Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-02-09
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
Conducted by J. II. Terry PRINCIPAL of Ninera
Point Public Shoots
RECENT EXPRESSIONS CONCERN
ING THE HIGH SCHOOL.

Conducted BY J. II Terry, Principal of Mineral
Point Public Shoots.
RECENT EXPRESSIONS CONCERN
ING THE HIGH SCHOOL.
The Annual Report of the State
Superintendent recently issued con-
tains along with many other valu-
able suggestions some recommended
tons relating to the public high
schools which are well worth the
consideration of the members of the
legislature. Some extracts are made
for the benefit of those interested in
the welfare of this class of schools:
The practical working of the law
relating to free high schools has de-
veloped defects in some features
which need careful and immediate
attention by the legislature. These
may be enumerated as follows:
l. Adequate provision should be
made for definite, intelligent, and
thorough supervision OF these
schools.
II. More definite provision
should be made in relation to the
minimum number of attendants
necessary to entitle schools to par
tlcipate in the aid extended by the
State.
Ill. No certain method of quail
flying teachers for these schools by
special examinations is now provid-
ed, and the law is ambiguous as to
whether graduates of colleges and
normal schools of states other than
our own, are to be recognized as
qualified for these positions.
~. No means are provided for
the dissolution of high school dis
tricts formed from two or more
towns, or the withdrawal of one or
more such towns, after having been
organized by vote of the electors OF
the several towns.
The necessity of provision for SUI
pervlslon arises from the fact that it
is an open question whether the
county superintendent have any
supervisory jurisdiction over these
schools, and the importance of Sc
curing, thorough constant oversight,
adherence to prescribed courses of
study, thoroughness and honest
mpletiOnnf work in such courses,
a. we'll S Hdere formal official adop-
tion. qt the courses prescribed. The
courses of stud d0isad ,era appr0y-
ed must Necessarily shei liiaited ito q
minimum In branches hhd IL i'll tine
devoted thereto; but the value OF
the schools must be determined by
the products, and these should not
be left to the whims, caprices or
prejudices of local authorities.
The law now provides that at
least twenty-five pupils must be
prepared, by successfully passing
required examinations, to enter up
on high school work before such
school may be organized, but makes
no provision for requiring that, or
any other definite number, as
minimum the school must have of
actual attendants, to entitle it to
aid, or that classes in all parts Of the
course shall be actually organized,
as conditions of continuing to re-
ceive aid. This makes it possible
for schools to receive aid which only
furnish instruction in the first wear
of the course.
AS upon the teachers of these
schools largely depend their success
and usefulness, the importance of
yesting responsibility for determin-
ing their qualifications in compe-
tent hands is apparent.
1t Is therefore urgently recon-
mended that provision be made for
such supervision of high achools as
will ensure information concerning
their organization and management,
and the number instructed in the
various divisions of the courses of
study, inspection Of the class work,
and of the final examinations, and
the proper qualification of teachers
employed.
There has always been a diversity
Of opinions as to what the leading
function of the high school should
be, some portion OF the educational
forces of the state maintaining that
the preparation of the pupils for
the University or other higher in
situations should constitute the lead
ing object, while others, and a more
numerous class have held that this
work is only incidental, and the
principal business should consist of
thorough training in English alone
as preparatory to intelligent pursuit
of any Of the ordinary avocations of
of life. Upon this question the
State Superintendent expresses him
self as follows:
Observation and experience leads
to inquiry in two directions: First,
the relation of these and similar
schools to higher education. Sec
ond, their relation to the elemental
ry, or common district schools.
No words can SO clearly and en-
phatically answer these inquiries as
the statistics relating to these
schools.
1st. They meet demand that is
felt in nearly every community, and
are highly appreciated wherever es-
tablished under fair conditions for
success. This is indicated by the
fact that in ninety-eight free high
schools reporting the present year,
there was an enrolment of 6,52S
pupils, an average of &c pupils to