The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-02-14

know how many there are; bnt this we
know, that in every township, as IN every
community. there is among the citizens a
graduated scale OF competency and excel
lenee, descending from the rest down to
the worst. and that, beginning at the top,
the fewer we take for our committee, or
board, the better will be its average quail
lty. A township that can not furnish
nineteen men ft for school officers, might
furnish ive Or if the five even are not
what they should be, it is still self evident
that their Acreage fitness will be greater
than when diluted by the accession of four
teen more, each end all Of whom are in
ferior to any one of the five.
The pernicious Consequences incident
to the defect of our local system may all be
epitvmized by the statement that it necessi-
tates the elevation to the important offices
OF trustees aud directors, of many indifcr-
cnt and incompetent men, Of men who
either care little for common schools, or
who have not the knowledge or ability to
do much for them. 1t clogs, encounters,
and deadens the system; dragging in its
train the evils Of misjudgment, misman-
agement, incficiency, and generalization
And there is no remedy, without radical
change Of plan.
Without discussing the difficulties grow
ing out of the instability Of district bound
ares, the multiplication Of districts, and the
,oant Of prorision for transferring pupils
.fom one district to another, let us consider
the subject of grading and classification.
The merits of Graded schools need not be
argued. Their superiority in economy and
efficiency is admitted. Now there is no
difficulty in applying this principle to our
country schools. Aboli:h the present dis
trict boundaries, except so far as they may
be used to aid in the establishment of pri-
mary, grammer and high schools, and, with
a township organization, We have the same
system that in our cities and larger villages
is found to be SO much superior to the in
dependent district system. Wcare no; only
unable to secure aradttton of the schools.
under existing arrangements, but ctdss.fca-
ton also IS practically impossible IN the
majority OF them.
The average number Of scholars in the
public schools in the agricultural district Is
not more than thirty five. The number OF
branches required to be taught is at least
six, Here are six classes to start with, or
an average Of about six pupils to class.
Bat there must be classes to correspond
with the attaiuments Of the scholars. This
would require that there should be at least
three in spelling, three in reading, two in
writing, three in English grammer, two in
geography and three in arithmetic, or tit
teen in ALL If history of the United States
is taught and if other branches are required,
we have from one to five classes more. But
with fifteen classes reciting, each once a
a Gay, and allowing one hour for recesses,
We fnd that twenty minutes day is all the
/ hot 10 oil for ta Strup
and drill Of each class. But this estimate
table Of many of the schools will show that
to each class for explanatory Illustration and
jcct.
The adoption Of the town system of school
organization was recommended by my pre-
ueccssor, in his annual report for 1868, and
Its many advantages over the local district
system were pointed out. He showed that
under 1t we can secure that supervision of
the schools we need that taxation will be
more equitable that the i'll feeling canse-
quent upon changes in district boundaries
will cease 70 arise that school houses will
bc built when and where they are needed,
and taxes for their erection be less burden
some; that schools can be properly graded;
that teachers qualified for the different
grades can be employed that the system
Will be more economical than the present
one that the schools will be more uniform
IN the length Of time they are taught dur
Ing the year; that incompetent teachers
will be sifted out, and that those employed
will secure more permanent positions.
The State Superintendent Of Pennsylva-
MIA, after a trial Of this system, says:
by eur system. township, borough or
city is a school district. In very large cities
there may be two OF more districts, but the
boards must be united for managing the
schools in one organization, under the name
of board Of control. The Secretary, who
is er ofico district superintendent, visits the
schools monthly and reports to the board,
and translcts all the minor business of the
board, and is paid such compensation as the
board shall think proper. The chief ad
vantages Of our township system are the
facilities afforded for grading the schools
whether it is practicable, the simplicity Of
reporting to the state department which ii
affords, the ease with uniformity Of text
books can be secured, the means which il
affords for securing superintendent each
district, and the systematic visiting and re.
porting the condition of the schools to the
board, and the ease with which each board
may be com nunicated with and reached
through the official department oftbe Stat
Journal, which is made state organ and
sent to the secretary of each board at the
public expense. Ia a population Of three
millions we have only about |, 700 board;
of directors We should have not more
than |, 500 but We were vexed with few
independent districts which should never
been allowed, by which the number is in
creased"
The very great Importance of this matter
suggests that the Legislature should give
it most careful attention and the fac
experienced educational men everywhere
so far as we know, regard this system a,
greatly preferable to the isolated, simple
district system, indicates that our State vii
act wisely in adopting i. We hope oul
: Legislators will read attentively the whole
of this part of the report, of which we give
only portion.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT.
The great benefits accruing to our publ,
school system from this Office, when prop