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these were successful. Many will try next spring. Twelve new school houses are being finished or in process of construction. About half of these are good frame structures.

     Nearly all of our school houses, whether of wood, stone or sod, are in comfortable condition. We are laying special stress on greater thoroughness, better methods and to meet up-to-date requirements.

T. C. McKEE,               
County Superintendent,     

     Although Garfield county has many disadvantages to work against, it is slowly coming up to the standard in the educational line. It has only thirty-three districts and some of these are so large that it is almost impossible for all the pupils of the district to attend school, still the educational process goes on.

     There have been no educational associations or meetings held except the annual institute which seems to be the one source of inspiration for the teacher, who cannot attend summer school. However, about one-third of the teachers this year are attending summer school.

     The reading circle work this year did not bring the results that might have been obtained by a more careful method of studying. Where the teachers have to come so far it is almost impossible to hold regular meetings with a good attendance, hence the note book will be used this year.

     Almost all of the districts that are able to comply with the library law have done so. A great many districts, cannot possibly have the required number months of school and come out even. To such districts the state aid is a great help.

      I am planning to hold a corn contest this autumn. It is the first to be held in Garfield county and will be an experiment. If successful we hope to make it permanent.

CLARA THORP BUTTS,        
County Superintendent,     

     Gosper County's School Officers' Association was organized the 10th of June, 1905, the school boards of the county being called together at that time to consider the adoption of a course of study. After the work which they had come together to perform had been attended to, the members of the school boards present adopted a uniform list of text books for the use of the schools of the county, made arrangements to have the books of said uniform list kept at the office of the county superintendent, considered certain other matters of interest to the schools of the county and before adjourning organized a permanent association which was to meet in the future at the call of the county superintendent, whenever, in his opinion, the welfare of the schools of the county demanded its attention.

     Our County Teachers' Association is not a very heavy organization numerically. Being situated as we are with a number of large and prosperous towns having excellent high schools (Lexington, Bertrand, Oxford, Arapahoe and Cambridge), near the county lines in the counties immediately surrounding us. and having but two small towns with no legally organized high school in the county, the majority of our teachers are supplied to us from the surrounding towns mentioned above; and teaching as they do in the part of the county adjacent to their home towns, attend teachers' meetings there, it being more convenient for them to do so than to come to the county seat for that purpose. Consequently the only teachers who attend the county meetings are working in the two towns of the county, or in the territory immediately tributary to these towns. But what we lack in numbers we more than make up in enthusiasm.

     As in all counties, the most progressive teachers we have are the ones found attending the State and District Association meetings. On an average about one-fourth of the teaching force in the county, in any one year, make it a point to be at the State Association meeting, and from one-third to one-half are to be seen at the different district meetings. The distance from Lincoln, together with the time of holding the slate meeting, excepting the last two years, materially reduces the attendance there, while the location of the county divides the attendance at the district meetings between the west central, the tricounty, and the southwestern districts.

     The same conditions that cut down the county association membership operates against much of a showing along the reading circle line. Teachers coming from adjoining counties do the work in their home town circles, which leaves our county with but two small circles, one at Elwood and one at Smithfield. But although each circle is small in numbers, I am happy to be able to report each large in professional interest and work accomplished.

     The first systematic effort to provide libraries for the schools of the county was made in the winter of 1905, at which time the schools, generally, by means of the "basket, or box social," raised money for and purchased small libraries. By 1908, the schools of the county, with two exceptions, had libraries ranging in value from $35 to $125, and each year the county spends from $300 to $500, mostly raised by some sort of school entertainment, in keeping them up. These libraries seem to cover the range of human knowledge pretty thoroughly, as on their catalogs we find books ranging all the way from "Sun Bonnet Baby" primers to encyclopedias.

     It is gratifying to me to be able to report that the financial condition of the people of the county is such that they can carry on their schools without aid from the state.

     In the fall of 1905, a course of study was put into the schools of the county for the first time, from which time down to the present it

has been in use with varying success, dependent upon the efforts of 'the teacher along that line. Each month review questions are sent out to the several schools covering the work of the month as laid out in the course. Accompanying the review questions are the poems to be studied the succeeding month; both questions and poems are furnished to the schools by the county free of cost. Results have shown the advantages of a course of study when followed conscientiously by the teacher.

