Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-06-11
To School Officers of Wood County.

AnOUueT SCHOOL year mas nearly
rolled its weary length around. Many
tiresOme days have passed, and many
trials have been endured. Joy and
sorrow, like cloud and sunshine have
followed each other with unyarying
regularity, until we, as school officers
have been brought to a time when we
must meet face to face the people Of
our respective districts at the annual
meeting and render an account of our
stewardship. What have we done for
the little men and women of the
district? What kind Of teachers did
we hire? What use did we make of
the money intruSted to our care? Did
we buy expensive and needless ap-
paratus? These are thoughts that
are passing through the minds Of the
people or ought to pass. If our school
has been failure, are we prepared to
say wherein the fault lay and to guard
against it in the future? If it lay in
the teacher did we do anything
toward etfecting change by advice
or even our presence in school. When
complaints came in did we decide
against the teacher without a hear
ing as did the noted Justice who
decided against the defendant for the
reason that if he were not guilty the
plaintiff would not say so. Some
times little assistance, advice, or
even the presence of the school board
in the school will have a good effect
on the pupils. Unruly pupils, as a
rule, are more afraid of the Board
than of any one else.
| learn that some officers do not
visit school at all, but depend upon
hearsay for their report of school
work. Certainly no person should
continue to hold so important, though
often thankleSs office if he will not
give it due attention.
Right here let me say that before
you tell the teacher what to do be
sure you know it yourself. And in
order to be posted on school methods
| would suggest that every school
board should subscribe for a good
school journal and when you find
something in it that is good show it
to the teacher.
/ am glad to say that there has
been some improvement in school
work during the year; that the
majority of our teachers have tried
to do their best, but in a few cases
worse than useless teachers were
hired
Although possessed of good certif-
Gates they had no teaching ability.
There is no way to tell what kind of a
school a beginner will teach, so do as
| suggested last year. hire for a short
time with the privilege of the year if
satisfaction is given. The same may
be said of strangers coming into the
I 4 Cl, To
stood as saying aught against young
teachers, for they sometimes teach
the best of schools, while teachers
Neither experience nor education will
make teacher of a person who has
no natural ability to teach.
The proper thing to do is to get the
teachers record if she has taught.
Let me remind you that you should
see that your teacher has a certificate
in force for the time that you hire
her. The law provides that you
should get copy of it. Then you
will know when it expires.
| wish you would report to me,
immediately after taking the census,
the names of all children ia your
districts between the ages of and 13
years who have not attended school
for at least y weeks during the past
year, and also the reason for such
failure.
Our Wood county philanthropist,
J. d. Witter, is formulating a plan
whereby free library may be had in
any locality in the county provided
that somebody will care for it. IN
StructiOn and requirements will be
given in due time. 1t is with sorrow
that | say that there are homes in this
county, in which bright children
dwell, that are not supplied with
either books or papers. | trust the
friends of education throughout the
county will take hold of this offer of
Mr.. Witter and get the books.
There were two laws passed by our
last LegiSlature-One requiring school
boards to buy one or more flags for the
school, and one requiring town
treasurers to retain 10 cents from the
State school money belonging to the
town for each child of school age in
the town and for the town clerk to
eXpend the same for books for the
town. The former law is to teach
patriotism to the children while the
latter is to furnish good books to
children, and their parents too. who
otherwise would not get them.
r. a. HAvENOR, Co. Supt.
Following we publish a list of
certificates issued to teachers in Wood
County since August examination of
1895:
FIRST GRADE
Nellie Halloway Geo. 7. Rowland
Elizabeth NJ. .Connor
SECOND GRADE.
Stella Henderson Maud Griffith
Clara L. PiCe Marion Ellison
Mae Goggins Celia Compton
Edith Duncan Sara Hatteberg
John L. Davis Mary Minahan
Fanny Tallant H. 4. Brooks
Helen p. Coon
THIRD GRADE.
MYRTLE Atwood Angeline Schlig
| Louise Martin Royal J. HavenOT
Gail II. Mason Helen q. Adams
Viola Elliott Carrie kettlesOn
| Maud Snow Mamie White
A {. Ieverance W. l.. White
Stella SevernS W. Granger
Agnes Finley Belle Akey
| Ida Lessig Lorena Blackmer
| Name COrcOran Nora Slattery
| Edna Disbrow Minnie HOople
Ralph Peck Celia Burr
Jennie Reilly L. PeaTle Lees
| Della Disbrow Nora McHugh
| Alma Nanderhoof Gertrude HattebeTg
| Lucy Cournoyer 4. R. Buffers
| Dora J. Douville Mary f. Beaver
| Mae Kupsch Maggie Martin
Your Boy Wont Live a T1onth.
So Mr.. Gilman Brown, of 81 Mill St.,
South Gardner, Mass, was told by the
doctors. His son had lung trouble,
| following Typhoid Malaria, and he
spent three hundred and seventy-five
dollars with doctors, who finally gave
| him up, saving: "Iour bov wont live