Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-09-04
Home-Made Teachers.


Home Made Teachers.
A newspaper the other day indicated
that there was some sort of ''educa-
tional trust IN Wisconsin-that dis
eourages any talent except Wisconsin,
students. Mr.. Harper of the educa-
tional department tells me the stat
utes of no other state In the Union
are so lib raj and just when 1t comes
to considering the qualifications OF
teachers. The laws of Wisconsin relat-
ing to the eertlfication Of teachers sim
ply require that a teacher coming to
this state from colleges, normal
schools. etc, outside of the state shall
possess the same scholarly Attachments
that are possessed by the graduates
Of colleges and normal schools of this
state-no more. no less. The situation
In this state at the present time shows
this to be true An examination of
records in the state superintendent
office shows that more than 60 diplo-
mas, certificates, etc, granted by col
leges and schools outside the state
have been recognized by the state
board of examiners since last Deeem-
Der and the holders of the documents
have been placed upon an equal foot
ing with graduates of like institutions
of this state, so far as the schools OF
the state are concerned. The presi-
dents of at least three of the seven
normal schools In this state aaye come
from other states. Four-tifths of the
members Of the faculties of at least
two of the schools in the state, If not
more, received their education In
schools other than those of Wisconsin.
The city superintendent of Beloit.
Superior. Oshkosh, Chippewa Falls,
Eau Claire. Stevens Point, Mnrinette.
Mineral Point, and RItcine are from
outside the state.
There are some forty-nine cities in
the state having city Superintendents.
In many of them, but in none Of those
Lamed above. the city superintendent
does not teach. but Nicely acts as n
secretary of the school board, receiv-
ing for his services 4 merely nominal
sum. This showing would hardly lead
one to con Jude that there We're any
strong evidences of trust in re-
.,,,.1 o., pabnnI Y.attary Al fa,. a. thasa
superintendent are concerned. One Is
surprised TO learn OF the large number
of responsible principalships and posi-
tons as assistants that are not filled by
persons prepared In Wisconsin schools.
This statement must under no circum-
tances be construed to mean that be-
cause of the large liberallty shown the
schools of this state are not equal to
tie schools of the same kind in other
states Indeed, there is probably no
state in the Union where the school
work IL so closely correlated and regu-
larry systematiZed rs II is In Wiscon-
sin. From the common district school
to the state university tue graduation
is easy and natural. But two states.
New lork and Pennsylvania. surpass
Wisconsin in the number of state nor
NAL schools, New York having twelve
and Pennsylvania eleven normal
schools, for population of about t.
O0000O. while Wisconsin has seven for
a population of 100000 New York
has one professional student In the
normal schools for each l,l5O of popu-
la ton, while Wisconsin has one for
each $50 of the population. The num-
Der Of graduates from the normal
schools and state university in Wis
consin is about 700 each year, while
the graduates from other reputable in
stitutious would probably swell this
number TO Loco. The character of the
Wisconsin schools Is of such high
grade and so well established that no
word need Je said IN tneIr defense.
With the large number of thoroughly
equipped school men and women with
in the borders OF our own state. il
would not be strange If the number
from outside were comparatively
small, On the contrary, however, the
number is unusually large and care.
full and unparalleled investigation Of
the facts in the case will convince any