The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-10-08
PROGRESS In EDUCATION.
Supt. Race Submits His Annual
Report on the Schools
of the County.
Highly CompIimented by the
State Superintendent
for His Work.

Supt. Pendergast, St. Paul Mimi,
Dear Sir: Some weeks ago, l handed
to you the annual statistical report,
showing enrolment and financial con-
dition of our schools. The total en-
rollment was 379l, an increase of 8S
pupils over '95. Last year we had
1902 pupils enrolled, of which 3088
we're entitled to apportionment. This
year we closed our work with an en-
rollment of 379l and only 3O14 entitl-
ed to apportionment. This shows 777
pupils we're not in attendance 40 days
during the entire school year. The
loss then to the school fund of the
county is about $5,50O.OO. At the
close of the school year in 1895, we
had 2,344 pupils between 8 and l6
years of age. 1761 of this number
attended three or more months during
the year or rs per cent. This years
work closed with an enrolment of
2,43S pupils between the ages of 8 and
16 years and yet only 1,746 of those
pupils attended the necessary three
months or on 20 per cent, Compul-
sorry education does not COM
pei. I notice this fact about good
attendance, that where we'll quail
fed teacher, live energetic soul, one
in love with her work, in we'll sup
piled school room is at work, there is
no trouble about attendance. There
are dozens of such schools in this
years report where IS to SO per cent
of the enrolment is entitled to appor
tionment and where every child be-.
tween s and 16 attended three or more
months. The remedy lies not in more
stringent laws but in more efficient
teachers. Raise the standard of re-
quirement and require more matured
teachers. Occasionally a bright ener-
getic soul enters the field as CLEAN
or at salary of $4,000 per month. She
only teaches one term, when some vii
lage or city ffers her $40 or $50 per
month and she bids her rural school
good by.
Condition of School Houses and
Out Houses. Not much improvement
over one year ago, although some. All
new school houses, however, have we'll
arranged and we'll lighted rooms, with
good separate out houses for each sex.
It's cheering to the traveller to find a
we'll painted school house with good
high ceilings, wood-shed, good closets,
a roomy hall for hats, coats and other
wraps and then to step in and find a
wide awake teacher with a room full
bright joyous children who love to
come to such a school home. There
are such schools here.
Free Text Books. I'm unable to
report much interest in this subject.
All our best schools use the system.
Of the 80 districts in the county, y
use free text books. The sale of the
books at cost is not very helpful and
many who have tried it, abandoned it.
The books loaned free are in good
condition and the good accomplished
cannot be measured by the money
expended.
Summer Schools: Owing to the
nearness of two Summer schools in
Renville and Brown counties our en-
rollment did not reach the mark it
reached two years ago. We, however,
opened with 100 students and closed
with 122. The enrolment contained
all of the first and second grade GER
tifcated teachers. We confined our
selves to three subjects which requir-
ed close study. The result was better
than two years ago. Summer schools
help in many ways. The student
teacher and those preparing to teach
get hints and helps which aid them in
starting we'll their schools. The law