The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-01-02
WIS. TEACHERS ASSOCIATION,
County Superintendent. Maloney Gives
Report of Most interesting Session.


Forty-nine of the seventy county
superintendent, in the state of Wis.,
consin, assembled at Madison on
December 26th, pursuant to call
sent out by the state superintendent.
The object Of these meetings is chat
subjects pertaining to the county SUI
perindents' work may be discussed for
the purpose of making it more effective
and of greater value to the schools.
s; The; following topics were considered
at various times during the convention:
Teachers Institutes, School Inspection,
Town Libraries, Examination ana
Certiication of Teachers, and num-
/ Der of miscellaneous topics. During
the discussion ON institutes "a universal
sentiment prevailedtfdtthe work of the
institutes had. been greatly enhanced
by the addition of the county institute
fund provided for by a recent enact
ment of the legislature. This fund is
provided for by an examination fec of
one dollar that superintendents are re-,
quirod to collect from TEACHERS apply
ing for examination.
= Wide differences Of opinion and much
discussion was INDUCED in concerning
the character Of work and duration of
such institutes. Supt. G. FL. Nye, of
Grant Co, presented paper on this
subject. 1l
g Examination and Certifcation Of
Teachers was presented by Supt.
Smith of Waukesha county. He placed
considerable emphasis uponprOgressive
examinations for teachers, meaning
that after teacher has taught al year
or two he should be able to SECURE a
/ high grade certificate or at least do
better than barely pass an exalnina-
tionlon the common branches by secur-
fling desired per cent. This is the
only means OF raising the standard OF
our schools and Is the general ,senti-
ment existing IN the minds Of su perrin
tendents, as their support OF Supt.
Smith clearly demonstrated. 1t IS
| hoped that teachers Of Kenosha county
will make determined and united
effort to accomplish. the purpose we
have set out to, in this matter, by
| thorough and careful preparation OF
| the work we have undertaken ih our
| teachers meetings. The discussion on
".Town School Libraries" developed
the fact that only comparatively few
town officers IN the state had neglected
to other duty, concerning, the pur-
| chase Of the books, ~
~ Thest superintendent spoke very
Hecisively illregard to the reponsibili-
Fti6s Of the above Officers and the sever
liabilities incurred b7' nom performance
bof duty. 1t is for the best interests Of
IIalrconcerned thar those officers who
have not attended to this matter should
do SO at once before complaint is made
and serious difficulties arise. Various
other topics Of minor Importance were
I'eonsidered BY the convention were so
/, arranged that superfntehd6nts had an
opportunity to visit Several sessions Of
1.-THE Wisconsin Teachers association,
Which met at the same time.
1 State Supt. Emery in an able man
Iner discussed the recent features of
school legislation in this state and
noted the fact that the: Recommended
,tion, of: the Observation-Disclosures asso-
citation in the past had all been en-
bodied in the school laws passed last
winter. He also dwetatfength on the
subject of manual training depart
ment in high schools as an effective
meanssof securing better)results from
lthemunjg d: |t@bt*3f'') = i.'i21@
W. j.. Brier, president Of the .assO-
ciati0n,j in his address brought again
before the convention the much-mOOt-
ed topic thattthe newspapers have re-
Gently taken up viz, the course in
structiOn in our high Schools, being
arrnnged3jto prepare,apup for the
state university, do noJsmeet the needs
of large majority of our high school
students because a very small number
of them ever3go higher than the high
school and a still smaller number at
tend the university. Pres. Brier gave
some very conclusive statistics on the
matter showing that only four per
cent. of or high school graduates at
tend the university and closed by say
ing that if the high school courses did
not meet the needs Of the ninety six
pupils out of the hundred they should
be revised. The matter was according
~ referred to another committee COM.
posed of Prof. Freeman of the Univer-
sity, Supt. Simonds, of Stevens Point,
County Superintendent Fehlandt, OF
Sheboygan, and A. J. Volland, of Ra-
cine high school. af
Miss McCullock, of st. Louis read a
paper on kindergartens, after which
the association passed a resolution
that committee be appointed for the
purpose of making an effort to secure ap,.
propriate legislation with view TO
| asta hlish q kindergarten department