     By far the greater majority of the schools of the county observe only four special days: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Washington's birthday and Lincoln's birthday. The schools taking a vacation for Thanksgiving and Christmas, the exercises in observance of these days are held the day the schools close for such vacation. The Christmas day exercises sometimes reach quite imposing proportions with trees and presents in addition to the program rendered by the pupils. Although patriotism is the keynote of all these special exercises, it is especially emphasized on the birthdays.

     The standard for qualification for teachers is the same as that of the state board of examiners for county certificates. I find that the "Credit" and "Honor" features are a great incentive to more strenuous efforts on the part of teachers, every teacher in the county putting forth her best efforts to reach one or the other of these points; and I observe when these are reached, they seem to feel the added strength the effort has given them, and a goodly proportion of them go a step or two higher until some have reached the dignity of a professional state certificate.

      Consolidation has been agitated in two townships of the county, but the agitation has not advanced beyond that point of bitterness that is invariably engendered among neighbors when any radical reform tending to subvert long established custom is advocated in the community. The main, the most effective, argument so far advanced in favor of the change seems to be the expense of the operation of the free high school law: "If we have a consolidated, a township school we can maintain a high school of our own and save the free high school tuition to the several districts entering into the consolidation; save to ourselves the cost of board and incidentals for the pupils sent from home, and above all, have our children at home under our own control at the age when they need our care the most, and not in order to give them a little education, be compelled to send them among strangers whose only interest in them is the $2 a month they bring to the high school district."

     Each year since the present free high school law has been in operation, there has been in this county about 80 applicants to present themselves at the eighth grade examinations, of which about 25 on an average, have received free high school certificates. These upon receiving their free high school attendance certificates have deposited them in the high schools of Lexington, Bertrand, Holdrege, Oxford,

Edison, Arapahoe, Holbrook, Cambridge, Stockville, Eustis, Smithfield, Lincoln and Beaver Crossing. Cambridge received the least, while Bertrand leads in the number of pupils in attendance from this county. The money necessary to pay the free tuition called for the coming year in $1,539.

      The county has not been building many new school houses the last few years, owing to the restrictions placed upon bonding for that purpose. Several school districts having a school population of less than twenty-five, but abundantly able to stand a bond tax of $5,000, have wished to build modern buildings for school purposes, but the law limiting them to a $500 bond, which money, at the present cost of material and labor, would accomplish nothing in the line of an up-to-date structure, works a hardship upon the pupils of the district.

     The school houses of the county, with one exception, are heated by means of soft coal stoves, and all are ventilated in the good old way of the open window and door. The equipment of the schools, in general is excellent, nearly all being abundantly supplied with text books, libraries, maps, globes, dictionaries, organs, and all other necessary appliances for conducting an up-to-date school.

F. W. MONTGOMERY,        
County Superintendent.     

     Grant county is one of the small counties of western Nebraska, and being in the midst of the sand hills is not so densely populated as eastern counties and is chiefly a cattle country.

     I have lived in Grant county for more than twenty years and am now serving my seventh term as county superintendent of this county. I have seen her when there was not a school house within her borders, nor was there need of one then, and I have watched her educational interests grow and keep step with the advance in population and industrial pursuits. Our people in general are interested in the public schools and they are well and liberally supported. There has been a great increase in population in the last two or three years and mostly from eastern states, and this is causing new school houses to be erected over the county as the enumeration calls for them. This is increasing the interest of the people in school matters.

     The teachers of the county are in general interested in the teachers' meetings and we experience little trouble in securing their attendance at all county meetings. The teachers from the town schools often attend the state and district meetings.

     Hyannis, the county seat of Grant county, maintains an approved ten-grade school with four teachers, which will be raised to eleven and twelve grades as soon as the enumeration is sufficient to support it. Of course the teaching force will have to be increased then.

     Prof. John W. Watson has been the principal for the last three

years; he is a college graduate and holds professional life certificate. He also looks after the reading circle work. The reading circle is organized every year and the course pursued. Every teacher in the county is expected and urged to attend and hand in a report of her work. Many ranchmen have homes in Hyannis and move their families from the ranch into town and live here during the school year.

     Whitman is maintaining a good nine-grade school and is almost ready for another grade. Miss Carrie A. Drake, the principal, is a teacher of long experience.

     The schools all have libraries and are adding to them every year, observing the legal requirement.

     We have not been compelled to ask the state for aid for weak districts.

     The schools are all following the Nebraska course of study, using a daily program and have special exercises for certain days of importance. This seems to add much to the interest of the schools and helps to solve the problem of "the boy."

