Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-01-02


( If it were practicable. The RECORDS OF
the university show at glance Just
where the pupils from a given school
are weak and where they are strong,
and on the basis OF this knowledge the
person selected is appointed to ascerr
tain whether the weakness OF pupils
4 in a particular case is the result OF
defective teaching in the school from
which the deficient pupils come. The
report OF every inspector goes before
( the committee on accredited schools,
and the recommendations OF this COM
mittee are the basis of the action of
the faculty.
Now let us inquire as to the ideal
which actuates the university authors
ties.
| was glad to find when l came TO
4 Wisconsin that no effort had been made
to encourage the establishment OF dis
tinct and separate preparatory depart
ments in the high schools and acade-
mics. The view which ] have long
teld on this subject was expressed two
years ago N the report of the Con-
ference on History which was presented
to the now celebrated committee of ten.
In the report of that committee, of
which / was the chairman, at page 173
occur these words:
THE conference believes that such a
4 distinction, especially in schools pro-
yided for the children by public taxa
ton, is bad for all classes OF pupils.
1t is the duty of the schools 10 furnish
a we'll grounded and complete educa-
ton for the child; it is the duty Of
higher institutions to accept well
grounded and complete education as a
4 suitable preparation for entrance upon
their courses Whatever improves the
schools must improve the colleges; but
our function seems to be simply to rec
ommend the best system which we can
devise for the schools, without taking
I into account any subdivision of pupils.
This idea was formally presented in
resolution 81 of the conference (see Re-
port, page 1861, which reads as follows:
Resolved, That the instruction in
history and related subjects ought to
be precisely the same for pupils on
their way to college or the scientific
school, as for those who expect to stop
at the end of the grammar or at
the end Of the high school," and was
further quoted in the report of the com
mittee of ten on page 80.
These words express as we'll as |
could now do the attitude towards the
schools of the university throughout its
history.
We have never advocated or encour-
aged the establishment of separate pre-
paratory courses. We accept Of the
schemes of study recommended by the
state superintendent; and however we
may feel as to the possibilities of inn
provement, we adopt those schemes
fully and heartily as the basis OF all
our judgment IN respect to particular
schools. The university has no scheme
of study which 1t desires to impose up
on any school. We simply adopt as
y a standard the scheme which has the
official sanction of the duly constituted
educational authorities of the state.
So too the university has attempted
no revolution or innovation in regard
to the specific qualifications of instruc-
tors. 1t does not undertake to deter-
mine how long the teachers shall have
studied given subject, nor what the
experience of teacher shall have
been. We believe, however, that mas
much as no teacher can teach all he
knows, every teacher is called upon to
know mere than he is called upon to
teach. We believe. therefore, that no
teaching can be really efficient, If the
teacher has never gone farther or done
more in a single subject than the class
he is to instruct. 1t would seem to go
without saying that as rule a class
cannot be well prepared in Latin by
a teacher whose studies in Latin have
been limited to the studies Of the pre-
paratory classes he is to teach. The
4 same Is true in German. This general
instruction does not apply, OF course,
to those brilliant exceptions which
sometimes show that unusual enter
Prise and ability may overcome all the
DEFICIENCIES of an inadequate prepara-
ton. There is occasionally, ais we all
know, what is sometimes called "a born
I teacher" whom no deficiency Of train
ing can prevent from exerting an in
spring and uplifting influence.
; And now having explained the con
siderations which determine who the
inspectors shall be, let us inquire into
the results. This will require, first Of
all, the dry bones of a few statistics
! The number of accredited schools on
\ the list Of the university at the present
time is 124. The number OF schools
inspected on application in 1S94-5 was
Z &C. The number that has applied dur
4 ing the present year thus fan is r.
\ Up to the present date 2S schools Lave
this year been inspected. In 1894
three schools were dropped as the re-
suit Of inspection; in 1S94-5 two. and
thus far in 1855 one; making, in the
+ course of two years and about one
third, an aggregate of six schools
which have been found in the judg-
ment Of the faculty unworthy to con-
/ tinue on the accredited list. Now this
& uhouripo caor0c IN mo m oiva rico IN