River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-07-15

of the pupil, and that for the common |
good of all, the excuse should be an |
urgent one. | respectfully submit |
this matter to your consideration, and |
hope that you Will see fit to pass some |
regulation concerning it.
At the close of the winter term 50 |
pupils were promoted to higher de-
partments,-6 out of the First Pri- |
mary, l. out of the Second Primary, |
20 from the intermediate, and II
from the First Grammar department.
/ have been called upon to ofliciate
IN but three cases of corporal punish |
ment during the year; and in no case
has 1t been necessary TO infiict cOrpo.
real punishment the second time upon
the same individual. There have been
three cases OF suspension and no case
Of expulsion. am happy to be able
TO report that the sentiments of honor
and obedience in our public school are
very high and an ungentlemanly or
unlady-like action has been very rare
occurrence.
During the year we have had the
pleasure to record 994 visits This is
probably as large a number of visits
rs any school i'll the state has enjoyed, |
and without doubt has added greatly
to its prosperity.
1t has been my great pleasure to
procure, through your appropriations
and otherwise, a considerable amount
of Physical apparatus, and also a Geo
logical collection, both Of which have
proven a great help in the study of
those sciences.
Another and more important addi-
tion is the workshop. The value Of
this cannot as yet be fully estimated,
seeing that it has been in existence
only about six months. In the line of
producing and repairing school appa-
ratus it has certainly been worth to
the school at least SlC0, and can
safely add that ON the plan on which
it has been run, that il has resulted in
causing the boys Of the High School
department TO become at least ten per
cent. more Industrious in their appli-
cation to regular school work. 1t has
therefore a three-fold value, namely,
as producing agent, as a stimulus to
study and as a means Of developing
mechanical ingenuity.
/ am glad to notice that this line of
educational work, SO highly estimated
in Europe, is at length receiving
proper recognition among educators
of our state and is being rapidly intro
duced in our public schools. In the
effort to develop the intellect usually
only two of the avenues of intellectual
| acquisition are made use of, namely
the eye and the ear. The hand is
neglected and that wonderful power
Of invention which belongs to the
skilled and thoughtful mechanic is
allowed to lie dormant, leaving unem-
tlOgEu OlAG VI Lilt AAlboN DOhtllAA
stimuli for this development of the
mind. This new stimulus, even within
the short period of six months has
been felt by considerable number of
boys i'll our school. hope in another
year to be able to show some excel
lent results from this department.
Very recently another new line of
work has been added, namely that of
drawing and crayoning. This is in
tended mainly for the girls, who
manifest a lively interest in it,
and of whom quite a number exhibit
an aptness that promises more than
ordinary results. This work as well
as that Of the machine shop has been
| optional only for those who give sat.
! isfaction in their regular school exer-
cises. The condition thus far for en-
tering and continuing in the work
has been that the pupil must maintain
IN average scholarship of at least so
per cent. and must not fan below
IS per cent. in any one branch. Up
TO this time this plan has proven very
satisfactory, both in stimulating pu-
pills to greater diligence in study, and
in preventing greater number than
can be accommodated from engaging
in the work.
The reading library placed into our
school by the efforts Of Prof Keyes.
has been somewhat enlarged and de-
serves well the high estimate placed
upon it 10y its founder rs a means of
interesting pupils more deeply in their
studies. The librarian reports $50
books drawn during the year 10y the |
pupils of the three upper depart |
ments. From the fact that none of |
these books may be read during school /
hours, the library has become an ex-
cellent means of carrying the pupils /
education beyond the prescribed 81
hours of the school-room for many,
who never employ any other time in
study. 1t also tends 10. cultivate a
taste for reading and self-culture,
which, in my opinion, is the most de-
sirable end in any system Of education.
The books are read very rapidly, many |
of the pupils having read most of the
books in the library suited to their |
years. In order TO continue the in.
terest in this direction it is necessary
to add to the library from time to
time. This has hitherto been done by
donations. Now that its utility to
our school has become evident from
actual experiment. ! suggest that a
small sum be regularly appropriated
for its maintenance and extension
from year to year.
Many of the facts concerning our
ehOol are already in your possession