Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-02-24
Educational
Column.
GUY STANTON FORD, Editor.

century, should have:
|. Made permanent the policy of pro-
fessional supervision by one man who
makes supervision his sole work.
II. They should have made minor
in the high school build
ing-hardwood floors, single seats
throughout and, if possible, better
lighting facilities.
Ill. Each grade should have either
its own reference library or wide
range of supplementary books. This
work should provide the seventh grade
geography and the eighth grade should
have supply of suitable works on AM
ericaii 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.
V. The school system should be
completed by the establishment and
*x*
The Forum had a very interesting
meeting last Friday evening. Every
seat in the assembly room was crowded.
The debate was on the constitutionality
of secession and the Southern cause was
again 'lost cause" The program for
next Friday evening includes a debate
on the question of government owner
ship of telegraphs. This is the same
question that the universities Of Illinois
and Wisconsin are to debate.
~
One of the needs of our public library
is complete file of some leading maya
zine. The files of the Forum could
most easily be filled out and then, with
a good index such as Poole's, much of
what is now waste material would be
easily accessible.
#x~
Speaking of the public library, have
you looked over the new books that
have been lying on the reading room
table? 1t is fine selection. A list of
the books will undoubtedly be pub
lished in the REPORTER. There is one
that deserves especial mention on ac-
count Of its interest to pupils, parents
and teachers. 1t is De Coure's "Heart
Of Boy" 1t is one of the three re-
cent notable pedagogical stories-the
other two being Evolution of Dodd"
and "Roderick Hume."
*x~
A reoent CENSUS taken in the upper
grades to find out what were the chill
dren's favorite books revealed some
surprising results not altogether pleas
ing either. The investigation will be
carried little farther and if the results
can be arranged they will be presented
in this column.
~
The fifth grade in Mr.. Green's room
having completed their Fourth reader,
are now reading the "Story of Wash
ington" and the "Story of Lincoln" in
the newer booklet series.
~
The seventh grade has just finished
Rip Van Wrinkle and is now following
the msfortunes of Ichabo6 Crane in
"The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow"
*
An Arrangement has been made by
which ten or fifteen minutes at the close
of each session of the High school is
spent i'll general exercises. Monday,
Mr.. Hambrecht reviews current topics;
Tuesday, Miss Lindsey has an exercise
in correcting mi stakes in English; We'd
nesday, Mr.. Betten gives a drill in
arithmetic, and Thursday Mr.. Ford
reviews some geographical points.
-
There is one thing that is to be de-
plOred in the management Of country
schools. That is the policy or lack OF
policy in the choice of teachers. Ifany
discrimination is made it is generally to
consider applications in the order in
which they are made or to hire the
teacher with the most "experience." q"
Now experience Of the kind usually
presented doesn't amount to the snap
of your finger. II onsists in having
sat in a school room AND heard reclta-
tons in the same outline way for a
number of years. ri ne cases out OF
ten this "experience" is deaden1ng
influence on the teacher and the coun-
try school or the grad ed school with
the experienced" teacl Ter is about as
cheerful and progressive as a graveyard
| would ten times rather have a young
high school graduate ith power and
possibility than an indiyi dual whose in
tellectual limit is third grade certif-
cate renewed year after y ear and whose
chief recommendation is not the quality
but the quantity of teachjing(?) she has
done.
~
In this connection let me say another
thing. Clearly the tbrec-fold work Of a
high school is first, - do as much as it
can towards complete education of
those who VIII go no ia rther; second. to
prepare teac hers for country and grade
schools, and third and last, it is a pre-
paratory 81 hool for tb e university and
college. ct all these aims are made
one when the high school elevates the
character and strengthe ns the scholar
ship Of lis members. Some people
have "a t. tendency to 1easure high
school b. the number of third grade
certiicat as that its gre .duates can OBJ
tain. Nc wv let me say Il lat getting third