     The qualification of the teachers of the county we think is on an average with that of other counties. We seldom have to use the emergency certificate. Some of our teachers have first grade certificates, some with honor or with credit. Our principals hold professional life certificates.

     The consolidation of districts and the transportation of pupils is a question that has not been tried in this county. The compulsory law is enforced, but without trouble. People seem to understand the law and to know why the state is so interested in the education of the children.

     Eighth grade examinations are held under the direction of the state superintendent and pupils are passed only upon merit. This year we held an eighth grade commencement for the county at Hyannis, at which some twenty-two received diplomas. We find this a great incentive to good work. Most all of these will enter the high schools of Hyannis or Whitman.

H. R. DELLINGER,          
County Superintendent.     

     Many of the boys and girls take advantage of the free high school law each year. When some pupil of a district secures a certificate and attends high school it has an encouraging effect on the rest of the pupils to finish the eighth grade and attend high school. As a rule when a pupil of a rural school enters high school that district can depend that others will follow soon if there are many children in the district. In this way the high school law, by creating a desire to finish the grades, is a help to rural school pupils as well as the one who is in high school. There are about sixty high school certificates is-

sued to pupils this year and nearly all these are represented in school work. There are two or three regular eighth grade examinations given each year in five different places in the county. The examinations are conducted by the principals of the different schools and the answer papers are sent to the county superintendent, who grades the papers. I find this enables me to grade the papers more regularly and it shows what work has been given most attention in the county and shows what has been neglected. I found that the work of eighth grade examinations and marking papers made more than a month of extra tiresome work for myself, but it had to be done.

     Few teachers who finished high school and began teaching without normal training or summer school work ever read a book on pedagogy or school management or heard a lecture that they grasped to assist them in the school room. In normal training the pupil is confronted with subjects that she must handle in the school, and she is drilled on bothersome questions that she will meet until she becomes acquainted with the real work. The teacher who has had normal training generally knows how to organize her school, bow to classify it, how to conduct recitations, and how to govern her pupils in the school room and on the play ground. We have difficulty in holding them in the rural schools more than one year in Greeley county. They prefer and secure positions In some town or village school and that is the end of their work in the rural school.

     A few districts of Greeley county have tried to secure state aid, but their valuation is too high. I believe this law should be amended to reach some districts that were organized since the law was passed.

JAMES PELLEY,          
County Superintendent.     

     County Motto: "Let cheerfulness abound with industry."
     County Colors: Light green and white.
     County Song:

     (Tune-Maryland, My Maryland.)

 

You ask what land I love the best,

Hall county, 'tis Hall county,

The fairest county of the west,

Hall county, O Hall county.

Beyond the Platte's wide flowing stream

To where the northern sand hills gleam,

O fair It is, as poet's dream,

Hall county, O Hall county.

See yonder fields of tasseled corn,

Hall county, in Hall county;

Where plenty fills her golden horn,

Hall county, in Hall county.

See how her wondrous prairies shine

From Buffalo to eastern line,

O happy land! O land of mine!

Hall county! O Hall county!

--Margaret E. Brown.

     Hall county is located about half way between the eastern and. western boundaries of the state. Its area is five hundred and fifty-two square miles, and its county seat is Grand Island, one of the chief cities of the state.

     The Grand Island schools are under the supervision of Superintendent H. J. Barr, who has held his present position for the past twenty-eight years. Thirty-two of the forty-eight teachers are graduates of the Grand Island high school. The normal training department provides from four to eight teachers each year for the country schools. These are among the best beginning teachers we have. They are in close touch with the county superintendent even before they finish school and this close acquaintance is mutually beneficial.

     Qualifications--The majority of our teachers have had some normal training. The number and kind of certificates held by Hall county teachers for the year 1909-1910 were:

      The eight emergency certificates issued were redeemed early in the year.

     Associations--The interest and attendance of teachers at district, state and national associations is very good. We had representatives at Boston and Indianapolis, were second only to Adams county in attendance at the district meeting at Hastings, and sent about fifty teachers to the association at Lincoln.

      Reading Circle--A county reading circle organization is maintained, which meets at three different places, the second Saturday in each month. These circles take up the regular reading circle books each year. We usually have two general meetings, one at institute

time and one some time during the winter. The enrollment for last year was sixty-five.

     We have no school officers' organization in the county.

     Libraries--All but three of the directors have reported library books bought for this year, and with but a few exceptions, the books have been well selected. A duplicate library record is kept in the office of the county superintendent.

