Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-11-12

NO, u CcTlluCdIeS ISSUED TO male
teachers: list grade. 8; end grade,
ID; Srd grade. 80; total ..... Sc
No. of certificates issued to female
teachers: LIST grade, II; end grade.
IS; Srd grade. 1874: total ... 226
Whole number of certificates is
sued. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ...... 2S2
Whole number of certificates re-
fuSed.... -.,...................... 40
No of teachers that have at some
time attended a normal school. 1856
No. of districts that held examine
ton for common school diplomas 81
No. of diplomas issued ........ sc
Mo. of districts that observed Ar
Dor Day.............. ............... l2s
No. of trees planted. 545
No. of schools organized in accord
ance with Course of Study IS
No. of schools that have formally
adopted list of text books. As
Some two hundred schools have been in
spected during the year, Reports have
been made to district boards of the condition
of the schools, work of the teachers. lack of
school supplies, condition of school build
ings, out-houses and grounds: repairs sug-
gested and school supplies urged. and need
ed assistance given when requested. In
many schools. the want of suitable maps for
geography work, good black boards for gem
eral use is serious hindrance to progress
in.the work of the school: for. unfortunate
", neither skill nor energy on the part of
the teacher can compensate for lack of
these essentials.
Economy in all things is commendable:
but that economy which withholds from the
children the appliances necessary to proper
" illustrate and de velope the work of the
school is the worse extravaganza. No mon
ey is better expended for children than IN at
which is spent in providing them with com
Portable school-rooms, good books faithful.
capable teachers and opportunity and en-
couragement to use these advantages to Sc
cure practical. common-sen se education.
which will fit tie IN for the active duties OF
life
Some improvements have been made in
school buildings; better arrangements for
seating, warming, and ventilating are no.
ticeable. The school-buildings at Fenni-
more and Montfort are now completed and
occupied, and the schools at these places
now enjoy excellent facilities for carrying
on their work. Platteville has erected a
building for the accommodation of some of
the lower grades, and the high school is now
comfortably established in the rooms vaca-
ted in the Rock school building in the south
ward
The reports of district clerks show that
during the past four years more than TWEEN
ty-iye hundred trees have been planted on
the school grounds of the county: giving an
average of more than ten trees To each
school, yet observation shows that major
ity of the school yards are entirely desti-
| a. & $50 rffy.s -.
eriy set They should be dug in the woods.
drawn to the school yard and planted by
men who are capable of doing the work
thoroughly and we'll The trees set by
children are generally unsuitable and rare
ly survive the second year.
The annual County institute was held at
Lancaster Aug SIS. Three conductors
were employed and the enrolment vas
the largest known in this county: and the
interest manifested by the teachers was
very encouraging
The County Institute fund furnished
means to hold another institute OF one week
at HazelGreen. thus reaching a classof teach
ers remote fromthe institute centers and who
gladly lvailed themselves of the advantages
thus afforded. The law creating this fund
and requiring its disbursement, while max
ing lighter the work Of examinations. In
creases considerably the work of institutes
lectures. and teachers meetings and largely
increases the facilities for instruction and
Improvement ON the part of the teacher by
furnishing opportunities for observation.
conference and comparison of work in the
institutes and teachers meetings held under
its requirements. In ad dition to those al
ready mentioned. there have been held at
various places in the county ten Institutes of
one day each with lecture, and two OF two
days each. These last two were taught by
the institute conductor appointed by the
Regent of Normal schools. In all Of these
meetings very eficient aid was rendered by
the principal teachers of the county by
whose valuable assistance the meetings
were made successful.
The law requiring a portion of the school
fund income TO be withheld and expended
for suitable books has resulted in placing
within reach of the children some exceed
ingly valuable books tor reading and refer
ence and the eagerness with which they
seize upon the opportunity to use them IS in
itse.s a sufficient Justification for the neces-
sary expenditure. The uniform testimony
of teachers regarding the value of the IL
brary books in the work Of the school furn-
ishes abundant proof Of the wisdom of our
legislators in making the expenditure
mandatory.
Suitable cases should be provided for
storing the books and In the near future
there viii be found in every district school a
library of useful and interesting books
which will be valuable assistance to the
pupils In their studies and greatly increase
the enlciency Of the work Of the school. The
enactment Of the law requiring the pur-
chase Of the libraries IS a grand step for
wacd in the furnishing Of better facilities
for the education of the p1pils Of the c0n-
noa schools Of the state.
More attention should be given to the or
ganization and classification Of schools ia
accordance with the Manual Of the Course
Of STUDY.
More eHicient work may be done. and
much valuable time saved by the system
and method gained by its use. School
boards should insist that tho schools are or
ganlzed ana classified in accordance with
It's teachings and that complete registra-
a. Il