o a rd
and b u s in e s s o f f i c e i s l a r g e l y governed b y t h e expense o f t h e b u s in e s s
o ff ic e *
T eacher S a la ry * *»-The te a c h e r s a l a r y c o s t i n p r a c t i c a l l y a l l s c h o o ls
i s th e s in g le ite m o f g r e a t e s t ex p en d itu re, r e g a r d le s s o f en ro llm e n t* 4 4 /
However, th e t o t a l te a c h e r c o s t te n d s t o ap p ro ach a f a v o r a b le minimum on
th e b a s i s o f a te a c h e r« p u p iI r a t i o t h a t I s a p p ro x im a te ly one te a c h e r t o
e ac h tw e n ty p u p ils * 4 5 /
T h is was t h e s i t u a t i o n f o r t h e s t a t e a s a whole
i n 1955, when w ith a l a r g e r e n ro llm e n t th a n in 1957, th e amount s p e n t f o r
te a c h e r c o s ts was s m a lle r*
F o r t h e s e l e c t e d d i s t r i c t , th e e n ro llm e n t i n
1937 in c r e a s e d o v e r t h a t o f 1935 and th e te a c h e r c o s t d e c re a s e d (s e e t a b l e s
I I I and Iv )*
T h is e v id en c e s u p p o rts t h e id e a t h a t a t l e a s t up t o a c e r ta in
p o in t th e te a c h e r c o s t d e c re a se s a s e n ro llm e n t in c re a s e d w ith o u t r e f e r e n c e
t o th o ty p e o f school* 4 6 /
I n 1957 th e s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s s p e n t 65 p e r'
c e n t o f t h e i r t o t a l b u d g e ts f o r te a c h e r s a l a r y w h ile f o r t h e s t a t e a s a
w hole, t h e te a c h e r c o s t was 46 p e r c e n t o f t h e t o t a l budget*.
The expense
f o r te a c h e r s a la r y i n t h e d i s t r i c t s amounted t o *9 p e r c e n t o f t h e t o t a l
s t a t e te a c h e r c o s t w hereas th e d i s t r i c t o r i g i n a l enrollm ent was *3 p e r
c e n t o f t h e s t a t e o r i g i n a l en ro llm e n t*
These d a ta su p p o rt th e assum ption
G
a
u
m
i
t
El i mi na t i on o f V ery ''
Small S c h o o ls11, H n ite d S t a t e s D epartm ent o f E d u c a tio n , B u l l e t i n Ho* 5,.
1934, p» 4*
4 5 / The te a c h e r c o s t i n e i t h e r a n i s o l a t e d , u rb a n , o r c o n s o lid a te d
sc h o o l r e p r e s e n ts t h e s in g le e le m e n ta ry grade t e a c h e r c o st* A ll s a l a r i e s
f o r s u p e r in te n d e n t, p r i n c i p a l s , a n d s u p e r v is o r s have b een e lim in a te d ,
s in c e t h e com parison i s t o b e b a se d on t h e u rb an end r u r a l e le m e n ta ry g ra d e
te a c h e r c o s ts when one te a c h e r i n an e le m e n ta ry room i s r e s p o n s ib le f o r
t h e f u l l program*.
4 6 / Gaum nits W*. H», Op» c it* p . 25,
3
Jw
62
t h a t i n a l l s c h o o ls a la r g e p a r t o f th e t o t a l b u d g e t i s s p e n t f o r te a c h e r
cost o
W ith in t h e s i x c o u n tie s s t h e county ra n k in g h i g h e s t from th e sta n d =
p o in t o f te a c h e r c o s t s p e n t tw ic e a s much a s t h e c o u n ty ra n k in g lo w e st i n
a l l upper h a l f d is tr ic ts *
The same r e l a t i o n s h i p i s found t o e x i s t i n
c o u n tie s o f th e same ra n k f o r a l l low er h a l f d is tr ic ts ®
S’or th e y e a r 195Sa
th e a b i l i t y to p a y was th e d e te rm in in g f a c t o r a s th e e n ro llm e n t i n "both
groups was th e same.
d is tr ic ts ®
The e n ro llm e n t in c re a s e d i n 1937 i n a l l s e le c te d
F o r t h e u p p e r h a l f o f th e s e l e c t e d d i s t r i c t s t h e te a c h e r
c o s t was th r e e tim e s t h a t o f th e low er h a l f o f th e s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s s
T iiile th e e n ro llm e n t was o n ly o n e - th ir d a s la r g e a s t h a t o f lo w e r h a l f o f
th e d is tr ic ts ®
i n th e combined ■t o t a l o f th e u p p e r h a l f and lo w er h a l f o f
t h e s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s ^ t h e c o u n ty r a n k in g h ig h e s t i n te a c h e r c o s t sp e n t
tw ic e a s much a s d id th e c o u n ty ra n k in g lo w e st w ith i t s o n e - th ir d more
enrollm ent®
I n 1937 th e e n ro llm e n t in flu e n c e d th e p e r p u p il te a c h e r c o s t
i n a l l d iv isio n s®
T eacher c o s t in v o lv e s more th a n t h e e x p e n d itu re o f money, f o r th e
q u a l i t y o f e d u c a tio n p u rc h a se d i s a s im p o rta n t a c o n s id e r a tio n a s th e p e r
c a p i t a c o st* 4 7 /
I n th e f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l s c h o o l th e q u a l i t y o f edu­
c a ti o n depends l a r g e ly upon t h e k in d o f le a d e r s h ip fu r n is h e d , s in c e th e r e
a r e d e c id e d l i m i t a t i o n s t o t h e c u rric u lu m developm ent^ and le a d e rs h ip
o f te n r e p la c e s c u rric u lu m demands®
A ccording t o p a p u la r o p in io n t h e sm all i s o l a t e d sc h o o l h a s , i n
r e c e n t y e a r s , s u ffe r e d more th a n t h e c i t y o r th e town sc h o o l by r e a s o n
4 7 7 ^^au m n ^S g Op® citT71?®' 2® '" "
65 *»■
o f m rb ra in e d and in e x p e rie n c e d te a c h e r s ,
whereby t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s f o r t e a c h e r s
6
I n 1924 a s t a t e la w was e n a c te d
c e r t i f i c a t e s w ere ra is e d * 4 6 /
She p ro v is io n s o f th e law w ere such t h a t i t s e f f e c t upon th e Montana
elem entary te a c h in g s t a f f was n o t n o tic e a b le u n t i l a c o n sid e ra b le tim e h a d
passed*
By ISBSjr 50 o f th e 38 te a c h e r s r e p o r te d I n t h e s e l e c t e d f i v e ^or*=
le s s ^ p u p il echoO lsjl h e ld e le m e n ta ry s t a t e c e r t i f i c a t e s *
T h is g rad e cer*>
t l f i c & t e i s is s u e d o n ly t o th o s e who a r e g ra d u a te s o f a norm al sch o o l o r
i t s e q u iv a le n t^ o r by e x am in atio n s f o r w hich th e a d m itta n c e requirem ents
a r e 98 q u a r te r h o u rs o f tra in in g ®
The ra n g e o f e xpcrienoe f o r th e s e
te a c h e r s tsas from one t o s i x t e e n y e a r s w ith a n a v erag e o f t h r e e y ears#
Two te a c h e r s h e ld t h e l i f e c e r t i f i c a t e which i s b ased on t h e e le m e n ta ry
s t a t e c e r t i f i c a t e w ith a d d itio n a l t r a i n i n g and e x p e rie n c e *
lu g s ix te a c h e rs
5
Of t h e remain-=
f o u r h e ld f i r s t g rad e c e r t i f i c a t e s and two were B ni
v e r s I t y g ra d u a tes# 4 9 /
These f a c t s a l l p o in t o u t ( a ) t h a t t h e te a c h e r
problem i n t h e i s o l a t e d s c h o o l may n o t b e one o f lim it e d t r a i n i n g or
experience^,, b u t one o f p r o p e r t r a i n i n g f o r a s p e c ia l p o s itio n ,, an d (b )
t h a t th e c o s t p e r p u p il i s a n u n c o n tr o lla b le f a c t o r i n a re a s o f marked
p o p u la tio n m o b ility #
A ll O th e r Expenses*-^The second l a r g e s t item o f t h e b u d g e t i s “a l l
o th e r e x p en se s1**
In t h i s r e p o r t t h e p e r c e n t o f t h e t o t a l b u d g e t shown a s
a l l o th e r expense f o r th e s ta t e * a l l s i x c o u n tie s# end t o t a l u p p e r and
lo w er h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d fiv e « * o r^ le ss« p u p il d i s t r i c t s # d i f f e r s so w id e ly
from th e a c c e p te d a c c o u n tin g p la n t h a t a f u l l e x p la n a tio n i s n e c e s sa ry (s e e
''Montana School"'L aw /^S S I s 8 e cticn 3 fi9 4 ^ p , 70*
'..""
