The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-09-03
IRON COUNTY SCHOOLS.
state Superintendent Hammond Tells How Re
Found Them.


structian Jason f.. Hammond WAS m
sfrnBcnunty hast winter. While here he |
visited ten schools in the county in com
pany with County Commissioner Conlin |
In his annual report oi the schools of
Michigan just issued he has the following
to say regarding the condition IN which /
h., found Iron county schools:
In Iron county | saw the best equipped,
and best taught country schools 1t was
ever my privilege To visit. The school
houses are well built, coy, and comfort
able; large enough 10 accommodate all the
pupils, and furnished with desks oi SUIT
able size Tor pupils Of al ages. Charts.
maps globes good blackboards, stoves,
and nll the similar pieces 81 furniture
that are useful To n tencher IN a country
school. found IN these districts BY "a
glance at the appended table IN this re-
port persons mny learn and compare the
cost of these schools with those visited
ia the other districts 81 the state. am
not disposed To give undue credit To the
very capable and earnest county com
missioner Of schools do not intend To-
ascribc all Go the township unit system
which prevails throughout the county,
nor nll 10 the energetic and c"mpar-
atively young school officers who ARE
interested in the mining and agricultural
intrests oi that county. But believe
the credit belongs 20 these three agencies
combined, and 10 their good influence
exerted throughout the county.
The same general suggestion regarding
lighting, ventilation, aud heating apply
to Iron county ~ to Others. The
tenchers also need better preparation,
Institutes and tcnrhers meetings designed
20 aid and encourage them, should be-
fosicrcd IN nl Ways possible. IL would
do my heart good j the critics oi our
Upper Peninsula township system, and
mlny oi those who disagree with us ON
/. matters Of education, could have
visited, ~ did, schools like one IN the
district No of Bates township. A COM
munity poollrd by ScaudinaNianS
whose school grounds as well aH the IN.
terror and exterior ot the building were
models oI nentness, IA monument 70 the
devotion 81 tho plain country people to
the cause ol education
desire in this connection 10 speak ot
the township unit system IN general
BY refernnce 10 table No. ~ thlr
7 report IL will be- noticed that the number
pf townships that have organized under
this ayatcm during the last year is four
teen. mnking one hundred eleven town
ships in the state organized M single
districts. Wherever ! have been and
I,ad uccnison 10 inquire al teachers,
school officers. or patrons concerning the
wotl iuia 81 this system, ! haze rarely
heard nn unlayulnle comment, hui
nearly AIway4 words nf commcndation.
~ is nnly mir la state, however, ihnt
found some 81 the same ghl~cs creeping
into This system. snch ns the misal,
prnprialinn ii public money and unwis'
expenditure oi money FOR school sup
phcs. unsuitable selection oi teachers,
rte, that occur under the district syHem
II has been - matter al very much
regret to me hat an overwhelming
minority ~ the persons who are most
intere- led in the rurnl schools have beer
80 unnlternbly opposed 10 this system
/ also regret Tint large body q
enthusiastic teachers of the state hav,
not been more conservative IN theil
recommendn ions concerning this change
There has been much discussion nm,
many unfair representations made, az
both sides oi this question. In my tern
OF service Of four years ~ deputy ia TIN
tbis department had occasion To learI
very we'll Just whit the feeling wa
throughout the state. have stated
and ngaiU state, that no mcasur
originating from the department Office
having in mind "A radical change in th
school system, shall be introduced o
even encouraged during my administra
ton. am OF the opinion, u Mjchiga
had been organized ia the early days b
making the township the unit Tor schoc
purposes, that the rural schools wonl
have kept pace with the advancement
made i'm other schools. j do not b'
lieve, however, thnt a fhdlcM chung
from the single district system To th
township unit system would now
~ise. Speaking personally, and not J,
the great number of school teachers
Michigan, viii say thnt think IL
best plan II to work along MI lin'
calculated 20 strengthen the rurg
schools under the laws that we hay
4 would not adyise our cducationi
ueat huHia-ts Go work for. or even discu'
favornbly. a.chanee that would force ul
Aa ths people of our rural community
a system which they thmk they do nc
want on the other hand. ] wou
earnestly urge that the honest, intel
gent, md influential farmers Of u
routhern hall Of the lower pcninsu