Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-03-10

to pay.
To my mind the only remedy is in
producing better teachers-trained
teachers. But some may say that we
are training teachers That we have
seven Normal schools training persons
for teachers all the time. Yes, but
where do these teachers 90, not into
the country schools but into the cities
where better wages are paid and social
advantages are better.
This cannot be prevented for the
Normal schools cannot produce teach
ers enough for all the schools and the
best workmen are entitled to and usu-
ally get the best wages and positions.
Then all persons are not financially
able to spend two or more years al a
Normal school even if we had enough
of then to accommodate all who might
wish tn go. So we must look in an
other direction to see what can be done
for the teachers who teach in the
''little red school houses" all over the
country.
Ny plan would be to look to the
high schools that are located or may be
| located i'll every county of the state.
At present, Judging from the work that
some high school graduates are doing,
until they practice In the first schools,
one would say that no credit is due to
them nor to the school that turned
them out. AS rule they are too young
and having had no special training as
teachers they have no system or method
for managing school, until they get it
at the expense of the district and the
children in it,
AS the poorer districts must hire the
cheaper teachers year after year, is it
any wonder that the brightest boys and
girls who have adopted the motto of
our state, "Forward," should desire to
leave the country school and go to the
city. We all say no, and feel to honor
that true American spirit that though
born in ignorance and poverty may
rise by its own exertions till 1t occu-
pies the highest position il the country
and makes its possessor the peer of any
man on earth.
To accomplish what l have in mind
| would enlarge upon the duties of the
high school Notwithstanding the fact
that some of our leading educators in
the state are just now advocating the
removing Of certain studies from the
| high school course to the grammar
school. | would not dare to run coun-
ter to those mems opinions if | did not
remember that once upon time a
small boy slew a gl- at giant with a
pebble from his sling. While have no
disposition to harm hair of their heads
yet must throw the pebble.
The high schools are being used as
feeders for the university which is all
right to certain extent, but when sta
tistics show that only per cent. of
those who graduate from the high
schools go to the university while SO
per cent 90 out and mingle with the
great mass of people-many OF them
becoming teachers, should not the high
schools be managed so as to ft the SO
per cent. for the duties of life in the
best manner possible. | believe all fair
minded people will say they should.
Now, how can this be done?
| would suggest that the high school
course be heightened at least one year
and that a pedagogical and training
course of one year be established in
all accredited high schools of the state,
using the grades for model departments,
and that no person be allowed to teach
in any public school of the state who
had not spent at least two years in such
high school or its equivalent, one wear
being in the pedagogical and training
department, and holding a certificate
granted by the principal of the school
certifying such attendance.
The state should make al appropria-
ton sufficient to defray the expenses
of the pedagogical course and either
discontinue the dollar tax or have it
turned into the treasury of the school
maintaining such pedagogical course.
Inasmuch as the state is now and has
been for many years maintaining at
great expense Normal schools that are
beneftting directly only the city
schools, for reasons already given, why
should it not expend at least an equal
amount for the benefits of the great
majority of schools-the country schools.
A prominent writer said recently, ''if
teachers do not go to the Normal schools
who is to bIame?" Well, who is to
blame? In the first place the Normal
schools could not accommodate them,
and secondly hundreds of teachers have
not the means TO go. While this state
of affairs is going on the majority of
the rising generation is being taught by
unframed teachers, when all will agree
that only the best trained teachers
should have charge of children during
their first school life. The Normal
schools would still continue to furnish
trained persons for principals of high
schools and teachers for the grades
Rio Cut in Ticket Rates