4 9 / These d a t a w ere com piled from t h e t e a c h e r 9s c e r t i f i c a t e r e g i s t r a t io r T f lle s i n th e s i x c o u n tie s*
«* 64' ■«
t a b l e s IX and X)«
She s a l a r i e s o f s u p e rin te n d e n ts i n f i r s t and second c l a s s d i s t r i c t s 5
p r in c ip a ls i n t h i r d c l a s s d i s t r i c t s * s u p e r v is o r s an d s u p e r v is in g p r i n c i ­
p a ls * a r e in c lu d e d i n th e ite m “a l l o th e r expenses11 in s te a d o f u n d er te a c h ­
e r co sto
Ih iS i s dene b e c a u se , i n com paring te a c h e r - c o s t betw een f i r e - o r -
l e s s - p u p i l sc h o o l and c i t y , tow n o r c o n s o lid a te d sch o o l* a more e q u ita b le
b a se i s e s t a b l i s h e d i f t h e s in g le u n i t te a c h e r c o s t i s e v a lu a te d w ith o u t
th e c o s t o f added s u p e r v isio n , 5 0 /
T h is c l a s s i f i c a t i o n i s seldom n o te d
when t h e expense o f th e r u r a l and u rb an sch o o l i s com pared.
I n u rb a n ,
tow n, and c o n s o lid a te d s c h o o ls , s u p e r v is io n c o s t i s an im portant ite m
w h ile i n th e f Iv o - o r ~ le s s -p u p il sch o o l t h i s expense i s a b so rb e d i n te a c h ­
e r s a la ry *
I n 1957, s u p e r v is io n expense a cc o u n te d f o r 4 ,8 p e r c e n t o f
th e t o t a l s c h o o l b u d g e t o f t h e s t a t e ,
I n com paring t h e s c h o o l o f sm a ll enrollm ent w ith th e sc h o o l o f
l a r g e e n ro llm e n t,, tw o f a c t o r s should be c o n s id e re d ; ( a ) p e rs o n a l s e r v ic e
expense o th e r th a n te a c h e r s a l a r y , and (b ) m ain ten an ce an d p h y s ic a l p la n t
c o s ts .
There a r e a number o f ite m s d i r e c t l y c o n n ec te d w ith p e rs o n a l
s e r v ic e expense i n a la r g e sc h o o l w hich have n o c o u n te rp a rt, i n a f i v e - o r l a s s - p u p i l s c h o o l.
F i r s t o f th e s e i s j a n i t o r s e r v i c e , w hich i s e x c lu s iv e ly a n a d ju n c t
o f t h e la r g e sc h o o ls and i s perform ed b y th e te a c h e r o f th e f i v e - e r - l e s s —
p u p il s c h o o l, w ith t h e p o s s ib le e x c e p tio n o f a n a n n u a l c le a n in g o f t h e
b u ild in g ,
Tri"
page 61,
oT th i's " a r r a n g ^ ^ t T s ~ ^ r v ^ ~ a u ^ ^ o t n o t e 45*
EABLE IX .—TOTAL ALL OTHER• EXFEHSE DISTRIBUTED AOCOEDIiIO TO ITEM OE E3PEHSB FOE
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..
67 *
Second,, th e h e a lt h d i v is io n an d n u r s in g s e r v ic e w ith i t s s p e c i a l l y
tr a in e d s t a f f becomes a n e c e s s a ry d e p a rtm e n t o f a s c h o o l system i n w h ich
numbers o f c h ild r e n a r e in v o lv ed *
I n t h e i s o l a t e d school^, a n o c c a s io n a l
v i s i t b y th e county n u r s e , i f t h e county employs a p u b lic h e a l t h n u rse a t
a l i o and an a n srrer t o an em ergency c a l l b y t h e co u n ty d o c to r i s th e o n ly
p r o f e s s io n a l a s s i s t a n c e g iv e n th e r u r a l g r a d e te a c h e r*
T h ird , t h e t r u a n t o f f i c e r i n th e c a se o f t h e c i t y o r t o m s c h o o l,
i s an a d d i t i o n a l s t a f f member (s e e t a b l e IX and
On t h e o th e r hand, t h e
o f f i c i a l t r u a n t o f f i c e r o f th e i s o l a t e d sc h o o l i s t h e c o u n ty s u p e rin te n d e n t
o f s c h o o ls , who# by la w , a c ts in, t h i s c a p a c ity * B i /
I t i s o b v io u s, t h e r e f o r e , t h a t th e l o c a l t e a c h e r i n th e r u r a l s c h o o l
c a r r i e s t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r e n fo rcem en t o f th e com pulsory e d u c a tio n la w
(s e e t a b l e s IZ and X ),
I f a com parison i s t o be made betw een te a c h e r c o s t
o f urban s c h o o ls and te a c h e r c o s t o f r u r a l s c h o o ls , c o n s id e r a tio n sh o u ld
be g iv e n t o t h e f a c t t h a t te a c h e r s a l a r y o f t h e f l v e ®or»1 e s a «pupiI s c h o o l
i s n o t f o r te a c h in g s e r v ic e s a lo n e , b u t in c lu d e s com pensation f o r s e r v ic e s
f u r n is h e d i n o th e r d e p artm en ts o f t h e g e n e ra l sc h o o l program .
P a s t b u i l d i n g o f u r b a n , to m # an d co n so lid a te d sc h o o l p l a n t s i n
order t o m eet th e in c r e a s in g e n ro llm e n t, h as c r e a te d bond in d e b te d n e s s ,
w hich has b e e n liq u i d a t e d i n p a r t .
However, w ith th e p r e s e n t b u i l d i n g '
a c t i v i t i e s , t h e in d e b te d n e s s i s a g a in in c r e a s in g , and t h i s # in s p i t e o f t h e
f a c t t h a t e n ro llm e n t o v e r th e s t a t e and th e s i x c o u n tie s d e c re a se d i n th e
p e s t s e v e ra l y e a r s ,
t h e s e c o n d itio n s i n t h e s t a t e a n d - s ix c o u n tie s do n o t
h e ld t r u e f o r th e s e l e c t e d d i s t r i c t s , w here p r a c t i c a l l y a l l d e b ts have
”l"r"r"“'
^ lT ^ f o n t m a SchoolljI S ^ T g g ? ," 6 e ^ .o 'n 965, 'PT-Ysi1I
'CO'
■been l i q u i d a t e d and no new o b lig a tio n s a r e b e in g In c u r r e d ( s e e t a b l e s IX
an d X)»
E ere I t I s a l s o found t h a t t h e enrollm ent h a s In e re a s e d i n t h e
p a s t tw o y e a r s (s e e t a b l e I 4, append ix S)*
Ih e a n a ly s is o f a l l o th e r expenses,, gro u p in g th e ite m s a s i n t h i s
s tu d y , te n d s to show t h a t undue em phasis i s p la c e d on te a e h e r c o s t o f th e
f iv e - o r - le s s - p u p il sc h o o l i f e a c h s e r v ic e re n d e re d b y t h e te a c h e r i s
e v a lu a te d s e p a r a te ly r a t h e r th a n a l l s e r v ic e s e v a lu a te d c o lle c tiv e ly *
IHE PECULIAR PROBLEMS OF IHE FIfE-QR-LBSS-PUPIL SCHOOL
! h e r e a r e many communities i n w hich s p a r s i t y o f p o p u la tio n ^ un­
developed ro a d s 5 tr a n s p o r t a t i o n f a c i l i t i e s a n d p o p u la tio n m o b ility a re su ch
t h a t i t i s n o t now p o s s ib le t o p ro v id e p u b lic education, e x c e p t th ro u g h th e
f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l school^
I h i s s ta te m e n t i s v e r i f i e d b y D r. Iimon C o v e rt
who s t a t e d t h a t " th e r e w i l l p ro b a b ly be some com m unities f o r a lo n g tim e
t o come i n w hich th e f iv e - o r - le s s - p u p il s c h o o l w i l l p e r s i s t , " S g /
I e a c h e r C ost
I n th e f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l school^ t h e m o st f r e q u e n t c r i t i c i s m f a l l s
upon te a c h e r c o s t s in c e m ore th a n 60 p e r c e n t o f t h e b u d g et i s expanded
f o r t h i s p u rp o se (s e e t a b l e s V l and V I l)®
Howevers. t h e one te a c h e r s a l a r y
o f th e f l v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i l sc h o o l r e p r e s e n ts t h e t o t a l te a c h e r c o s t , w h ile
t h e te a c h e r s a l a r y o f t h e elem en ta ry room i n th e u rb an o r c o n s o lid a te d
s c h o o l i s o n ly a p o r tio n o f th e t o t a l te a c h e r c o s t ,
p u p i l sch o o l
3
I n t h e f i v e - o r - le s a -
one te a c h e r i s re s p o n s ib le f o r th e e n t i r e te a c h in g program
'5 2 /""C o v e r t / 'l S
O o n s d lid a tio n " ;"U n ited ' S ta te s'
Deparbment o f E ducation* TiTashingtona, B» C, a R esearch B u lle tin S o , 6»
69 *»■
and f o r sc h o o l a d r a in is t r a tio n , S g / l a th e l a r g e r sc h o o l t h e r e s p o n s i­
b i l i t y f o r th e program i s s h a re d by a number o f te a c h e r s .
The elem en tary
i n s t r u c t o r i n t h e u rb a n o r c o n s o lid a te d s c h o o l i s a s s i s t e d i n t h e te a c h ­
in g f i e l d by s p e c ia l s u p e r v is o r s and i n th e a d m in is tr a tiv e f i e l d by a
s u p e r v is in g p r i n c i p a l o r s u p e rin te n d e n t*
These s a l a r i e s -are a n a d d itio n a l
te a c h e r c o s t and sh ould b e ch arg ed t o th e s a l a r y o f t h e elem en ta ry te a c h e r a
who i s r e l i e v e d o f p a r t o f h ie d u tie s ,.