     Previous to the enforcement of the library law quite a number of schools (14) had libraries, but in nearly every case these had been put into the school through the efforts of some energetic and interested teacher by means of box suppers and entertainments.

     The books bought as a rule were too difficult for the majority of the children to read, and as a consequence were not used as they should be. A few new books, well chosen, and bought each year, instead of a larger number purchased at doubtful intervals, will certainly prove a stimulant to the children in developing a taste for reading.

     Course of Study--The teachers are using the course of study and doing the best they can with it. The examination questions sent out each quarter are very helpful along this line. The teachers observe special days. It is the custom to have an unusually fine program on the last day. This is followed by a picnic and general good time.

     We have six schools which provide instruction in German for their pupils. This is given the last half of the afternoon. A number of teachers do special work in music and drawing.

     Eighth Grade Examination--The results of the eighth grade examination are not as satisfactory as they should be. Lack of expression on the part of the pupils as well as poor writing and reasoning in arithmetic and grammar are noticeable. We have fifty-two graduates. Of these eighteen will receive free high school tuition. The total number receiving free high school tuition this year is sixty-three.

     Consolidation--Consolidation has been discussed by the people in the vicinity of Cairo, and through the efforts of Principal Orland Huyck a meeting was held in one of the school districts with a view to informing the general public in regard to the matter of transportation, etc. It was well attended, but no action was taken later at the annual meeting.

     Compulsory Education--A strenuous effort is being made to enforce the compulsory education act, and the results have been quite satisfactory.

     One hundred and ten preliminary notices and twenty second notices--the latter by registered mail--have been sent out and these notices have served to get the children back into the schools, although not all of them were able to make up the required time. Forty-six pupils were delinquent at the close of the year, some just lacking a few days. It would be a good thing to amend the law so that a penalty might be fixed at the close of the school year upon those parents

whose children have not attended the necessary two-thirds of the year, and who have sent in no good reason for this non-attendance.

     Boys' and Girls' Clubs--The Boys' and Girls' Club was organized in 1906, and is increasing year by year. One hundred exhibitors received recognition at the contest held in November, 1909. The county board allowed $60 for premiums. Rudy Baasch and Detlef Stelk received awards at the Omaha exposition for corn and oats. Detlef Stelk and Clara Hamann were the two young folks sent as representatives to Lincoln last January to take the short courses in agriculture and domestic science.

     This spring about 100 came out to the meeting of the boys and girls, and 160 are taking the home experimental lessons sent out by the state department.

     Special Features--One of the special features emphasized by the former county superintendent was the social side of the teacher at county associations and institutes. We continue to have receptions, industrial excursions and picnics from year to year. These are very successful and help to make the teachers better acquainted with each other and with the faculty.

     She also paid particular attention to neatness and artistic decoration, and today one can find very few schools rooms that are not carefully swept and otherwise in good order. The new pictures that are bought are invariably of the best kind. The teachers themselves are exceptionally neat and tidy in their personal appearance.

     The majority of the school houses: however, are still "ragged beggars sunning by the roadside." There are about twelve of our rural schools that have attractive school grounds.

      Compulsory attendance and practical education are the two phases of work upon which much stress is being laid at the present. We are also carrying on a publicity campaign. The seven newspapers of the county are very generous in publishing all the school items sent them, and in this way we are trying to interest the people at large in school affairs.

DOROTHEA KOLLS,           
County Superintendent.     

     We have tried to keep up the high standard of the Hamilton county schools by making our work in the country and city schools as thorough as possible and with the aid of the excellent corps of teachers we have had the past years, we have not only kept up the pace, but have been making advancements in every department of our work. The reading circle work has been kept up by the teachers generally, school libraries under the new law have been established in 90 per cent of our schools and we are in a condition financially in every school district that the free high school law is not in any sense a burden to any of our districts. The normal class turned out by the Aurora high school is of a very high standard and this department of

our high schools will in my. estimation raise the standard still higher among our country teachers. The new state course of study has been a wonderful help to the teachers and we are following it as closely as it is possible to do so and are getting excellent results. Our teachers and pupils observe the special days with special day programs in nearly every school in the county.

     The cooking and sewing contests have been conducted with excellent success and great good has been accomplished along this line.

     We have made a special effort along eighth grade graduation and in the five years we have graduated six hundred and one (601) graduates, many of whom have entered the high schools of the state and are doing excellent work. Some of these graduates have finished the high school and are now in the university. Some of them have become teachers and others are in the agricultural school at the state university.

