The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-05-02

No 8, Bristol % per cent. Kate Harmon, Teacher,
a. Somers, 90 " M. E. Spence,
"2, 90 Jas. Harmon,
4" p p or g J. P. Briggs. 80
:" 10 :" 90 g g Geo. Jordan 6
90 " o. &c &c Fanny Bishop, ="
/, somers 81 g. :. Mary Letter, {,
IL. " 81 " " Hosea Barnes, "
~, Salem 81 q g Sarah pabbs, "
"3 d" 81 " " j. Colt, "
District No 3, Salem, is located at Wilmot,
and during the past year has employed two
teachers, Mr.. J. Colt as principal, and Miss A.
Orvis as primary teacher.
The number of visitors during the term, as
reported by five of the above teachers, is as
follows:
j. P Briggs, 257; Jas. Harmon, 1914; D. II.
Flett, LAG; Mary Letter, 131; Fanny Bishop, 124
While it appears that twelve schools of the
sixty-three have received an average atten-
dance of over 90 per cent. during term of fou
and in some instances five months; an equar
number have failed to reach an attendancel
of 60 per cent. have made during the winter
sixty-seyen visits to the different schools; and
with but two exceptions, visited every school
in the county at least once.
NORMAL SCHOOL.
A Normal School was opened at Plattville,
on the 9th OF October 1866. Kenosha Co., is
entitled to send six students to this school
whose tuition shall be free. Thus far, but one
student has gone from this county. 1t is hoped
that those who intend to teach will avail
themselves of this privilege.
We have need of teachers trained especially
for the work, and the time is fast approaching
when those wholly unprepared will find it
difficult to secure school
SCHOOL LAWS.
No School Code ha s been issued since that
of 1868. The following amendments to the
school law were passed at the late session Of
the Legislature
LIST. The amendment to section 49, gives to
the majority of the district board the authori.
ty to hire teacher, if the clerk shall neglect
to hire one IN time to open the school when 1t
should be commenced.
I'd. The amendment to section 4S, gives the
board authority to purchase record books, and
to pay for the same out of any tax collected
in the district.
Sd. The amendment to section SO, provides
that when a list of text books for a district
has been selected by the board, it can not be
changed for three years.
4th. The amendment to sec. 81, gives the
county superintendent power to direct district
boards to alter and repair school houses, and,
in concurrence with the town board OF super
visors, to condemn school houses as unfit for
use.
REMARKS ON SECTION SO.
[ would call the attention of district boards
to section So, which section is the subject of
the Sd amendment.
It reads as amended:
1.-THE board in school district shall have
power, under the advice ofthe Superintendent
of public instruction, to determine what school
and text books, shall be used in the several
branches taught in the schools ofsuch district.
They shall make out a list ofboolls to be used
in each branch of study pursued in each school
and shall file copy ofsuch list with the dis
trict clerk, and put up one copy in the school
house of such district; and when said list Of
books is adopted, it shall not be changed for
the term of three years"
In visiting our schools, 1 am forced to notice
the great diversity of text books used. This
diversity is not confined to one or two of the
poorer schools, but extends to nearly every
school in the county.
have found but one school board that has
complied with the provisions of section SO. L
I have noticed in one school the use of four
different series of spellers making four classes
where there might have been but two. 1t IS
not uncommon to find two different series of
readers. and from two, to five different series
of arithmetics.
We would not recommend any change for
any particular text book, but that the board
$. elect such book in each study as they deem
bes,, under the circumstances, allowing none
other used in the school.
No one will doubt the wisdom OF reducing
the classes of any school to thte least practical
BILE number. In our common schools we Will
have at best twenty recitations each day; this
is as great number as any teacher can do
justice to in the five and half hours allot-
ted to recitations; but with the present variety
of text books which each teacher will meet
when he enters his school room, the least num-
Der of daily recitations will be thirty; in many
schools forty and in one school the number of
recitations each day during the winter was
forty three.
This is not owing in any part to a large
number of pupils. l would earnestly request
that each district board take action in this
matter.
SCHOOL HOUSES.
During the past year five school houses have
been erected. Two Ofthis number in Pleasant
Prairie, two in Salem, and one in Brighton
In Pleasant Prairie, District No. z" has now
the finest school house in the county. Pleas
antly located, large, well finished and furn-
ished, it is the pride of every family in the
district. AS teacher in this building, Miss
Lydia Bourne has entered upon her second
year, having given entire satisfaction during
the past year.
''District No. 11'' has built school house
which does credit to the taste and liberality