I f a com parison i s t o h e made between, th e p e r c a p it a c o s t o f ed u ­
c a ti o n i n t h e sm a ll r u r a l sc h o o l a n d t h a t o f th e u rb an o r c o n s o lid a te d
SChoola- s e v e r a l a d ju stm e n ts -are n ecessary *
E ith e r a l l s a l a r i e s f o r s u p e r­
v is io n sh o u ld be added t o t h e s a l a r y o f t h e e lem en ta ry te a c h e r i n u rb a n
and c o n s o lid a te d S c h o o lss o r in th e f i v e - o r - l a s s - p u p i l s c h o o l a r e d u c tio n
coinparable t o t h e sum s p e n t f o r s u p e r v is io n i n th e u rb a n and c o n s o lid a te d
sc h o o l sh o u ld be made from th e te a c h e r s a la r y *
I t may b e assum ed on t h i s
b a s i s t h a t th e p e r c a p it a c o s t o f t e a c h in g i n r u r a l and urban s c h o o ls
would n o t v a ry a s w id e ly a s f i r s t in d ic a te d , 64/*
T eacher ,Q u a lific a tio n s
S in ce t h e av erag e s a l a r y o f th e r u r a l te a c h e r i s lo w er th a n t h a t
o f t h e urban o r c o n s o lid a te d 'te a c h e r s a l a r y , i t i s o f te n assum ed t h a t h is
t r a i n i n g i s p o o re r i n q u a l i t y an d h i s exp e rie n c e l e s s e x te n s iv e ,
S e v e r-
' " ' ' " T h e ' s u p e r v j s i n g " o f f i c e r o f th e ''''f jv e - b r - le s s ^
th e -county s u p e rin te n d e n t o f s c h o o ls . The c o u n ty s u p e rin te n d e n t makes a n
an nual v i s i t t o a l l s c h o o ls under M s j u r i s d i c t i o n , M onteia School Laws
1967 s S ection. 9SYs p , 16,
6 4 / The w r i t e r was unable t o s e c u r e t h e e n ro llm e n t f o r sch o o ls
em ploying su p e rv iso rs* T h erefo re^ t h e e x a c t p e r c a p it a te a c h e r c o s t was
n o t computed.
70 *
t h e l e s s th e d a ta p re s e n te d i n t h e p a ra g ra p h on te a c h e r c o s t w ould te n d t o
d i s c r e d i t t h i s s ta te m e n t -at l e a s t f o r th e flv e - o r ^ le s s - p u p il s c h o o ls
stu d ie d *
However5 t h e k in d o f t r a i n i n g o ff e re d ' t o him i n p r e p a r a tio n
f o r r u r a l t e a c h in g may he q u e s tio n e d .
The u n s a t i s f a c t o r y work of th e
sm all s c h o o l should n o t r e s t e n t i r e l y w ith t h e te a c h e r ,
He i s th e p ro d u c t
o f o u r a c c e p te d p la n f o r e d u c a tio n , Which3 u n t i l r e c e n t y e a r s 3 has n o t
re c o g n is e d t h e n e e d - fo r s p e c i a l t r a i n i n g f o r r u r a l s c h o o ls .
I t i s o n ly
s in c e t h e r u r a l s p e c i a l i s t has come t o u n d e rsta n d th e problem s p e c u lia r
t o e d u c a tio n i n a r e a s o f r e l a t i v e l y s m a ll p o p u la tio n d e n s it y a t h a t a number
o f p r e s id e n ts o f te a c h e r t r a i n i n g s c h o o ls have c o n sid e re d r u r a l te a c h e r
t r a i n i n g a p rim a ry f u n c tio n o f t h e i r i n s t i t u t i o n s ,
B r, W* M, R dhinsoa
spealEing on tr e n d s of e d u c a tio n f o r r u r a l l i f e said * 0Of 164 S ta te T e a ch e r
C o lle g e s and !formal S chools t r a i n i n g te a c h e r s i n 1905* 84 p e r c e n t o f f e r e d
d i f f e r e n t i a t e d w ork f o r t h e p r e p a r a tio n o f r u ra l te a c h e r s ” , 5 5 /
R ural
sch o o l p r a c t i c e te a c h in g , r u r a l sch o o l management, r u r a l le a d e r s h ip a n d
r u r a l s o c io lo g y a r e among t h e c o u rse s now o f f e r e d i n many s c h o o ls 0 .' I t
would b e p r o f i t a b l e t o s o c ie ty i f t h i s new c h a lle n g e i n t e a c h e r t r a i n i n g
w ere a d o p te d more g e n e r a lly by th e te a c h e r t r a i n i n g i n s i t u t i o n s o f t h e
G re a t P la in s R egion,
S t i l l 0 m ost o f th e c u r r i c u l a o f f e r e d b y th e s e
i n s t i t u t i o n s do n o t in c lu d e r u r a l s o c io lo g y a s a r e q u ir e d c o u rse^ i t i s
an o p tio n a l c o u rse f o r s tu d e n ts i n b o th e lem en tary and s e c o n d a ry te a c h e r
tra in in g .
I n t h e p a s t* r u r a l s o c io lo g y a s an e s s e n t i a l s u b je c t i n t h e
p ro c e s s o f e d u c a tio n , h a s n o t been, em phasised,, n o r h a s th e p u p i l , th e
"" ° n ^ 4™ Sobinson, WxHTarnl;!,, ^ P r o f e s s io h a T ^ r e 'p ^ ^ k o n 'fo r R u ral '
E lem en tary T e a c h e rs” , B ie n n ia l Survey o f E d u catio n in th e B a ite d S t a t e s ,
1932=34, U n ite d S t a t e s D epartm ent o f E d u c a tio n , W ashington, D, 0® C h ap ter
IT, p» R8,
Tl
f u t u r e t e a c h e r „ been encouraged t o e v a lu a te M s environm ent and i t s p a r*
t i c u l e r a c cqmpaniments»
Ho s p e c i f i c in c e n tiv e such a s th e s tu d y o f r u ra l
s o c io lo g y h a s in flu e n c e d Mm t o s e e k a b e t t e r u n d e rs ta n d in g o f r u r a l l i f e
i n o rd e r t o b e t t e r te a c h i ts . v a lu e a s a vay o f liv in g *
The acknowledgment
o f a need f o r te a c h e r t r a i n i n g i n r u r a l w ay s o f l i v i n g and th in k in g w i l l .
mean n o t o n ly in c re a s e d e f f ic ie n c y o f th e s c h o o l b u t a b e t t e r le a d e r s h ip
f o r a d u lt groups*
i n i s o l a t e d a r e a s t h e sc h o o l and t h e sch o o l te a c h e r a r e
o f te n spm bolio o f b o th t h e e d u c a tio n a l a n d s o c ia l l i f e o f t h e community*
P o r t h i s re a s o n i t may bo u n j u s t t o c h a rg e t h e e n t i r e c o s t o f th e t o Bohor6S
s a l a r y i n t h e f lv e * o r * le s s * p u p il s c h o o l t o th e p u p ils e n ro lle d *
I t may
n e e d t o he a p p o rtio n e d f u r t h e r t o in c lu d e t h e a d u lt groups t h a t w i l l p r o f i t
by w e ll t r a i n e d le a d e rs h ip *
T r a n s p o r ta tio n
The c o s t o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n b a se d on p e r c a p i t a o r i g i n a l e n ro llm e n t
i s f o u r tim e s g r e a te r f o r t h e upper an d lo w er h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d fiv e -o r =
le s s « p u p il d i s t r i c t s th a n f o r t h e s t a t e a s a whole*
These amounts a r e
s u f f i c i e n t l y d i f f e r e n t t o in d i c a t e t h a t th e c o s t o f tr a n s p o r ta l
, is o s
l a t e d a r e a s i s a m a jo r ite m i n t h e c o s t o f r u r a l ed u catio n *
I
Ti
\
number o f p u p ils in th e s p a r s e ly s e t t l e d re g io n s i s a l i m i t i n g f a c t o r In^x
th e u s e o f bus t r a n s p o r t a t i o n w hich has been found to b e t h e c h e a p e s t
means o f tr a n s p o r tin g *
T h is s ta te m e n t i s v e r i f i e d by t h e c o n c lu s io n s o f
Br* P au l R0 M ort mho s u g g e s ts th a t, o f a l l f a c t o r s c o n sid e re d i n tr s n s *
» 72
pos*ta*biG& c o st., t h e g r e a t e s t s i n g l e f a c t o r i s th e Btgtborc o f p u p ils * S g /
The l a r g e p a r t o f a l l is o la te d ; s c h o o ls i n Montana a r e lo c a te d i n
a r e a s irh e rs t h e ro a d s a r e im p a s sib le e x c e p t m t h h o rs e s o r "very l i g h t
e a r s d u rin g w in te r months o r a t tim e s o f u n fa v o ra b le w e a th e r»
T h e re fo re ,
in d iv id u a l t r a n s p o r t a t i o n h a s t o b e s u b s t i t u t e d f o r bus tr a n s p o r t a t i o n
e v e n th ough t h e c o s t is. in c r e a s e d .
