Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-01-27
superintendent's Report.

County superintendent Report.
To the Honorable Board of Supcr.
risors Of Wood County.
GENTLEMEN.-I have the honor to
present herewith my Annual Report
for the school year ending August
31st, 1850.
Upon assuming the Office of Co.
Supt. last January. the first thing
which struck me as being against the
interest and welfare of the schools,
was the petty differences, chickering's
and neighborhood quarrels which
existed among the officers of several
of the districts, and [ set to work
Immediately to try and have thsm
settled, SO the schools could receive a
proper and hearty support from the
entire community, IL this work l
received very valuable support from
several members of this honorable
body, and to such members l now
return my hearty thanks. Every
cause for dissention has nov been
removed from the district and much
better work is being done by teachers,
than could be, when the board were
quarreling among themselves and
were therefore in no mood to help or
urge the teacher along in his school
duties.
The operations of what is known as
the Compulsory School Law has
not been as marked as was expected
and predicted by it's author and the
State Supt., but the attention of
Directors having lately been called to
it by Mr., Whitford, and their duties
under it defined, it is to be hoped and
expected, that the next years work
will show much larger percentage of
attendance than the present. Every
school district in the county, with but
two exceptions have maintained school
five months by properly qualified
teacher and are therefore entitled to
their proportion of State money for
the current year. The first exception
Is school district No. one Of Dexter.
4 good school was held there for four
months and | urged upon the officers
the necessity and Importance of en-
gaging teacher for another month.
but as they had ne funds on hand to
pay the teacher with they failed to do
so. Legally the off cers were right
but as | believed their proportion of
State school money would nearly or
quite pay the teachers wages for the
one month necessary to entitle them
to that share, I urged them to try and
make some arrangement which would
be satisfactory TO the teacher and TAX
payers of the district, but they did
not do it, and SO [ Gin certifying to
the Co Treasurer and State Supt. the
number Of scholars in districts which
had maintained school 100 days) was
Obliged to omit them. The other
case Is from the town of Saratoga and
presents some points worthy the at
tention of our law makers. Chapter
118. Sec. of laws Of 1879, provides
that a tax not to exceed 5 per eentum
of the last assessed valuation may be
levied for school purposes. The val
uation of this district was so low that
from 5 per cent. tax they would not
derive sufficient money to pay a teach
ers wages for the 5 months, required
by law, and they could not maintain a
school long enough to entitle them to
their proportion of State money. I'm
der the Compulsory School Law al
ready mentioned they were obliged to
send their children to school II weeks
or be subject to fine for failing to do
so. The law provides however that if
school is not maintained within 2
miles Of the childs residence he is ex-
empt from it's penalties. Some Of the
scholars in this district were under
clause exempt from attendance, others
however were within two miles Of a
school in another district and could
attend there if desired The people
have taken the matter in hand and [
believe that within very short time,
districts will be consolidated and
school houses located so as to be with
in the reach. of all.
[ have dwelt particularly upon this
case to show you that while the law in
regard to a 5 per cent. limitation is a
very good one, these many cases arise
where either it or the Compulsory
School Law must give way and the
Legislature should make the exception
before the occasion arises. Another
thing in reference to the Laws Of the