Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-03-10
Educational
Column.
GUY STANTON FORD, Editor.

improvements in the high school build
ing-hardwood floors, single seats
throughout and. if possible, better
lighting facilities.
III. Each grade should have either
its own reference library or wide
range Of supplementary books. This
work should provide the seventh grade
with a good equipment Of books in
geography and the eighth grade should
have a supply of suitable works on Am
erican history.
". Every room should have been
made as pleasing as its architecture will
allow. Tinted walls, good pictures and
we'll selected casts indicate our needs.
Y. The school system should be
completed by the establishment and
maintenance of kindergarten.
No subject in the graded course needs
more supplementary material than the
study of geography. Books, pictures,
specimens, samples Of products, adver-
tising and descriptive circulars-every-
thing is grist that comes to the geogra-
ply teachers mill, Many homes con-
tain old books out of which the pictures
could be cut and mounted. If you
have any such old books with pictures
of noted places or men send them to u.s.
Perhaps you have stereopticon and
views that are of no real use to you.
Nothing could be more acceptable as a
gift to the schools. Have you old maga-
nj, IL i &
foreign countries? All these We can
use.
The accumulation Of material such as
that mentioned above is not difficult if
it be begun in proper time and the teach
ers receive the cooperation of parents
If you have anything that will aid us
and do not find convenient way of
sending it to us, let any teacher know
and it will be called for.
*
The high school collection of native
woods has received several additions
the gift of Carl Winger of the second
year class.
-
The psychology class has finished its
text. In the final examination Friday
only one received as low as SO. The
rest of the year will be spent in reviews
and work IN pedagogy. Those who ex-
pect to teach next year will be allowed
to do some work in the grades under
the direction of the teacher and super
intendent.
-
Two schools, at least are seeking light
on the expenditures for schools in cities
of our size. Both Rice Lake and New
Lisbon have sent inquiries as to salaries,
libraries and apparatus. Their inquir-
les are similar to those we sent out two
years ago. The tone of both letters
seemed to Indicate a desire to find what
were the requirements Of schools who
expected to keep up with the times.
-
Spring vacation from March % to
Monday April f.
-
School meeting a week from next
Monday. Five commissioners are to be
elected this spring, there being two
vacancies in the third ward and one in
each of the other wards.
-
Last week we visited the schools of
two neighboring cities. at Sparta we
found an excellent school system, well
equipped and we'll housed. The build
ings are nearly all new with excellent
arrangements for heating, lighting and
ventilation. The high school depart
ment has an enrolment of about one
hundred ninety, sixty Of whom are
tuition pupils There are five instruc-
tors in the high school and thirteen
grade teachers nearly all of the latter
having had normal training. The force
of teachers is, as whole, strong and
we'll trained. Sparta has schools of
which it may well be proud. That the
people are bound to have good schools
is evidenced by the liberal support they
are giving Supt. Doty and his teachers.
If there is any reasonable criticism on
the present organization Of Sparta
schools it is that they are doing in nine
years, work that their grade pupils and
teachers are perfectly capable Of doing
in eight. There are SO many reasons
for change to eight grades especially
with an equipment and force such as
Sparta has that We have 10 doubt it is
simply an improvement they are re-
serving for the near future. We sim
cerelv hope that some athletic or schol-
astic contest will bring our high school
into pleasant relations With such an
earnest, wideawake set of young peO
pie as we found at work in the Sparta
high school.
In the other city we found such an
overcrowding as could only be justified
by ignorance of present conditions.
High taxes can hardly be pleaded as a
justification of such Over-crowded pri-
maries, grades and high school. Ninety
two pupils in third and fourth grade
work bearded in one room with one
teacher and an assistant, eighty five
pupils in the room that prepares for
the high school, one hundred and ten
pupils with only three instructors in a
high school which admits to all courses
at the university comes near being what
an article in the Forum on the New