Many c h ild r e n who l i v e t e n o r more
m ile s from sc h o o l a r e e n a b le d th ro u g h tr a n s p o r t a t i o n payments t o sec u re
lo d g in g s n e a r e r s c h o o l.
T here a r e many com m unities i n w hich th e S p a rs iig r
o f p o p u la tio n and t h e undev elo p ed c o n d itio n s o f ro a d s a r e su ch t h a t i t i s
sow im p o s sib le to t r a n s p o r t c h ild r e n b y bus t o a v o id t h e m ain ten an ce o f
v e ry s m a ll schools®
A sse sse d V a lu a tio n s an d A djustmentsThere a re two f a c t o r s t o b e c o n s id e re d i n th e p r e s e n t p la n f o r
sch o o l f In s a c e 0
P i r s t 5 t h e amount o f ta x a b le v a lu a tio n w ith in a d i s t r i c t ,
and. seconds t h e d iv is io n o f t h e ta x a b le v a lu a tio n a s t o (a ) p e rs o n a l
p ro p e rty and r e a l e s t a t e and (b ) p u b lic u t i l i t i e s (s e e t a b l e l ) »
The
f i r s t f a c t o r i s im p o rta n t to a l l d i s t r i c t s s in c e a l a r g e p e r c e n t o f th e
rev en u e f o r s c h o o l p u rp o se s i s r a i s e d w ith in th e lo c a l d i s t r i c t .
The
second f a c t o r i s o f u n u su al i n t e r e s t t o t h e d i s t r i c t s o f le w v a lu a tio n .
I t i s e v id e n t from th e f a c t s t h a t i n many d i s t r i c t s t h e t o t a l
rev en u e f o r t h e S p e c ia l D i s t r i c t 'School Pund was c a r r ie d a lm o st e x c lu s iv e ­
l y by th e p e rs o n a l p r o p e r ty and r e a l e s t a t e (s e e t a b l e I ) ,
SG/^ ^ ort/^ au T ^ oT "needed^^earch°^i tM ^ eorgsh isaticn ^F ^°^
School S a T s tric ts i n H ural A re assis, B ureau o f P u b lic a tio n s ^ T each ers C o lle g e 5
Columbia D n iv e r s r ty 5 IJew Y ork, 1924*
(
** 73
B nder th e p r e s e n t p lan , fa v o re d d i s t r i c t s p r o f i t by t h e e n t i r e
revenue from u t i l i t i e s , w h ile th e l e s s fa v o re d d i s t r i c t s a r e d e p riv e d
o f any p o r ti o n o f i t .
T his acco u n ts f o r t h e in e q u a litie s o f t a x burden
and th e , i n e q u a l i t i e s o f e d u c a tio n a l o p p o rtu n ity =
The revenue from t h e
t a x o f p u b lic , u t i l i t i e s i s i n r e a l i t y an income from w hich a l l c h ild r e n
sh o u ld b e n e f its s in c e u t i l i t i e s a re a p o s s ib le .a ss e t o n ly b ecau se o f g r a n ts
and p r i v i l e g e s a c c o rd e d t o them by th e. p e o p le a s a whole©
A p u b lic u t i l i t y
i s su p p o rte d n o t b y th e b u s in e s s o f th e l o c a l d i s t r i c t i n w hich t h e p l a n t
chances t o be s i t u a t e d , b u t by a c o l l e c t i v e business©
The im m ediate a r e a ,
t h e a d ja c e n t a re a a s w e ll a s th e m ost rem ote a r e a a re a l l e q u a lly
e s s e n t i a l ' t o t h e l i f e o f any u tility © .
I t i s f o r t h i s re a s o n t h a t con­
tr ib u tin g a g e n c ie s sh o u ld s h a r e a l i k e i n t h e b e n e f its a c c ru in g from t h e i r
a c ti v itie s ©
A s ta te w id e d i s t r i b u t i o n r a t h e r th a n a d i s t r i c t d i s t r i b u t i o n o f
rev en u e produced b y u t i l i t y t a x a t i o n w o u ld te n d t o e q u a lis e t h e in e q u a li­
t i e s o f t a x burden©
D i s t r i c t s w ith la r g e u t i l i t y h o ld in g s would r e l i n ­
q u is h p a r t o f th e income d e r iv e d from t h i s so u rc e and th e d if f e r e n c e
w ould b e a b so rb ed by p e rs o n a l p ro p e rty and r e a l e s t a t e th ro u g h ad d ed
levies©
T his change i n t a x d i s t r i b u t i o n would le a d t o th e e q u a lis in g o f
ta x a b le w e a lth w ith in , d is tr ic ts ©
I t w ould b o th r a i s e and lo w e r le v i e s
a c c o rd in g t o th e lo s s o r g a in by a d is tr ic t©
F u r th e r , su ch ad ju stm en ts
w ould te n d t o e q u a lis e .e d u c a tio n a l o p p o r tu n i tie s s in c e e v e ry c h ild ,r a t h e r th a n a lim it e d num ber, would p a r t i c i p a t e i n th e income from
t h e s e p ro p e rtie s ©
Z
74
<fcme2*sinp
h CW
'M.sywmaan iia miwjn
mi t
The t o t a l a re a o f a sc h o o l d i s t r i c t h as sm all m eaning #i@n i t i s
c o n s id e re d f o r p u b lic re v e n u e »
The c o n tr o llin g f a c t o r i s ow nership o f
ta x a b le r e s o u r c e s f o r t h e re a s o n t h a t a l l p u b lic la n d s a r e exempt from
ta x a tio n ^
The e f f e c t o f t h i s exemption on th e t a x b a se may b e o b serv ed
i n t h e f a c t t h a t 43 m i l l i o n a c r e s o r n e a r ly one~hal£ o f th e t o t a l s t a t e
a c re a g e i s owned by p u b lic a g en cies# and# t h e r e f o r e does n o t y i e l d p u b lic
rev en u e th ro u g h t a x e s »
57/
The s h i f t i n la n d ow nership h a s b e e n un*
u s u a lly la r g e i n t h e p a s t few y e a rs*
The number o f owners o f r e a l e s t a t e
d e c lin e d n o tic e a b ly becau se o f t h e a c tiv itie s , o f governm ent la n d p u rc h a se
program s and m ortgage fo re c lo s u re s *
d e p lo ra b le f o r two r e a s o n s »
This l a t t e r p r a c t i c e h a s b een m ost
F i r s t # many e v ic t e d f a m ilie s , d e p riv e d o f a
home and a n occupation# have been f o r c e d t o become p u b lic c h a rg e s ,
i s e s p e c i a l l y t r u e o f th e m iddle and o ld a g e group.
T h is
Seconds u n d e r f o r e ­
c lo s u r e procedure# c o rp o ra tio n s came i n t o p o s s e s s io n o f h u n d red s o f farm s
and f r e q u e n tly th e s e farm s w ere th e n abandoned s o t h a t t h e la n d d e c re a se d
in t a x v a lu e*
Likew ise# t h e farm b u ild in g s were allo w ed t o d e t e r i o r a t e
and soon c ea sed t o be a so u rc e o f p u b lic re v e n u e .
O th er hun d red s o f
a c r e s w ere removed from th e t a x r o l l b y th e government la n d p u rch ase
program s.
T his c au se d f i n a n c i a l d i f f i c u l t i e s i n a r e a s w here p u b lic revenue
f e l l b elow t h e income n e c e s s a ry t o .su p p o rt th e s e r v ic e s o f government*
P erh ap s a t some f u t u r e d a te th e la n d now i n s u b s is te n c e hom esteads w i l l
p a s s i n t o p r i v a t e ow nership# and i t s enhanced v a lu e w i l l com pensate f o r
E x p erim ent S ta tio n # Bozeman# Montana# Mimeograph C ir c u la r Ho* 15*
*s
^
th e p r e s e n t w ithdraw al=
. The amount of, a c re a g e , dimed by p u b lic a g e n c ie s w ith in th e s ix
c o u n tie s v a r i e s from l e s s th a n 17 p e r c e n t1i n Bawson B ounty t o m ere th a n
75 p e r c e n t i n Beaverhead Bounty*
T ihile t h e .ta x a b le a c r e s i n th e lower-
h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d f i v e - o r g ie s s*»pupi I d i s t r i c t s ex ceed s th e n o n ^ ta x a b le
a c r e s by 7=7 p e r P m ita and in t h e t o t a l a l l u p p er and lo w e r h a l f o f
s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s b y 14 p e r c e n t (s e e t a b le XX)» th e e x c e s s iv e amount o f
nan«-taxaM e la n d p u ts an added burden- on t h e re m a in in g areas.*-. H o st non=- .
t a x a b l e la n d y ie ld s some revenue- th ro u g h r o y a l i t i e s and le a s i n g f e e s end
s h o u ld l i k e l y b e e x p e c te d t o y i e l d more revenue in- o rd e r t o pay a l a r g e r
share- o f th e c o s t o f p u b lic s e rv ic e s *
Bbwevers. -u n d er. th e p r e s e n t le a s in g
Ia w si6 th e income from n a n -taxab le la n d d o es n o t e q u a l t h e re v e n u e from l i k e a re a s t h a t a r e p r i v a t e l y owned and o p erated *
. The ow nership problem o f th e f iv e « to r* le ss f p u p il d i s t r i c t i s mostv i t a l i f th e d i s t r i c t i s t o ' c o n tin u e a s a n in d ep en d e n t u n i t and i s to .
s u p p o rt th e m ajo r p a r t o f i t s p u b lic services;*..
