Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-11-03
CONCERNING SCHOOLS.
BY HATTIE TYING GRIswoLD.

some way the attention of the peo-
pie Of Wisconsin, should be aroused
to the necessity of improving our
public school system, and to the
general needs of the whole educa-
tional scheme of the State. For
myself [ do not feel that have suffi-
cient knowledge of the practical
part Of the work, to be able to offer
any valuable contribution to this
end, and [ write to you simply i'll
the hope of arousing the attention
of more practical educators, to the
possibility of discussing this matter
fully in the public press, and thus
opening the subject to the attention
of the people, who are either ignor-
ant of, or Indifferent to, the miser-
ably poor methods of teaching and
of study, in the schools as at present
SulilC OiI. 1lllu do take II IoI
granted that the columns of the
SPEcTRoscopE, will be gladly OPP
ened to this matter, I wish that
superintendent, MacAllister whose
name appears among your contribu-
tors, would give us few practical
articles concerning the needs of the
schools, as at present conducted,
and upon improved methods Of
teaching and study, which might
properly be adopted throughout the
State. Let us also hear from Miss
Bingham, who is SO we'll qualified
to give us some practical Instructions
upon this point, and from any and
all who have live word to say up
on this vital subject. The fact
seems to be that the people have
settled down into an easy indiffer-
ence upon the whole matter. They
seem to take it for granted that the
schools ale all right-they pay their
taxes-somebody hires teacher,
and the scholars go through the in
structions, and this ends the mater,
as far as most parents are concerned.
| am persuaded that very, very few
people realize how poor our present
schools are; how miserably qualified
for their responsible positions the
majority Of the teachers are; what
old, obsolete methods Of teaching
are in vogue, and how little a child
has really gained, when he has pass
ed the usual number Of years with
in their walls. The first thing to be
done, it seems to me, is to awaken
the interest of the people, concern
ing the schools. AS to the methods
of doing this, l would beg for sug-
gestions from any quarter. The
second thing undoubtedly is to have
a better class of teachers. This
would soon follow an awakening of
Interest in the subject, l think.
When the system Of county super
lntendsnts was first introduced,
much was hoped for from that, but
the results have scarcely kept pace
with the expectations. The grade
of scholarship is entirely too low,
and.the examinations sadly wanting
| in thoroughness and in honesty.
Hundreds of teachers are permitted
to pass the examinations every year,
who are in no one particular fitted
to enter the field as teachers. The
superintendent desire to be popular,
they are tender hearted, and consid-
er the feelings of the candidates far
more than the real interests of the
school, and in many instances are
themselves, far more unfit for the
place they occupy, than the teachers
whom they allow to pass the exam
ination undeservedly. Any young
Miss Of fifteen who has gone
through a certain portion of the ele-
mentary school books, and can re-
peat their contents by rote- upon
her examination papers is allowed to
60 forth, licensed to teach certain
grade Of school. Nothing is thought
of her age, her judgment, her abili-
ty to impart instruction; very little
of her moral character even; she
has got her certificate, and gets
school very likely, because she will