The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-08-17
SCHOOL REPORT
Miss Maud Graves Writes Some
Interesting Facts on the
Progress of Mobiles Co.
Schools.

In compliance with your re-
quest it is my duty and pleasure
to submit q supplementary re-
port, concerning tho conditions,
progress and needs of the schools
of Mobiles county.
It affords me pleasure to say
that this interval of two years has
been one of substantial improve
ment. During the past two years
four commodious and substantial
buildings have been erected in
the smaller villages, eight rural
buildings have been built, while
village of Ellsworth boasts the
best and most fully equipped
graded school building in the
state.
Other districts have made need
ed improvements by way of en-
lsrging and painting buildings,
and improving grounds and OUT
baildings. !
OF the ninetY-seven organized
districts ws have, at present, two
high schools, one graded, five
semigraded and ten rural schools,
all Of which draw the extra aid
granted to these several classes OF
accredited schools, amounting to
g, $50. 90.
But improvement has not been
confined to material results alone
While We are glad to report the
above conditions, there is another
side far more gratifying. I wish
to speak briefly Of the progress
and educational activity, which nc
tabulated statements are able ade.
quately to represent. I refer to
tho prevailing spirit, the deep and
increasing interest of q large ma.
jority of our teachers. pupils and
patrons, which. find expression ir
manifold forms of effort.
The rural: school problem il
still q fruitful theme of earnest
contention and various opinion
To our mind the one most impor,
tant factor in the solution of this
problem is now, and always ha.
been. a supply of we'll equipped
oonsecrated teachers. To aid in
this important work five training
schools of four weeks each and
one institute of one week have
been hold in. tho county, during
the past five years. These have
done much to Undue our teaching
force with the spirit of teaching
and added materially to their Us.
able scholastic and professional
attainments. The instructors sent
us, have, in tho main, been per-
sons Of varied and successful OK
perience in school work. They
have brought with them certain
authority and sincerity calculated
to inspire the student teacher with
| q keener interest in and increased
respect for his chosen calling.
The radical change in the OK.
animation any certi6cation o1
teachers has not affected the
teaching force of this. county. II
fact. We were ready and waiting
for the leaven that can but result
in good to our state. State high
school board examination have
been located in az many different
points in the county 10 the law
permits. Az q result many of the
rural school pupils have taken
those examinations and over one
hundred state certi6cates have
bean granted them this year. The
degree Of Scholarship 90 shown
by these examinations, varies
Some have completed : single
subject, while othsrs have finished
work sufficiently to admit them
/ far into tho second year Of high
school.
Here, % IN almost every other
instance, the efficiency Of the ex-
aminations ID limited only BY the
pros iency Of the teacher employ
| ed from year 10 year a good
teacher i cheap & any price
However, i = gratifyi 70 state