The s iz e an d k in d o f sch o o l fund i n a s p a r s e ly s e t t l e d a r e a i s t h e
r e s u l t o f t h e p o p u la tio n p a tte r n ^ which, i s c lo s e ly r e l a t e d t o t h e economic
re s o u rc e s t h a t a re a v a ila b le * . 5 6 / i n M ontana th e r e has b een a d e f i n i t e
■
m ig r a tio n o f t h e people- from, th e d r o u th - s tr ik e n a r e a s i n t o t h e more favor**
a b le a re a s * ' Y et i p no p a r t o f t h e s t a t e has t h e r e b een com plete abandon® ■
m eat o f th e land*
I n many se C tiO asa how evers t h e r e h as b e e n a c o n s ta n t
D i s t r i c t s i n R u ra l A reas1V. p . 14*
TiBLB XIo.~~T.Om ACBBS OF TAXABLE ASD SOS-TAXABLE LASD MTTRTn STATE9
FOUR. SAMPLE COUNTIES, JSD S I T W ALL SELECTED DISTRICTS BY THESE
COUNTIES, DISTRIBUTED AOCORDINC TO H SD OF PROPERTY,. 1357
T axahle a c r e s • Non—ta x a b le acresS ta te
4 9 ,9 7 7 ,7 5 1
4 3 ,2 9 7 ,5 5 4
S ix sam ple e o tm tie s a l l d i s t r i c t s
7»8Y6*6@1
5*326,486
T e ta l o f a l l s e le c te d - f iv e= o r« .
I e s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r s i x
sam ple c o u n tie s
707,845
U pper h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d f i r e or*»le s s -p u p i I d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i x sample c o u n tie s
467*757
334,845
Lower h a l f o f a l l s e l e c t e d f i r e o r - le s s - p u p ll d i s t r i c t s - f o r
.s ix sam ple c o u n tie s
240,108
221*465
'
606,310
* 77 *
d e c re a s e I n tiio p o p u la tio n 0
I h is de d i n i n g p o p u la tio n i s p a r t i a l l y r e ­
f l e c t e d i n a d e c re a se d sch o o l a tte n d a n c e ,
T e ry o fte n s c h o o ls t h a t fo rm er­
l y e n r o lle d 8 t o 10 p u p ils have become f i v e - o r - l e s s -pupi l s c h o o ls ,
Oa th e
o t h e r h an d j t h e s e ttle m e n t o f new a re a s j, w here t h e r e i s a s p a r s i t y o f
p o p u latio n ^, h a s in c r e a s e d t h e number o f f i v e- o r - le s s - p u p il schools= 5 9 /
F o r t h i s and s e v e r a l o th e r re a s o n s t h a t d e f i n i t e l y r e f e r t o m o b ility ^ t h e
f i v e - o r - l e s s -p u p iI sc h o o l i n M ontana t r i l l c o n tin u e t o b e a problem*
The re a s o n s f o r t h i s e x c e s s iv e m o b ility s h o u ld r e c e iv e s e r io u s
c o n s id e r a tio n becau se o f t h e i r in flu e n c e on t h e s t a t e e d u c a tio n a l program,=
F i r s t 3 th e la c k o f p la n n in g o r o f governm ent c o n tr o l o v e r m a rg in a l and s u b m a rg in a l la n d h as r e s u l t e d i n t h e s e ttle m e n t o f a r e a s where t h e o p p o rtu n ity
f o r e a r n in g a l i v e lih o o d eq u al t o an a v erag e s ta n d a rd i s q u e stio n ab le = 6 0 /
T h is w i l l l i k e l y c o n tin u e i n t o th e f u tu r e u n le s s M ontm a r e v e r s e s i t s p a s t
p o lity .
I n t h e second p la c e , a p o s s ib le change to w ard s a more fa v o ra b le
c lim a tic c o n d itio n may again, cause a n i n f l u x o f p e o p le t o t h e a r e a s now
abandoned.
T h is i s a s s o c ia te d w ith th e f a c t t h a t a n abundance o f m o is tu re
te m p o r a r ily changes t h e s t a t u s o f much o f t h e la n d i n Montana, so f a r a s
farm p r o d u c tiv ity i s a f f e c t e d .
In t h e t h i r d p la c e , t h e g e n e r a l economic _ '
c o n d itio n s f o s t e r t h e movement o f p e o p le from c o u n try t o th e c i t y and v ic e
v e rsa,
M r, L , C= Gray h as p o in te d o u t t h a t nPoor la n d a r e a s i n g e n e ra l
l o s t a l a r g e r p ro p o r tio n o f t h e i r p o p u la tio n th a n good la n d a r e a s d u rin g
ai&V' pV' l&T
m / A s ta n d a r d o f l i v i n g w hich s h a l l p ro v id e n o t o n ly t h e b a re
n e c e s s i t i e s o f l i f e b u t soma added m a te r ia l and non-m aterial th in g s and
o b je c ts w h ich s h a l l make f o r a more c o m fo rta b le l i f e , A s ta n d a rd o f l i v ­
in g f o r th e farm f a m ily sh o u ld compare fa v o ra b ly w ith t h e s ta n d a rd o f
l i v i n g m a in ta in e d b y t h e h ig h ly s k i l l e d w o rk e r o f th e c i t y , s in c e th e
fa rm e r i s n o t o n ly t h e manager* b u t i n m ost c a s e s an ad d ed w o rk e r.
M
7S &&
th e p e r io d o f in c le e tr ia l p r o s p e r ity from 1922 t o 1929^ and g a in e d a,
l a r g e r p r o p o r tio n d u rin g th e d e p re ssio n .,
M oreover, t h e p o o r e r th e la n d
t h e g r e a t e r -rore th e in c r e a s e s o f p o p u la tio n s tim u la te d b y t h e Se=
P r e s s io n 11O A l/
For t h e s e re a s o n s i t i s t o h e e x p ec te d t h a t th e d e s e r te d
farm t i l t h i t s l i m i t e d l i v i n g accom odations and u n c e r ta in p ro d u c tiv e v a lu e
w i l l a t t r a c t those- p e o p le who a r e p r e s s e d e l s e tite r e ,
C onsequently* a
c o n tin u o u s s h i f t o f p o p u la tio n * p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t o t h e p o o re r a r e a s , m y
be a n tic ip a te d , 6 2 /
The answ er i s t h a t t h e e d u c a tio n a l problem f o r t h e
c h ild r e n o f th e i s o l a t e d hom estead w i l l be p a r t i a l l y s o lv e d th ro u g h t h e
e s ta b lis h m e n t an d m aintenance o f t h e fiv e ~ o r= le s s * p u p il s c h o o l.
F d u e a tlo n
U n t i l r e c e n t y e a rs th e s c h o o l c u rric u lu m t h a t was a c c e p te d a s
b a s i c a l l y sound to o k sm all h e ed o f t h e environm ent o r t h e n e e d o f th e
in d iv id u a l p u p i l .
U rban and r u r a l sc h o o ls a tte m p te d th e same k in d o f ■
program w ith s u c h m o d if ic a tio n a s f i n a n c i a l c o n d itio n s , c u r t a i l e d enroll=*
a e n t and, . a in e d le a d e r s h ip made necessary= .
The g e n e ra l tren d i n r u r a l
a s w e ll a s u rb a n ed ucation* was away from t h e farm* th e em phasis o f a l l
e d u c a tio n b e in g upon t h e economic and s o c i a l ad v an tag es o f t h e u rb a n
.. " " '
" S o c ia l and Econom ic""Im plications
" IE e l^ tio n a r
Land Program?1* J o u rn a l o f Farm Economics* May* 1966,
6 2 / I n th e p r o j e c t 103 d i s t r i c t s w ere s t u d i e d . E ig h te e n o f th e
same d i s t r i c t s w e re in c lu d e d f o r b o th 1935 and 193 7 ,, The t o t a l number of
f a m ilie s i n - t h e 18 d i s t r i c t s was 65, I n t h e u p p er h a l f o f t h e 18 d i s t r i c t s * '
o r 10 i n number;* t h e names o f S3 f a m ilie s a p p ea re d on th e census r o l l f o r
b o th 1935 and 1 957, I n 1935 th e r e w ere i n t h i s group 53 f a m ilie s w h ile i n
1937 th e number had d e c re a se d t o 40 f a m i l i e s . I n th e lo w er h a l f o f t h e 16
d i s t r i c t s * o r 8 i n number*, th e names o f 32 f a m ilie s a p p e a re d on th e c en su s
r o l l f o r b o th 1935 and 1937« I n t h i s group f o r 1935 t h e r e were 34- fa m ilie s ,
and I n 1957 t h e r e w ere 40 f a m i l i e s .
