Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-09-14
County Schools.
A Report Issued by Superintendent of Schools
John A. HaZelvood

A Report Issued by Superintendent of School,
John A. Hazelwood
LII mas been my practice to furnish
through the press a report at this time
on the schools of the county. The basis
for the same is my annual report to the
state superintendent of schools. The facts
and flgures herein given supply some
data worthy OF thought and ought to be
| tne cause OF giving us new courage and
inspiration to continue our work i'm the
cause OF education. The COMPARISONS
are made with the view of calling atten-
ton to matters not generally known and
that must be understood before an opin-
Ion or a Judgment can be pronounced
as TO whether advances or improvements
have been made in the conditions for ed
ucatlon In rural and city schools. 1t is
not possible Tor me to go into details
about what has been done and what
ought to be done to build up deeper in
terests and stronger sentiments in be-
bali of the school, but the few items that
L gleam from the report may be the cause
OF arouslng an agitation that will event
ually lead to investigation and closer
attention to those things that result in
the welfare OF teaching and training of
.,
The statistics given in this report have
been obtained from teachers. school
clerks and town clerks. Last years report
showed 1891 children in the county, Wa
tert0Wn city not included, between the
ages OF and 70 years; this years report
gives 9843, or falling off of 14S. Out
of the number reported last year 6444 at
tended public schools three months or
hnt i'm 70 ho
by the town clerks this year only 5846
attended school three months or more
This last year "a male teachers and 159
female teachers were employed. The
male teachers received on an average $40.
and the female teachers $33, per month.
These include the wages paid all teach
ers in the county, city as well as rural
schools. The average wages paid male
is little lower than that paid last year
and the average paid female teachers
has increased almost 50 per month.
The financial report shows that in the
country last year there was received by
the treasurers of the schools in all from
all sources, $97,470.93, and that for all
purposes there was expended S79,697. 90,
leaving balance on hand June 80, 1901,
of $18,373.93. The amount received from
all sources last year vas $4,S31.28, and
the amount spent for education in the
county this last year was $3,299.27 more
than was expended the preceding. This
is certainly favorable showing, so far
as expenditure is concerned. While the
number of children have fallen off dur
ing the past year the figures show an in
crease in expenditure per capita
In Jefferson county there are 127
school districts and 139 school buildings.
In visiting the grounds and buildings |
discovered that 81 Of the districts have
their schools well supplied willingness
sary apparatus for successful work in
teaching, the remainder are in need of
maps, globes, charts, blackbOards, etc.
Seventy-six of the districts have good,
rOOm-grounds, well fenced and fairly
well supplied with shade trees. The
rest Of the districts have barren, desert
like, unattractive grounds. Many OF the
schools have Out-buildings that are
disgrace to the officers and people of the
district.
The como VJiis OF surrounding often
off set all the good moral teaching
teacher can do. 1t is false mOdesty that
often permits evil suggestions to arouse
base emotions in the young. The above
matters | have spoken about to school
officers and to teachers at institutes and
teachers meetings, but have not received
results by attention to what every one
must admit very important. May we
not look for more attention to the sani-
tary surroundings of the children and to
identifying and decorating school
grounds and school rooms
The statistics relative to the school Ii
braries are encouraging We are get
ting good results from the books in the
school. This question comes to me, why
is it that parents and friends of the
schools do not use the books in the town
ship Libraries more? The books belong
to the community and should be used by
patrons as well as pupils. If there is
one thing that is needed more than any
thing else, it is a closer sympathy or
union of the home life and the school
life. The home, the church, society and
school are all factors in education; the
Importance of each should be recognized.
Let all endeavor to unite the good infiu-
ences Of each in the education of the old
and the young.
Very truly,
JOHN A. HASELWOOD,
County Superintendent of Schools.