River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-07-12
Course of Study.
BY c. w. BRIGGS.

Why was it found necessary to intro
duce this course into the schools of Wis
consin? The eohys were many,-really
90 numerous to name,-but one at least,
here seemed to be no other way to
avoid haphazard, listless, aimless Or
ganization and management, and ="
other way to eliminate the repetition ana
in their early life, away from schools
which merely drift along in th0 hands
of teachers who are either too lazy, or
have not enough energy or interest in
their work, to try and introduce such a
course into their schools. Why should
we as teachers do all within our power to
introduce this course into our sch ools?
Why! because hundreds of other COM
mon school teachers in various parts of
the state have successfully worked the
course to the improvement of their
schools, and in no case has its introduc-
ton been productive of any more disa-
greeable incidents, than accompany
other innovations of teaching.
Pupils who attend schools in which
the course is worked successfully, seem to
take greater interest in their work. Up
on whom does the success of the course
depend? We know that its successful
introduction depends to some extent
upon district boards, and to a great ex-
tent upon common school teachers and
county superintendent. The course puts
first in the scale of Importance District
Boards. Are they? Are they the first
in putting into effect the purposes of the
cOurse9 The statutes give district boards
the power to make all needful rules for
the government of the schools and to
advise and counsel with teachers with
reference to methods of instruction. !"
How often do they communicate to
teachers even the wish that the course be
worked in their schools?
l think so far the introduction of the
course in Pierce county has depended
upon the county superintendent, and
hereafter will depend upon the teachers
of the county. Then if so much depends
upon us as teachers in planting in our
schools the principles of the course, let
us study it closely, let us find the obsta-
cles, if there are any, and overcome
them. Surely no greater obstacles attend
this than any other good cause. One of
the obstacles to prevent the introduction
given in the Manual is-the failure of the
district board to coincide with the teach
er in their views. feel free to say here,
however, that believe we can go right
ahead and the board will not interfere.
When the district board visits its school
but once year, and that when they are
passing by or seeding in a field near by,
think there is but little danger of their
finding out the fact that we are intro
ducing such thing as Course Of Study.
The greatest obstacle TO overcome in re-
gard to the board, find is the getting of
enough currency to pay for Promotion
Cards.
We know there is a great tendency to
err in handling the course and therefore
we should, say again, study it closely
and find the place where we are likely to
commit an error. / suppose you can all
find the errors we are likely to commit in
handling the course, but would like to
name a few that l think teachers are
very apt to fall into, and few that t. my
knowledge teachers hare fallen into.
First Of all, think teachers are very
apt to think that the classification merely
of pupils in the three forms, first, second
and third, is sufficient evidence that they
are following the Course Of Study. What
is the object Of the three forms2 A pupil
is hindered in taking just that work which
he likes; or in other words by the
three forms pupil is restricted in skip
ping branches and topics which he dis
likes. j think this e. 9r is the stepping
stone to another and probably greater
mistake, and this is registering a pupil
ahead of his work, or according to his
highest forms work. And anotheris the
idea that if there are pupils whose work
is not uniform, they must be registered in
the so-called Mixed Form. The course
tells US there is no such thing as a Mixed
Form, and that in every case where the
pupils work is in more than one form We