     We consider that Hamilton county and her teaching force has been among the progressive element in the educational work of the state of Nebraska.

S. C. STEPHENSON,          
County Superintendent.     

     Harlan county was organized as a county in 1872 and, since that time has been making a record that her people are proud of. Harlan county is situated in the extreme south central part of the slate. Her soil is rich arid her climate mild and her boys and girls are as bright as those found in any part of the state. There are eighty public schools in this county, nine of which are high schools with a total school population of 3,580, 200 of which were in the eighth grade this year 1909-10.

     The Boys' and Girls' Agricultural and Domestic Clubs are well attended and their exhibits are second to none. We are planning this year to bring the parents into this work and also to organize a school boards' organization. A number of schools are planning to give instructions in agriculture and domestic science in the rural schools the coming year.

     The teachers of Harlan county are mostly ladies and equal those found in other parts of the slate. Good interest is taken in our county and state associations and the same is true of the junior normal located at Alma, the county seat.

     The course of study has been placed in every school. This will prove a greater help next year than it did this. A daily plan book is expected to be in the hands of every teacher the coming year. Special stress is being placed upon preparation, both with the teaching forces and the daily work.

     Harlan county has nine high schools that rank among the best in the state of their class. The normal training is improving the teaching forces of our county. It is one thing to teach a subject to a person

and another to teach him how to teach the subject; normal training does both.

     The compulsory education law, I suppose is the same hero as elsewhere. It is not satisfactory. We have been compelled to enforce this law, which is no pleasant task.

     Special stress is being laid upon raising the standards of our teachers and pupils. We desire both quality and quantity.

J. T. ANDERSON,          
County Superintendent.     

     A larger number of our teachers are doing the reading circle work than ever before. The emergency certificate has been practically eliminated from the county, although there will be use for this certificate in this county for some time.

     Owing to the short terms of school in the country, the course of study is hard to adopt. However, during the coming school year every teacher will have a copy on her desk and she will he expected to study the same and apply it as much as possible in her school.

     The attendance at the summer school of 1910 is worthy of comment. The number of teachers planning to attend some school next year will be double the attendance of past years.

     The state aid to weak districts has benefited this county greatly. It will be necessary to receive this aid for some years to come. The increase in the valuation of school districts will gradually do away with the need of the state aid.

     The eighth grade class of 1910 was the largest in the history of the county, numbering 43. The papers were marked by the county superintendent and the examinations were given at various points over the county according to the directions given by the county superintendent.

JOHN W, FURROW.          
County Superintendent.     

     Teachers' Association--The teachers of Hitchcock county, on the whole, show strong professional interest. Ninety per cent attended the county meeting last spring, all but three attended the institute this summer, and several of the village teachers attended the district meeting at Alma.

      Reading Circle Work--The county is divided into four reading circles which are led by the principals of the town schools. Each circle meets once a month and if the teachers make a certain standing in class work they are not required to write up the note book. Those who are not able to attend the circle meetings write up their note books, which are graded by the superintendent. About half the teach-

ers received reading circle credits this year, and a number who hold life certificates did the reading circle work.

     School Libraries and State Aid--The school library law gave much trouble in its enforcement, but, judging from the number of library certificate issued, the children of Hitchcock county are getting much benefit from it. This law is surely a good thing for the children, but I question the state aid law. It seems to me the state aid in this county only encourages the small weak districts to try to keep up a school when it is impossible to run a good school on the taxes derived from these small districts. Many of the districts in this county owe their existence to state aid, while without it we would have larger districts and six and seven-month terms in place of five, which means better teachers and more efficient work.

     Industrial Work--The industrial work was not up to the degree of efficiency that the teachers and myself had hoped it to be. The drought discouraged the boys with their agricultural work and the long vacations throw the girls on their own resources.

     Eighth Grade--The work of the eighth grade pupils, on the whole, was quite satisfactory. Of the ninety pupils who took the examination, this year about sixty passed and about two-thirds will enter the high school this fall.

     School Buildings--It is with pleasure that I report the improvement of the school houses of this county. The sod school house is a thing of the past and in its place in practically every district is a clean, sanitary, frame building, well painted and in good repair.

     Special Work--The teachers of this county expect to lay special stress on the teaching of mental arithmetic and more careful grading of the school in accordance with the state course of study the coming school year.

BESS V. CREWS,          
County Superintendent.     

     Reading Circle--About twenty-five teachers of Holt county did the reading work for 1909-10. More interest seems to have been created during the institute and we hope to have at least 200 doing the work this winter.