79
c e n te r s r a t h e r th a n upon th e com pensations o f rm*al I i f e 0
This ty p e o f
t r a i n i n g th e n l e d t o a c o n s ta n t m ig ra tio n o f t h e more p ro g r e s s iv e y o n th s
from th e farm t o th e c i t y w ith i t s I n r e o f m a te r ia l gain®
I n t h i s manner
th e r u r a l a r e a s were o f t e n d e p le te d o f t h e i r m ost c ap a b le leadership®
In
more r e c e n t y e a r s many s o c ia l^ econom ic, a n d te c h n o lo g ic a l changes have
th r e a te n e d t o b r e a k down th e s o c ia l s tru c tu re ®
T his t h r e a t h a s been a
ch allenge, t h a t awakened n o t o n ly e d u c a to rs b u t le a d e r s in many f i e l d s t o
th e f a l l a c y o f a common p la n f o r education®
r e v i s i o n o f t h e c u rric u lu m i s n e c e ssa ry *
I t h as become e v id e n t t h a t
On e v e ry S id ell, le a d e r s have
a d v o ca te d a sch o o l program w hich would su p p ly th e wants o f b o th t h e y o u th
and a d u lts o f t h e r u r a l sec tio n s®
T h is a g i t a t i o n h a s l e d t o a w id esp read
a cc e p ta n c e o f th e new p h ilo s o p h y f o r r u r a l e d u c a tio n s a p h ilo so p h y w hich
em phasizes t h e a c t i v i t i e s o f r u r a l I i f e s and a t th e same tim e s tim u la te s
i n t e r e s t i n a way o f l i v i n g a d a p te d t o en v iro n m en t and n eed o f t h e i s o ­
l a t e d areas®
H'ECOmMDATIOlS SiD OOlCLDSlOIiS
T his stu d y h as d is c lo s e d a number o f f a c t o r s w h ich ten d t o c r e a te
i n e q u a l i t i e s o f f i n a n c i a l b u rd en and e d u c a tio n a l o p p o rtu n ity w ith in c e r ta in
areas®
T h e re fo re 5 th e fo llo w in g recom m endations a r e su g g e s te d a s p o s s ib le
ways b y w hich some o f t h e i n e q u a l i t i e s m ight be corrected®
I®
The s t a t e sh o u ld assume an added f i n a n c i a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r
e d u c a tio n i n o r d e r t o g u a ra n te e e v e ry c h ild e q u a l e d u c a tio n a l opportunlt i e s j r e g a r d le s s o f th e l o c a t io n of-econom ic s ta tu s , o f e i t h e r t h e p a r e n ts
o f th e c h ild o r t h e community®
80
2»
The in c r e a s e d s t a t e s u p p o rt sh o u ld bo drama from s o u rc e s o th e r
th a n p r o p e r ty t a x b ecau se i n r u r a l com m unities e x c e s siv e t a x a t io n works a
s p e c ia l h a rd s h ip on. th e fa rm e rs and t h e land®
W ealth c e n te r s in c i t i e s t o
a l a r g e deg ree and when t h e s t a t e assu m es' a n in c r e a s in g p e rc e n ta g e o f sc h o o l supports, draw in g its - money from o th e r th a n p ro p e rty ta x a tio n *
s c h o o ls i n r u r a l a re a s b e n e f i t thereby®
3®
The income from ,p u b lic u t i l i t i e s sh o u ld b e impounded i n a
s t a t e funds and p ro c e e d s sh ould be d i s t r i b u t e d t o t h e s c h o o l d i s t r i c t s
f o r th e b e n e f it o f a l l elem en ta ry sc h o o l c h ild re n , r a t h e r th a n t h e c h ild r e n
o f a s in g le a r e a , inasm uch a s th e s e fu n d s a r i s e from th e e x p lo ita tio n o f
n a tu r a l r e s o u r c e s , le a s e s o f p u b lic dom ain, f r a n c h is e e , e tc ® , a l l o f w hich
a r e h o ld in g s o f th e commonwealth®
4® The S ta te I n t e r e s t and Income f u n d , e s ta b lis h e d f o r t h e su p p o rt
o f t h e e le m e n ta ry sc h o o l, i s a p p o rtio n e d on t h e b a s i s o f th e cen su s ro ll®
T h is m ethod a p p e a rs t o f a v o r t h e c e n te r s o f g r e a te s t p o p u la tio n density®
T h is , how ever, i s n o t true®
The f i v e - o r - l e s s *»pupil' d i s t r i c t s ' in 1985 and
1937 b e n e f ite d more d i r e c t l y th a n d id th e l a r g e r d is tr ic ts ®
I f th e
I n t e r e s t and Income Fund were d i s t r i b u t e d on th e b a s i s o f o r ig i n a l en«
r o llm e n t, t h e e d u c a tio n a l program f o r t h e p u p ils a c t u a l l y r e g is te r e d
c o u ld b e subsidized®
5®
School d i s t r i c t s , -enlarg ed b y c o n s o lid a tio n f o r th e p u rp o se o f
t a x a t i o n , s h o u ld in c lu d e an a r e a s u f f i c i e n t l y w ide t o e n a b le th e p o o re r
a r e a s t o d ra w on th e w e a lth i e r a r e a s f o r a s s is ta n c e i n t h e fin a n c in g o f
t h e i r schools®
6® D i s t r i c t s c o n s o lid a te d f o r t h e p u rp o se o f t a x a t i o n should be
«* S I
so combined t h a t v ith o u b r e f e r e n c e t o s i a s th e in d iv id u a l u n i t s would
h a w a p p ro x im a te ly l i k e t a x V alnes and i n d e te rm in in g ' t h i s v a lu e p u b lic
u t i l i t i e s sh o u ld b e excluded,
Tc
I n d iv id u a l a id f o r tr a n s p o r ta tio n , m ig h t be made more p u rp o se*
f u l and w orthw hile i f a t r a n s p o r t a t i o n sch e d u le w ere computed on a m ile ­
age an d ro a d ty p e b a s is r a t h e r th a n m ile a g e b a s is alone,.
A reim bursem ent
sch e d u le s h o u ld he d r a f t e d t i l w hich a p p o rtio n m e n ts a r e b a se d on th e
a c c e s s i b i l i t y o f th e s c h o o l p la n t combined w ith t h e ro a d ty p e and i n d i v i ­
d u a l t r a n s p o r t a t i o n o r p u b lic conveyance»
8o
Teachers t r a i n e d i n r u r a l p r a c t i c e s sh o u ld be given employment
p re fe re n c e f o r r u r a l a re a s ,
Tho t r a i n i n g f o r t h e r u r a l te a c h e r sh o u ld
in c lu d e n o t o n ly methods f o r e lem en tary ■te a c h in g b u t a d d itio n a l methods
f o r t h e developm ent o f community le a d e r s h ip th ro u g h a d u lt e d u c a tio n .
Those te a c h e r s who rem ain i n th e f i e l d o f r u r a l e d u c a tio n s h o u ld r e c e i v e .
ad d ed co m p en satio n .
The fo llo w in g c o n c lu s io n s a r e th e p ro d u c t o f th e s tu d y o f th e
d i s t r i c t s s u p p o rtin g one sc h o o l and t h a t f o r f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p ils i n t h e
s i x c o u n tie s ,
1,
D i s t r i c t s dependent upon p e rs o n a l p r o p e r ty and r e a l e s t a t e
w ith ou t p r o p o r tio n a l s u p p o rt o f p u b lic u t i l i t i e s * p ay an u n eq u al s h a re
o f th e e d u c a tio n a l c o s t ,
2,
When th e t a x b u rd e n on la n d i s o u t o f p r o p o r tio n t o th e income*
th e te n d en c y i s t o e x p l o i t th e l a n d .
So
O u ts ta n d in g in d e b te d n e s s i s n o t a f a c t o r i n sc h o o l f in a n c e s
f o r th e f i v e -o rV le s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t .
Some sm all in d e b te d n e s s was
•» Sg «=»
r e g i s t e r e d i n o n ly 11 p e r c e n t1o f . th e d i s t r i c t s ,
4®
C o atin u ed s e ttle m e n t i n i s o l a t e d a r e a s i s t o be e x p e c te d o n 1 ■■ ■
l e s s gQTeSmient zoning i s more -w idely1.:in tro d u ced and enforced*
5a
P o p u la tio n m o b ility m i l c o n tin u e to be a f a c t o r i n in c r e a s in g
and d e c r e a s in g th e number o f f iT e ^ o r^ le s s » p u p il sc h o o ls i n s p a r s e ly popu­
l a t e d areas?:
8.
