Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-07-03
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
by II. W. Dietrich, County
Superintendent.

HcHSi nOJtS, uIScuSSIoLS, ana notices.
There are many matters concerning
the management and welfare of the
common schools of Iowa county that
| desire to present to the patrons of
these schools for their consideration,
and possibly for their benefit; and |
know of no more suitable method of
of presenting them than through the
columns of the county papers.
/ am loath to believe the statement
made in a recent and rather violent
attack upon myself and my work, that
the majority of the voters of our
county are quite ignorant of the duties
of county superintendent. | think,
rather that they are more familiar
with the work and methods of that
officer than of any other county
officer, because he is in closer com
munion with them by reason of his
frequent visiting and examining tours
And it is meet that such is the case,
that he may be better able to perform
the many duties of his position.
do think, however that patrons
sometimes exhibit fatal indifference
to the educational interests of the
children placed in their care. They
forget, perhaps, that this is the last
part of the 18th century and not the
middle part; that no matter to what
profession, avocation, or pursuit the
young person of today may tLrn his
footsteps, he finds active, educated,
intelligent competitors, and if he be
found wanting, he must remain at
the foot of the ladder of success;
that the farmers of the next decade
must be able to foresee the demands
of an ever fluctuating market and to
grasp and solve the economic and
political problem of the day if they
wish to prosper.
Now, in view Of the fact that many
boys and girls complete their educa-
ton in the common schools, let us
raise these schools to the highest de-
gree of efliciency-imprOve the build
ings, add to the apparatus, lengthen
the school year, enlarge the school
library, and | will do what | can to
stimulate and advance the teachers.
If can, by this educational column,
succeed is arousing sufficient sympa-
thy and enthusiasm to raise them one
degree, | shall feel that | have dis
charged in part, at least, the debt due
to the generation of boys and girls
next after me, and thus be amply
repaid for my effort.
CONCERNING CERTIFICATES.
AS much has been said and written
of late, concerning the last teachers
examination and the change of policy
in regard to licensing teachers, | think
a brief explanation of my methods
will be acceptable to the teachers.
There are 1913 schools in the county
employing l43 teachers. At the time
of holding spring examinations there
were l25 qualified teachers, not count
ing 30 first grade teachers who have
mostly retired from tie profession for
divers causes; 60 teachers received Ger
tilicates as result of these examin-
ations, making total of 100 qualified
teachers, which fully believe and yet
believe were quite sufficient to teach
all the schools, making a liberal al
lowance for those who were attending
school and those who do not desire to
teach.
Afterwards, issued two more lin
tied certificates to teachers who had
failed to secure first rate certificates in
order to supply schools that had to
commence at once.
Had there been an adequate system
of reports in use, whereby could have
known just which teachers were en-
ployed and which not, that plan would
have been unnecessary.
In order that the fairness of my
grading might not be questioned, l
marked all papers carefully and then
distributed many of them with sets
of questions used, over the county to
the various applicants; and gave tc all
applicants the privilege of demanding
and receiving their papers.
l do not grant what are popularity
known rs permits: first, because there
is no legal authority for them; and
secondly, because it would not be
doing justice to teachers who have
carefully educated themselves, to make
them compete with those whose lin
tied educations allow them to teach
for very low wages.
1t seems to me that the plan of Ii
censing 100 teachers more than there
are places for cannot operate other
wise than to drive out Of the field the
better qualified teachers; and that the
only method of raising the standard
of qualifications is to limit the number
of teachers to what is really necessary,
allowing for those who annually drop
out of the work.
This plan may incidentally raise the
wages of teachers, but my main pur-
pose is to prepare teachers in a degree
for the tremendous task of fitting a
child for the actual battles of life, in
three to ten short terms of school ex-
perience.
REPORTS OF DISTRICT CLERKS.
In next weeks issue, hope to pre-
sent a few suggestions in regard to
filling out the new blanks furnished
district and town clerks.
District clerks are required to report