Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-01-27

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errors are made apparent, and to these
1t is necessary for me to call attention,
in order that the report may appear
consistent. The item of 255 school dis
tricts is evidently incorrect, for further
on we find that only 2l7 school houses
are reported (the same number is still
reported for this county, and also that
only 246 persons were required to con-
duct the schools, although Is were grad
ed and employed from to s teachers
each. 1t will be noticed that the num-
Der of days taught in ~ is greater than
the number reported at present. This
difference arises from the fact that the
clerk of joint district is required to re-
port to each of the town clerks of the
different towns (parts of which compose
such districD the number of days school
has been maintained. Each town clerk
is liable to include the number of DAYS
thus reported, forgetting that in the
case of joint districts the number of DAYS
that school has been maintained should
be reported only by the clerk of the town
in which the school house is situated.
There is school house in this county
so located that the district is composed
of parts OF four towns. Last year school
was maintained in this district 100 DAYS.
Each town clerk reported 100 DAYS
taught; conseque ltly, had care not been
exercised, that district would have re-
ceiyed credit for GAO days of school in
one year. One item from which the re-
turns for ~ are made, gives Ellenboro,
with 6 school houses, 2,143 DAYS of
school, while Fennimore, which at that
time included the present town of Mt
Ida, is credited with but 2. 1864 DAYS of
school, although 10 school houses are
reported. ! have every reason to believe
that the items furnished by the town
clerks for 1880 are in the main correct.
Many OF them are men who have held
their present positions for a number of
years, well understand what is required
OF them and are generally interested in
seeing that the reports made by the dis
trict clerks are correct
Grant county has a larger number of
graded and high schools than any other
county in the State except Milwaukee
county. Below are found the names of
the principals with the number of teach
ers employed in the graded and high
schools: the high schools, five in number,
being named first. Boscobel, 8. S. r.
Willoughby; Muscoda, 4, G. l.. Voorhees,;
Lancaster, 6, r. l.. Reed; Hazel Green,
4, Frank Moore; Mt Hope, 8, w. b.
Phillips; Potosi, 3, l.. l.. Lightcap; Brit
ish Hollow, 2, Arthur Page: Rockville.
2, z. E. Moore; Platteyille, Brick School.
4, Philip Eden; Rock School, 6, VIII Il.
Jennings; Washburn, ., Miss Julia ".
Williams; Montfort, 2, A. +. Smith;
Fennimore, ?, Clyde Showalter: Patch
Grove, ,, Miss Maggie Lewis; Bloom
ington, 3, p. BARLEY; Muscalonge, 2, III.
j. Suttle; Cassyille, 4, w. HI. Knapp.
The school at Fennimore will hereafter
be classed with the high schools. it hay-
ing been recently organized under the
Free High School Law, by the well d.
rected and earnest efforts of the school
board
There was at one time, number of
years ago. something like uniformity
of text books in this county. but very
soon new and revised editions were is
sued and purchased, with now and then
an entirely different book recommended
by some teacher, until the condition of
things in the matter of text books was
somewhat astonishing as well as appall-
ing to the teacher who undertook to
classify his school. This condition of
things exists to-day in too many of our
schools, it not being an uncommon thing
to lind school of not over 40 pupils re-
quiring the teacher to hear from 80 to
AZ recitations per day, when, BY the
adoption and use of 4 Uniform and wall
selected series of text books, the num-
Der or recitations may easily be reduced
to ~, or even less, depending of course.
somewhat, on the advancement OF the
school, thus enabling the teachers and
pupils to do something like satisfactory
work, which is impossible under exist
ing circumstances. BY dealing with re-
sponsible publishing houses and placing
the handling of the books in the hands
OF some reliable person, pupils can be
well supplied at saving of about one
third the usual cost As far MS have
been able to learn, not one district that
has adopted the contract plan desires
to return to the old way. Sorue districts
purchase the books and then loan them
to the pupils. This plan has not proved
entirely satisfactory. and many of them
have placed the books in the hands Of
some one person. and now sell them 10
the pupils. II is very evident that by
use Of the power now placed |