The s p a r s e s e ttle m e n t and r e s u l t i n g p ro b lem s o f i s o l a t i o n
n e c e s s i t a t e th e c o n tin u a n ce o f t h e f iv e - o r - le s s - p u p il S ch d o le
la
p o r t a t io n a
‘
In d iv id u a l t r a n s p o r t a t i o n i s ■more ex p en siv e th a n b u s trails®
Bus tr a n s p o r t a t i o n i s n o t f e a s i b l e i n i s o l a t e d a re as*
8*
The m ajor expense o f t h e f i v e - o r - l e s s -p u p il s c h o o l i s te a c h e r
9*
The s a l a r y o f t h e te a c h e r i n t h e f i v e ^ o r - l e s s - p u p i l sch o o l
c o st?
r e p r e s e n ts th e te a c h in g # com pulsory e d u catio n # h e a lt h s e rv ic e # and
j a n i t o r c o sts*
10*
The t r a i n i n g and e x p e rie n c e o f t h e te a c h e r i n th e f i v e - c r ­
i e s s - p u p il sc h o o l i s e q u a l t o th e s ta n d a r d now re q u ire d *
■
-
* 88
A E rm m c A
SotsgQes o f B ata
B iq d a ta f o r s tu d y o f th e f i v e - o r - le s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s .wore: com piled
from t h e fo llo u m ig s o u r cess
Io
F itta a o ie l s t a t i s t i c s f o r th e f i v e =>or- I ess=pup 11 d i s t r i c t s ^ f i l e s
o f th e S ta te D epartm ent o f P u b lic X a s tru o tion* 2 a F i m n c i a l s t a t i s t i c s f o r t h e s t a t e and s i x e o u a tie s s B ie n n ia l
r e p o r t s o f S t a t e Board o f E qualizatio n .^ 1935«36 and 1937-38,,
So
Census r o l l end te a c h e r c e r t i f i c a t e r e g i s t r a t i o n ^ f i l e s o f t h e
County S u p e rin te n d e n ts o f S chools f o r B earerh ead j, B la in e i, Gasoadeit C houteau,
Bawsonj, an d H u s s e ls h e ll c o u n tie s*
4 0 A ssessed -v a lu a tio n f o r f i r e - o r « l e s s - p u p il d i s t r i c t s a s t a t e ' and
s i x c o u n tie s » f i l e s o f S ta te D epartm ent o f P u M ie I n s t r u c t i o n and S ta te
Board o f B q u a lia a tio tt0
Sa
Land m m ership*. A g r ic u ltu r a l Bcoaomios B e p a rta e n ts A g r ic u ltu r a l
E xperim ent S ta tio n s Montana S ta te C o lle go*
6»
H i s t o r i c a l re v ie w s , H elena In d e p e n d e n t, 1933=
AS a b a s i s f o r c o n s tr u c tin g s c h e d u le s , t h e form s f o r t h e an n u al
r e p o r t o f th e County S u p e rin te n d e n t o f S ch o o ls t o th e S t a t e D epartm ent o f
P u b lic I n s t r u c t i o n were u s e d , a s e p a r a te s c h e d u le b e in g p re p a re d f o r each
Item o f th e form*
A com plete s e t o f s c h e d u le s was a rra n g e d f o r th e s t a t e ,
s i x c o u n tie s , and t h e s e le c te d d i s t r i c t s *
t a b u l a t e d from t h e o f f i c i a l , reco rd s*
D a ta fo r each d i v i s i o n was
A d d itio n a l in fo r m a tio n on f in a n c e s
m s. g a th e re d from t h e S ta te Board o f B q u a lia a tio n re c o r d s and p r in t e d
re p o rts T
The in fo rm a tio n on c e r t i f i c a t i o n m s assem bled th ro u g h
co rresp o n d en ce is d th th e s e v e r a l c o u n ty s u p e r in te n d e n ts o f sch o o ls*
F ie ld
workers o f th e II0P eA* c o l l e c t e d th e d a ta on cen su s r o l l s a w h ile a r e s id e n t
member o f t h e same s t a f f com piled th e f a c t s on la n d ow nership*
The p e r c a p i t a ta x a b le w e a lth s u p p o rtin g each o r i g i n a l e n ro llm e n t
m s d e te rm in e d f o r t h e fiv e -o r» le ss= » p u p il d i s t r i c t s o f each o f t h e s i x
c o u n tie s a a f t e r th e ra w d a ta had been g a th e re d *
The d i s t r i c t s w ere
d iv id e d i n t o tw o s e c tio n s * th o s e o f h ig h e r p e r c a p it a w e a lth fo rm in g t h e .
u p p e r h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d f i v e - o r - l e s s - p u p i I d i s t r i c t s and th o s e o f low­
e r p e r c a p it a w e a lth fo rm in g th e lo w e r h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d f i v e - o r - l e s s p u p il d is tr ic ts *
The d a t a c o lle c te d w ere now ta b u la te d a c c o rd in g to th e
above p lan *
S in c e t h e s tu d y was co n cern ed o n ly w ith th e e le m e n ta ry sc h o o l
system * i t was n o t c o n s id e re d f e a s i b l e t o u se th e t o t a l f ig u r e o f th e
S ta te D epartm ent r e p o r ts , f o r seme ite m s w h ich w i l l b e d is c u s s e d la te r *
T h erefore* a f t e r c o n fe rin g w ith a member o f t h e s t a f f i n t h e S ta te Depart­
ment o f P u b lic I n s t r u c t i o n and s e v e r a l county s u p e r in te n d e n ts th e fellow=!
In g b a s i s was s e l e c t e d f o r s e g r e g a tin g t h e elem en ta ry c o s t from th e h ig h
sch o o l c o s t*
To t h e e le m e n ta ry s c h o o l w as c h arg ed (a ) 40 p e r c e n t o f t h e
s a la r y o f s u p e r in te n d e n ts i n f i r s t and sec o n d c la s s d i s t r i c t s an d p r i n c i ­
p a l s o f t h i r d c la s s d i s t r i c t s * (b ) 55 p e r c e n t o f expense o f t h e o f f i c e o f
s u p e r in te n d e n t i n f i r s t and second c la s s d i s t r i c t s and p r i n c i p a l s o f t h i r d
c l a s s d i s t r i c t s * (c ) 85 p e r c e n t o f t h e ex p en se o f s c h o o l b o a rd s and b u s i­
n e s s o f f ic e s *
The ch arg es w ere b a se d m t h e approxim ate amount of tim e
and s e r v ic e re n d e re d t o th e elem en ta ry sc h o o ls b y t h e s e .a g e n e ie s 0
APPMDIX B
table
I c=-FUMBBR OF G H L D R M B E T W E M THE AGES OF 6*21, ASD SDMBER OF ORIGISAL ESROLLMESTS
FOR STATE, SIX, SAMPLE COUSTIES, # D ALL SELECTED PIFB=ORmLESS-PDPIL DISTRICTS
OF THESE COUNTIES CLASSIFIED FOR TEE SCHOOL YEARS,.1935=36 AHD 1937=38
1935=36
1937=38
Cwstid:
O rig in a l
e n ro llm e n t
Census
O rig in al..
enrollm ent
159,769.
82.562
163,220
79,178
28,203
11.563
22,231
T o ta l o f a l l s e le c te d fiT re-or*
le s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r s i s
sample c o u n tie s
10,650
■ ^'
445
163
576
218
Upper h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d fiv e =
o r = Iessm pupil d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i s sample c o u n tie s ■
251
82
327
99
Lower h a l f ,of a l l s e le c te d five*or= lsas= p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r ■
s i x sam ple c o u n tie s
194
81
249
119
s ta te
,Six sam ple c o u n tie s a l l d i s t r i c t s
—*
APPBIBIX B
TABLB I I , —NET AHOBST SPBST DISTRIBUTED ACOOEDISG TO ORIGHAL ESEOLLHmT
FOR STATE^ SIX SAMPLE COWTIEs 4 ASD ALL SELECTED FIVEOR-LESS-POPIL
DISTRICTS OF TBESE COWTIES, 1935-36
School
Sat
h o ard &
amount Taaohgr ' b u s in e s s
s p e n t___ s a l a r y
o f f ic e
d o lla r s p e r c e n t p e r c e n t
T ex t
Trans-?
A ll o th e r
hooks
p o r ta tio n so u rces
p e r c e n t p e r cen t p e r c e n t
S ta te
102.85
4 4 .8
1 .9
1 ,9
7 .0
44^3
S ix sample c o u n tie s ' a l l d i s t r i c t s - '
110.28
4 7 .8
2 ,3
1 ,5
6s 6
41; 7
T o ta l o f a l l s e le c te d T iv e-O r• le s s -p u p il d i s t r i c t s fo r s ix
sample c o u n tie s
329.16
67s 0
2^8
1 .3
1 2 ,5
16*8
Opper h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d f i v e o r - l e s s - p u p i l d i s t r i c t s fo r
s ix sample c o u n tie s
257,65
65 .0
3 .8
1 5 .1
1 5 ,7
Lower h a l f o f ,a l l s e le c te d f i v e o r-le s s -p u p il d i s tr ic ts fo r
s i x sample c o u n tie s
200.31
69? 7
2 ,7
9 ,1
17.0
1 .4
APPEmm B
BBLE X II .—BBT JWSOt P SPMT DISTRIBUTED AGGOEDDTG TO OEIGDTAD EEEODLMMT
FOR STATE5 SIX SAIIPLB GOMt IBS5 ADD ADL SEDEGTBD FIVE^OE«DESS^PDPIL
DISTRICTS OF THESE COtMTXBS5 X9S7»33
B et
amount
spent
d o lla rs
School
h o a rd &
T ext
T eacher b u s in e s s
T ranS f
hooks p o r t a t i o n
s a la ry ■ o f f i c e ■
p er c e n t ' p e r cent per cent p e r c en t
A ll o th e r
so u rc e s
p e r cent
107,43
45 «5
2 .0
1 ,8
9 .2
4 1 .6
S t s sample c o m t i e e a l l d i s t r i c t s
131,03
4 8 ,1
1 ,7
1 .1
7 .8
4 6 .2
T o ta l o f a l l s e le c te d f i v e ^or-=
le s s ^ p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r s i x
sample c o u n tie s
240,86
6 4 .8
2 .9
1 .4
16 ,5
1 4 .6
Upper h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d five®o r g ie s s n p u p il d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i x sam ple c o u n tie s
206.68
6 2 .1
3 .1 '
1 .4
1 8 .6
1 4 .7
Lower h a l f o f a l l s e le c te d five*=
or< *less»pupil d i s t r i c t s f o r
s i x sample c o u n tie s
200.87
6 6 ,9
2 ,4
1 .3
1 2 ,9
1 7 .4
88
s ta te
'
................................................................Ih m MVM y ,*
JABLI LiT,-"SJATE RECEIPTS FBOM ALL OTHER SOURCES
Type o f Income
.1936
d o lla rs
1937
d o lla r s
141,482.92
2 4 1 ,6 6 3 ,2 0
P ro p e rty s a l e s in s u ra n c e
2 1 ,5 7 7 .7 7
.144,791,41
F o rest
2 3 ,2 5 8 .1 5
2 4 ,1 3 9 ,8 5
■967,722.11
1 ,8 4 7 ,3 4 2 .6 0
1 ,1 5 4 ,0 4 0 .9 5
2 ,2 5 7 ,9 3 7 .0 4
E q u a liz a tio n fund
P in e s ^ r e n t a l , t u i t i o n , e tc *
T o ta l
90 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
Boisjmea3 I s a le h 3 Tho W orld and I t s P e o p le 3 W orld Book Gompansrs Heisr York3
1955.
