Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-01-20

Nordahl B. solner writes rs from
Edgerton. Wis, viz: Il find, upon care
full diagnosis. that my literary soul il III.
and that I cannot exist without the
TRANSCRIPT" It is perhaps unnecessary
for us to add that the never-falling reme-
dy was promptly dispatched by first mail
Mr.. Solner is cashier of the Tobacco Elk
change Bank Of Edgerton, r. Il. Brown
& Sons, Bankers. We take the liberty
of quoting the following extract from his
letter: -.
eve commenced business Sept. 21st,
1885, in what is considered TO be one OF
the best furnished and equipped banks IN
the interior of this state. Business of
every kind has been somewhat depressed
owing to the low prices and slow move
ment Of tobacco, consequent upon the
extensive importation OF Sumatra. Dele
gates from the eight tobacco growing
states, including special representative
from this district, have been sent to act
as a body of lobbyists. demanding spe..
citic duty of $1.50 per pound upon all
grades of Sumatra The prevailing opin-
no favorable measures will be passed by
| the present Congress. We look for an
Improvement in business circles during
the next sixty days. To illustrate the
scarcity of money, I will say, that of
800, 600 of due" and ''past due" paper
| which we hold, we have been unable to
collect more than per cent. Building
improvements in in this city foot up
1926, 900 for 1885, which is considered a
good showing. We have been experience
ing the same cold wave which extended
through your region last week"
AT the recent Safe Convention of
Teachers held in St. Paul. c. D. Belden,
Superintendent of Schools of Mower
county. had an important place ON the
program, and his paper WAS highly APP
preciated by the teachers, as the follow
ing condensed report, taken from the
Dispatch, tends to show:
The topic: The Certifcation of
Teachers" was introduced by Superin-
tendent G. D. BeIden, Of Austin. He
said 1.-The subject, although dry aud un-
interesting, is, nevertheless very impor-
tant. Teachers are often Inundated by
the imposition of an annual axamina
lion In the certitjcation OF the teacher
we decide at once what the character OF
the school work shall be. 1t is the
teacher who is responsible for the
economy or waste OF the p"pils youth
full career. Then does it become neces-
sary that a county superintendent must
be very careful in his certitication of
teachers. Can he say conscientiously
that he believes that a certain teacher
has all the qualifications for a good
teacher? Strict certiication is fair for
both pupils and x-payers. Strict ccrtifi
cation is also fair to all good tirst-class
teachers who have sacrificed much to
achieve success. Many people say that
book knowledge is not necessary for a
good teacher Accuracy of scholarship
is an invariable qualification in teacher.
On this account am in favor of frequent
examinations. If a teacht keeps every
thing well reviewed, then she need never
be afraid of those examinations. In re-
gard to the moral qualifications. should
say that his personal character should Ue
above reproach, for these alone can com
mand the confidence OF pupils and pa
rents Intellectual qualifications are the
basis for ccrtification. Teachers, when
you bring your county superintendent
to task for various actions, remember
|
The law does not place a minimum limit
to the are of teachers, aud hence the ex-
aminations are often filed with sixteen
year-olds who might better he in the
<rh00lroom themselves, and VIII" are
satisfied with a third grade certificate as
the goal Of all their ambition. Why can
we not have a state certitcating board of
five, representing the state university,
state normal schools and county superin-
dency, who shall have the power to grant
a certificate good for 10 or Is years,
thus making the certificate a goal which
all teachers would try to attain, in SO
much as it would relieve them from the
disagreeable examinations that come so
Oftenw
The discussion on the paper was opened
by Supt. Sperry, of Dodge county, and
continued ny President Soaring, of the
Mankato Normal school, but the ground
was so we'll covered by Mr.. Belden that
but little can be said of their remarks,
both expressing their approval of the
paper.
BIRTHS AND DEATHS FOR 1885.
Below we give our usual annual report
Of births and deaths for the year 1885.
The record is more favorable than for
1884, which was 1896 births and ITO deaths.
1885 gives us 424 births, gratifying
increase, and 1856 deaths, gratifying
decrease Only illegitimate children in
1885, one IN Nevada and one in Waltham,
whereas there were 5 in 1884. Of twins,
Racine reports 2 pairs. and Leroy l
1884 gave US 7 pairs. Very little dcvasta-
ton from alphabetically deaths, the
same number as in 1884, Three of these
| wpre in Anstin city, and one each