, 1872-12-29
MADISON,

Exercises In the State Superintcnd-
ents, and Teachers Convention.
Ikni1rond Notice.
Special Despatch to The Chicago Tribune.
MADISON, Wis, Dec. 28.-The Convention OF
School Teachers and Superintendents, which
has been the largest and most profitable winter
educational State meeting ever held here, adj
journed to-day. In addition to the discussions
reported yesterday. others Of much interest took
place last evening aud this morning, which may
be thus summed up:
a resolution was offered, discussed, and
finally referred to Committee for future re-
port in favor Of treating diplomas from Normal
Schools Of other States the same- as diplomas
from our own Normal School, upon the approval
and signature OF the Stats Superintendent.
hIr. Salisbury, from q Committee, reported
against the legal compulsion of attendance OF
teachers at County Institutes, and offered the
following, which, after protracted discussion,
was lost and the matter left without action:
Resolred That teachers who wifuly through
neglect absent themselves from Teachers Institutes
held in their county thereby refusing to accept the
advantages offered them by the Suite and county,
should meet with tho universal censure Of ali true
teachers, and, fast practicable, should be eni
mated from the teaching force.
There WAS quite sharp discussion on the re-
latons Of tha State University to graded schools,
in which the old Jealousy of common school
teachers Of higher institutions Of learning
cropped out. Objections were made to the pres
ent law admitting graduates Of graded schools
on certain conditions to free tuition. It was
claimed that tho students Of tho University como
from the rural schools, and not from the graded
schools, the effect of which is, that the common
| schools are diverting their attention from their
proper work to fit students for the University,
| and the time that should be given to the little
for the University and teaching Latin and Greek.
| The work of the University, and the progress
| it had made, was we'll set forth by President
Twomb1y, Superintendent Fellows, nnd Professor
! Carpenter, who urged that the whole school
system of the State should be so arranged and
| graduatcd to culmiu.te in the University,
| giving free tuition as far as possible In regard
to teaching natural sciences, the following was
| adopted:
Resolrcd That this Convention fully believes in the
importance Of knowledge Of the clements Of natural
Sciences to entte candidate to receive certificate
OF any grade, and urge that the measure be enacted
| into law practicable.
Mr.. Wright presented paper upon the ques-
ton Shall the State Of Wisconsin adopt uni
! formity Of text books The paper proposed
that tho State should adopt series Of books for
a long term Of years that tue books should be
selected by competent commission ; that ar
rangements should be made to procure the books
| st the lowest wholesale rates. Referred to q
committee to report at another meeting.
4 resolution was adopted proposing that first
grade certificates run three years. the second
| grade two years, and the third grade one year.
4 report WAS adopted in favor Of electing
County Superintendents in the spring.
The State Superintendent was 11quested to
tako steps toward representing tho educational
interests Of Wisconsin 1t tue Vienna Exposition.
Reports vero presented from tho State
| Normal School, showing the following facts
At Oshkosh last year the total registration was
| 15s; average membership 80; average attendance
IS number in attendance during the whole yeal
| IT; over six and less than ten months 52 over
three and less than six months co less thar
three months 90. This term thero wero enrolled
aud present $50, besides in preparatory classce
35s. There were liz applicants and So admitted
Twenty-eigl:t counties are represented in til
school. There arc 10 out teaching and GO o
these are in the mixed schools; one in graded
Tho Platteyillo School has graduated fon
classes. In 1869, 8; in 1870, Is; in 1861, II; il
1872, g. total, 43. or these, three-fourths RI
teaching in the State. The present senior clas
numbers 27. The whole number admitted int,
the normal department since its establishment il
| 1866 is 434. Present number in the various de
psrtmentg: Normal, 1856; academic, 110; model
so. Total, 295.
Superintendent Beardslce, of this Division
announces that regular trains will commeuc
running ovor the Chicago g. Northwestern an
West Wisconsin Railroads, through this city: bo
tween Chicago and St. Paul, jan. 5, to bo equip
ped in the best possible manner.