     Special Days--Special day programs have been furnished to all teachers who wish them and all seem anxious to have the books to use.

     We shall lay great stress the coming year on the consolidation of districts, and encourage it in all places possible.

     Eighth Grade--The eighth examinations are held in Holt county each spring. One hundred and thirty-three diplomas were issued to students.

     Special Stress--My plans are to organize a Boys and Girls' club, having an exhibit of products grown in the early fall.

MINNIE B. MILLER.          
County Superintendent.     

     Jefferson is the fourth county west from the Missouri river and borders on Kansas. The county is twenty-four miles square and the territory is divided into 102 school districts.

     Fairbury, the county seat, is located near the center of the county and is just fifty-seven miles southwest of Lincoln.

     The assessed value of the county for 1910 was $6,781,844.

     This valuation is so divided among the various districts that it is seldom necessary to levy the limit of school taxes in order to run the schools. Seven districts paid the limit of taxes for school during 1909, while the average levy for the county was a fraction over 11 1-2 mills.

     The schools of the county for the year 1909-10 were in charge of 156 teachers, who were very loyal to the county requirements. Over 100 of the number attended the state association last year, while a number who did not attend this meeting attended the district association at Beatrice.

     The plan for conducting the reading circle work was changed from the section plan to the general plan in 1903. An average of three general meetings are now held each year and in addition to the discussion of the regular work some leading educator is asked to give a lecture.

     This makes it more pleasant for teachers and keeps up professional interest better than the small district or section meeting.

     The school library has been attracting attention during the past three years. During this time $1,629.84 has been expended for library books. A number of schools had libraries prior to this time. A report was asked for April 28, 1910, which showed that there were 4,719 books in the school libraries. A number of books have been purchased since that time which will make the number much larger. In order to make the reading of the library books more effective library certificates will be issued during the coming year.

      A written review of the book will be required.

     The normal training course in the Fairbury high school has helped to raise the teaching standard. Only one normal training student has failed during the past three years.

     The school can not supply the demand, however, so it is necessary to import teachers each year. The qualifications of teachers is the same required by the state.

     Each school in the county was supplied with the Nebraska course of study for 1909. The course seemed to be very effective and the results were satisfactory in most instances.

     A special day program book was also placed in each school and In many of the schools the observance of special days was a feature of the year's work.

     The industrial work for boys and girls has been carried on for three years and the results have about doubled each year.

     This work has fired new interest in many schools and an effort is being made to carry it to each school.

     The enrollment for the state work for 1910 was forty-two girls and twenty-three boys. Many teachers have been very successful in conducting the work for the county contests.

     There are a number of schools in the county which should be consolidated and if present indications mean anything it will not be long until consolidation will be undertaken to relieve conditions.

     A lively interest has been manifested in the county eighth grade examinations and commencement exercises. The free high school privileges have helped to create the interest.

     The eighth grade graduating class for 1910 numbered 104. A program was planned and speakers chosen who would encourage the young people to go on and take advantage of the opportunities offered. The tuition bill is quite a burden for a few districts, but the complaint has been very small as compared with the praise for the law. The largest number yet to apply from one district in any one year was nine.

     The compulsory attendance law has been a great benefit for many boys and girls. Comparatively little trouble has been encountered in enforcing the law. Three arrests have been made during the past two years and the men in each instance have plead guilty and paid the fines.

     Better school equipment and plans for sanitary conditions have been given due consideration by school officers.

     Twenty-eight rooms are now heated with the Round Oak and Smith systems of heating and ventilating.

     The orders now placed for the coming year and the prospects which will be orders later will bring the number near the forty mark. Patrons are learning that it is a good investment to place a modern heating plant in their school room. The health and comfort enjoyed by children and teacher cannot be compared to the cost. The sanitary water jar has also found its way into many of the schools. The private drinking cup is coming as fast as could possibly be expected.

     Over $1,000 has been collected during the past two years from entertainments and box suppers. Practically all this amount has been expended for pictures and other articles which have added to the appearance of the different rooms. Forty-one districts are supplied with organs and two with pianos. The planting of trees and beautifying the school grounds has not been given as much attention as it should have, although many trees have been planted and cared for of late.

     All buildings erected during the past few years have been in most cases properly planned, especially in regard to heating and lighting. Two buildings are now under construction and in each case the committee in charge consulted an architect, who gave the best of plans for convenience, heating and lighting.

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