New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-01-21
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Reports Of Superintendent Of Brown
and NicolIet Counties.

reports Of superintendent OF Brown
and NicoIIet Counties.
We are in receipt of copy Of the BIZ
ennial report of the State Superinten-
dent OF Schools, from which we copy
the reports Of Superintenden.s Velikan-
je and Gresham, which will no doub,
interest many of the REVIEW readers
in Brown and Nicollet counties.
BRowN.-Not having received any
records OF the previous years standing
of schools, l am unable to make COM
parison with the results Of this year;
but it is my firm belief that at least
some progress has been made This is
shown partly by universal desire Of
teachers to geta higher grade OF certi-
ticate, or standing; partly by the deter
mination of the school trustees TO hire
teachers that hold, at least, a second
grade certificate; and, finally, by the
interest Of the people in general, which
manifests itself by frequent visits to the
school-room.
At the fall examinations, the average
standing required for the different
grades Of certificate has been raised, to
ascertain whether our teachers are
keeping abreast of the times. The result
was brisk competition for higher
standing, and only few remained in
statu puo.
/ find great obstacle to the eficien-
cy OF rural schools in the fact that the
terms are too short. More than forty
per cent of our rural districts have only
three or four months school, and the
long vacations do, certainly, not contri-
butte much to the progress of the pupils.
Would it not be we'll to have the mini
mum length OF term fixed by law at six
months, for districts organized at leas,
three years?
Special efforts have been made to in.
troduce systematic courses of study, but
with no great success. Insurmountable
obstacles are, as yet. encountered in
some districts, but perseverance and
the beneficial work of the teachers in.
stitute will steadily prepare the way
for the grading Of the country schools.
The schools which have already intro.
duced graded courses are very few (on-
ly thirteen per cenD, but the results OBJ
tanned are such that the efficiency Of
the system is placed beyond doubt
The Libraries in rural districts are
very few and small; but the independent
districts are amply furnished with works
Of reference and miscellaneous reading
matter.
At last years institute steps were
taken toward organizing county asso.
citation and starting a circulating libra.
ry; but somehow, the scheme failed and
1t will require an energetic influence to
revive it. If we proceed uuitis viyibus,
our efforts will be crowned with sue.
cess.
/ do not know to what extent educa.
tional jurnals and professional libraries
are found in the hands of teachers, bu,
numerous inquiries concerning books
and periodicals bear evidence that there
is a growing demand for more light in
| literature.
The evils which our schools suffer by
reason of the present districting plar
are slight, in comparison to the benefit;
derived thcrefrom. The division of {
township into too many districts l re-
gard as the evil that leads to shor,
terms of school in localities which 9th
erwise would be able to hold full
term.
The supply of dictionaries in ou1
schools is extensive, but not general
We still find school-rooms destitute O.
any kind of apparatus, but there is :
perceptible desire of the people to fur
nish the school-room with all modern
improvements.
should regard an act 70 make thu
school year end July S1st unwise. All
sorbed by the work in the field, at tina
time, the farmer would be deprived O
his right to give due consideration to. an.
to express his opinion in, matters of 81
great importance.
The booksellers are provided with
school books according to the demands
but district clerks refuse to have any.
thing to do with that matter A pro
vision in the law .that County Commits
sioners should provide every school dis
trict of their respective county with
map of that county free of charge,
would be an improvement in my opin
| ion.
j. B. VELIKANJE, Superintendent
N1coLLET Co.-The subject upor
which l have laid special emphasis dur
ing the last two years, is that of Ian
guage. Many of the children in thi
county speak little or no English, out
side Of the school-room, but, notwith
standing this difficulty, very encourae
ing results have been obtained In O,
er to supplement training given by tn
teacher in language and reading, hav
endeavered to awaken and stimulate a
interest in favor of purchasing schot
libraries. It seems to me that tn
school library is the lever by which th
general culture of community can b
raised, and considering the importanc
of the matter of general reading in
school and community, l think th
normal schools should lay special stres
upon this subject, even at the expene
| 81 fo1r o1nrins ~, E..