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B rnanor3 Edmund deS. s an d L orge3 I r v in g 8. R u ral Trends I n D e p re ssio n Y ears3
Columbia H n ir e r s ity P r e s s 3 Hew Yerk8 1 9 5 7 .'v""” ' •
G i l l e t t e 3 dames M o rris3 R u ra l S o c io lo g y s t h e M aom illian Company3 Hew York3
1922 o
“
K ile 3 0 . M33 The Hew A g r io n ltn r e 3 M acm illan Company8 Heirr York3 1932,
K olb3 Jo Eo8 and B rn m e r3, Edmund deS. fl A Study o f R u ral Sociology*
Houghton M i f f l i n Company3 C hlcage8 1955,
>~-»
Munba3 Eo Eo3 Urban S o elo lo g y 8 HEaomillan Company* 1938,
Leaeock3 Stephen* The U nsolved R id d le o f S o c ia l J n s t l e e 3 John Lane Cm pany3
Hew York3 1920»
'"r™’
R e n te r3 Edward B ,8 p o p u la tio n P a t t e r n 0 J , B» L ip p in e o tt Company3 Chieago3
1935*
S anderson8 Dwight3 The R u ra l Community* Ginn and Company* C hieago3 1952.
Thompson3 Warren. So3 P o p u la tio n P roblem s0 M eGraw-Hill3 I n e
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0 3
Hew York8
M agazines
A nderson8 Lo8 O ther S id e o f School C o n so lid atio n * C a lif o r n ia C u ltiv a to r*
Saeram ento8 C a lifo rn ia * A p ril* 1955»
Baldwin* R8- D, * A dequate F in a n c in g o f R u ra l School Sg I s i t S o le ly th e
F a rm e r8s Problem? ,"S c h o o l and^Society* September^* 1928" "
Benjam in8 E,* S d u o a tlo n a l and H a tio n a l R ecovery i n Denmark* A nnuals o f
American' Academy*' Hovember3 1935»
C hapin3 F , So8 S o c ia l H e rita g e R o lls up on t h e Back o f Schools* S d io o l
and S o c ie ty 0 August* 1935,
fit*
%
SB
D oeringg I 0 Bttg WAdultE d u eatio n 5%' w*
F *in
lan**dtmuT
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E o k e lb o rry 5 B6 H6fl _________ __ _____ _
School and S o e le ty g P e b ru a ry 3
ig B d u eatio n g,
G oodykm tag B essg E d u c a tio n o f W o le Saia5S I e n a n ts a School L i f e 3 May« 1988«
G ray0 L6 Ge0 S o c ia l and Boonoatie lm p llo a tlo n s o f th e N a tio n a l Land Prograat0
Journal" oi'''' Parm Economios a' * l ^ > ^ ’9 3 8r~
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K ent3 Bo Ae0 Sow P a r I s t h e School a P a r t o f th e S o c ia l F a b ric ?
S o c ie ty , Jim e0 ISSS6
School and
McMahan0 W6 A60 D e p ressio n and th e le w Bura-I Schools Texas O u tlo o k , Q cto b er3
1935.
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.
M i l l i g t a 0 M6 Eo3 H is to r ic a l B eriew s3 H elen a In d e p e n d e a t3 H elen a, M m tana3
1932,
.................................... '
Sykes9 Ba F a3 Survey o f B u ral B duoation i n G e n tra l M ontana9 Montana Edu­
c a t i o n , H e le n a , 1958.
**
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W illia m s3 T6 C6 3 The School o f th e le w Q rd e r3 School L i f e 3 J m e 3 1985»
B u lle tin sB la c k , John D»3 B esearch i n R u ra l P o p u la tio n , S o c ia l Science. C o u n cil,
Ifei7 Yorka"TqSE3’"BulTotin IfoT d6" ~*~*
B esearch i n B u ral O rg a n is a tio n 3 S o c ia l S c ie n c e G o u acil3
IIew York3T T s s T B u lT e tir No6 19»
O ouncll3
!Research i n S o c ia l Psychology o f R ural L i f e s S o c ia l S cien ce
W 6 TW -----------------
Benson^ Q6 H», B u ral S c o u tin g S u rre y , S ta te D epartm ent o f E d u c a tio n , Des
H oines3 IowajT 1951»
B u t t e r w r t h 3 J u l i a n , O rg a n iz a tio n f o r L o cal A d m in is tra tio n and S u p p o rt3
W i t e d S ta te s D epartm ent o fT d u c a tI m T T ^ h W g tw T " D t C6,. 1957,
B u lle tin No*. S6
Gook3- K6 IvT60 B orlew o f C o n d itio n s and D srelo p m m ts i n E d u c a tio n i n B u ral
an d O th e F T p a rs e ly S e t t l e d A reas3 Xktited S ta te s D epartm ent o f Edu­
c a ti o n , W ashington, D» C6, 1957%' B u l l e t i n No6 S 6
92
Covarfea Smozi0 R u ra l School C onsolidation^, TSaitad S ta te s D epartm ent o f
E d u c a tio n 0 W ashington* Do
1937* R ese arch B u lle tin Do* 6*
Cyr0 F ra n k W,* d e e d e d . R esearch on th e R e o rg a n is a tio n o f S chool D i s t r i c t s
in R uralT A reas0 B ureau o f P u h lic a tio n 0 Toachers C o lle g e s Columbia
U n iv e rs ity * Hevir Tork0. 1937*
G aum nits0, TL Ee0 Economies Through th e E lim in a tio n o f th e V ery Sm all
School* U nited S ta te s D epartm ent o f E ducation* Washington* D* Ce0
1954* R ese arch B u lle tin Ho * 3«
K ra e n s e l0 G a rl0 and M cIn tcsh 0 R uth0 The R e l ie f Problem i n Montnna0 Montana
A g r ic u ltu r a l E xperim ent S ta tio n * Bozoman0 Montana*' 19370 R esearch
( B u lle tin Ho* 343»
R oberts* R* We0 A n a ly sis o f t h e C ost o f P u p il T r a n s p o rta tio n in A rkansas*
A g r ic u ltu r a l E xperim ent S ta tio n ^ E a y e t t e v i l l e 0 A rkansas* 1935*
R ese arch B u lle tin Ho*. 316, .
Robinson* W illiam M,.* P r o fe ssio n a l P r e p a r a tio n f o r Rural Elementary Teach*
er&a U n ite d S ta te s D epartm ent o f E ducation* Washiag-fcon0 Do GVa 1937*
B u l l e t i n Ho* 2»
Renne0 R9 R9 a O rg a n is a tio n and C o sts o f Montana Schools* Montana A gri­
c u ltu r a l E xperim ent S ta tio n * Bozeman0 Montana* 1936* R esearch
B u lle tin Ho0 325.
' .
E in a n c in g M ontana SchoolS3 M ontana A g r ic u ltu r a l Experim ent
S ta tio n * Bozeman* Montana* 1935* R esearch B u lle tin Ho* 307»
Tflio Ovms j b n t s m ^ s la n d ? M ontana A g r ic u ltu r a l E xperim ent
S ta tio n * Bozeman* Montana*, 1339* Mimeograph C ir c u la r Hoe. 15»
Skidmore* C9 H9* .Economies E f f e c te d Through County School C onsolI d a tio a 3
D epartm ent o f Education* S a l t Lake C ity* Utah* 1934»
R e p o rts
School Laws o f S ta te o f Montana* E d itio n 1937»
B ie n n ia l R e p o rt S ta te B oard o f E q u a liz a tio n * Helena* 1935-36 and 1937-38»
B ie n n ia l Reponfe S ta te D epartm ent o f P u b lic I n s tr u c tio n * Helena* 1937-38»
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