Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1871-12-28
OUR AGENTS.


The time being near al hand when
the fourth Normal School building
ia TO be located somewhere in the
Sixth Congressional District, 1t 10
we'll for all concerned to consider i'm.
partially some Of the facts and stats
tics relating thereto, both that the
Norma! School Board may be sas'
tanned 10 their determination to make
. wise and economical use of the
Normal Schoo! fund, and that the
people may see and know, that the
location Of the fourth Normal School
shall be wise and just, and made with
reference both to the present and
fa,urs wants of the people. And in
this connection, we wish to refer to
the report Of the State Superintendent
Of public instruction for $685." (not
having a later report at HANDY from
which It will be seen, that the number
of pupils in actual attendance at
school, during the year, in the nine
counties adjacent to, and embracing
the counties Of Wood aud Portage,
was 27,957. That the number, OF
teachers actually engaged in instruct,
ing the same was 89i. OF this entire
number, it is believed upon careful
inquiry, that not more than two aud
. half per cent. have ever taken a
regular Normal course OF instruction,
and ii is the general belief of those
best prepared to judge, that at leas,
fifty per cent. of this whole number
would avail themselves Of a Normal
School course were it placed within
their reach and means. Owing to
the fact that the greater part Of the
now settlers arc persons Of limited
means, and that the counties are
comparatively new, and their natural
resources not fully developed, they
nave directed their attention necessari,
" IN the establishment and manten.
ance Of their public schools, and as
4 consequence, have not those higher
advantages which the older
.nd more densely settled portions Of
Me State and District can boast.
And while there are many graded
schools in this section OF the District I
IF which the respective communities
nay we'll be proud; yet we have no
schools in this whole section
Of the District, where this entire corps
Of teachers can prepare themselves
for their responsible vocation. And
yet the law, very properly makes 1t
Incumbent upon every applicant, for
q common school certificate, to come
up to a certain fixed educational
standard of perfection, before they
can be admitted a. teachers into our
public schools In view of these
facts, will it rot be admitted by all
friends Of education, that the real ed.
vocational wants Of this section Of the
Sixth District, are equal, ifnot greater
than any other in this District And
II it is admitted, ~ | think il must be,
that our need of Normal School IND
this section Of the District is eveMI
equal to any in the District, then we
should be doing great wrong to the
community, and manifest injustice
to nearly %, 900 pupils, should we
neglect to urge the location of the
Fourth Normal School in some central
place in the Wisconsin Valley. For
by reference to the report of School
Commissioners Of School and Univer.
sity Lands for the year "le70," it
will be seen that the entire productive
fund emanating from the sale of.Normal
School lands Of the State during the
year amounts TO $32. Sos. 80, of which
the lands in the Counties aforesaid
furnish $la,osi 80 lacking only g..
l9s,47 OF being one half Of the amour,
furnished by the entire State.
II it is assumed that the annual
productive fund emanating from the
Gales of the Normal School lands of
the aforesaid counties for the last FIVE |
years has averaged $4,000 land this
is not far out Of the way. We shall
have 100000 that has been furnished |
from the lands of this territory in this
period. Enough indeed to erect
Normal School building in all i,s
parts. 1t will be seen still further
that OF the 100000 acres of land ir
said territory, Wood and Marathon
counties furnish 2ss,070 acres, or
6s.065 acres more than one half the