Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-03-01

farce since the superintendent are able
to visit so infrequently and to afford
so little aid. either by comparisons and
direction. IT is well-known that many
superintendents are themselves ineom-
petent, and get the office only because
they get the delegates.
To succeed this elective system the
bill provides 70, the creation of a state
board of supervision of common schools.
composed of tx offiCio personages who
hold positions as follows: The professor
OF pedagogy in the state university.
VINO is nominated thereto by the presi-
cent or the university and is commits
stoned by me board of university re-
gents the examiners of candidates for
state eerufiaates, appointed thereto by
the state superintendent. and the chief
conductors of teachers institutes of the
seven normal schools. who are nomi-
mated by the respective normal presi-
dents and are commissioned by the
board of regents Of normal schools, This
board of supervision of common schools
is the strongest pedagogical body in the
state. is so stable as to insure wise.
per nanent action. and is removed from
personal. political or commercial bias
Its dignity win be recognized at a
glance, as the names OF the persons that
would at once come to membership are
DR.. j. w. Stearns of the university,
Professor a, J. Hutton of Whitewater.
Professor Albert Hardy of Plattevira,
Professor w. G. Hewitt of Oshkosh,
Professor J W. Livingston of Stevens
Point, Professor f. w Walker of SUI
perior. and Professor II. A Adrian of
River Falls.
Half Our Teachers Serve but One Year.
When il is known that more than one
half of WisC0nsins 1900 teachers serve
less than an average of one year in
school, and that like number o. teach
elS hold the lowest (third) grade of
certificates. that next to all teachers of
rural schools are licensed and are SUI
pervised by some county superinten-
dents. some of whom can not write sue
cessfully for the certificate which. by
present law. they are authorized to
grant TO others. the claims of the bill
are worthy of consideration
The new plan makes the school super
intendents appointiva instead of cleo
tive, and brings the supervision of the
board of the Brainy Eleven TO bear on
those country schools which now go il
alone" and go it very badly. Some
will object to the expense. The inspec.
tors are to receive 81 ,O00 each, plus IS
for each school in their district. There
is also an assistant to the state super
intendent to be appointed at $4,000 a
year. who will also act as secretary to
the Brainy Eleven. Some are afraid
this secretary will become a despot
Others think the rural schools are i'm
proving fast enough, and believe in
Evolution rather than Revolution
Others think that the people are sur
rendering their democracy" when the
county superintendent ceases to be an
elective office. These DIRECTORS ought
to push bill to provide Tor the cleo
ton at the polls Of school teachers
Personally l hope that Superintendent
Harvey will win He was elected to bet
ter the country schools and he has told
the people how.
Rest Found in Going Away.
Governor Scofeld writes from Pasa-
dena that the thermometer is at 50.
Am we'll How are you?" This is err
couraging. He Will be home in a few
days. Change of scene is the great cure
for mental overwork and nervous ex-
haustion. Just to sit in the train and
look out the window on Cowsheds, made
beautiful by snow, and an old farmer ro-
mantle as he passes, milk pail in hand,
to look after the receding train whose
faces pressed against the windows he
will never see again-bits of nothing
like this send thought currents along
new channels and the old throb turns
from funeral march into a reveilie OF
hope and eXultation.
Apart from legislative duties there is
not much pressing on the administra-
ton. The judicial elections in April
promise to be uneventful returns of
Chief Justice Cassoday and Judge
Dodge to the supreme bench.
There are some more executive APP
pointments to be made, but they are
some ways off A number of regents
have lately been assigned to the uni-
versity and the normal schools In
May a dental examiner is to be APP
pointed This is a board of five mem
bers On April II a member of the
pharmacy board will be named There
are five on this board, their business
being to examine drug clerks. On April
/ two fish commissioners will be named.
On May the matter Of fish and game
warden will be settled. In June state
veterinarian will be appointed. All
these matters interest greatly the Vari-
Gus classes affected thereby.
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