The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-07-25

have attended to their work without
any extra cautioning on the part of
the superintendent. A few were not
up to the proper standard of success
full teachers, but they have not been
retained for another year. A few, at
times, became little slack in disci-
pline and active energy while in the
schoolroom. AS a whole, the teachers
are good instructors, and possess ex-
cellent moral examples for the child
rem they instruct. Those teachers who
were dismissed during the year and
not recommended for reelection, were
good teachers in many respects, but
did not prove successful in many
things which our district requires;
therefore, only the best interests of
the schools were taken into considera-
ton when their cases we're determined.
The increase of salaries on the part
of the board was an excellent point
for the future advancement of the
schools. 1t understands that good
service demands good pay, and with
such basis as it has settled upon, no
school should be without first grade
Instructor. On the point of yearly in
crease for teachers, the increase
should be made upon merit only-edu-
cational qualifications and service to
school-the number of years taught
in the district should be no criterion
for increase of salary. If teachers
salaries are increased who are indif-
ferent to their work and duties, it
only puts a premium upon such in
difference to increase the salaries of
such teachers. My theory is that in
crease of salary should only be made
upon the superintendent recommen-
dation. He is held responsible for
the conditions of the schools and they
will either advance or decline in pro-
portion as the teachers are made re-
sponsible to him for their work.
The selection of the local superin-
ttendent for the Eveleth schools
was a wise step toward lettering the
conditions there in certain depart
ments. The method of instruction and
discipline has been placed entirely
under his supervision and they are
practically independent in these re-
spects, but cannot be in others, as the
laws and rules governing the graded
schools of this state require single
reports to be made out as often as the
authorities deem necessary, by the
principal or superintendent of the
school under which the schools were
organized. These reports are made
to the County Superintendent, State
Superintendent of Public Instruction,
and State Graded School Inspector.
They include everything effecting the
names, salaries and certi6cation of
teachers; names, ages, attendance, ap-
portionment, etc., of all pupils in the
district; number and cost of all text
books bought during the year; num-
Der and cost of library books bought;
amount and cost of supplies, etc.
Therefore, an account of these things
must be kept in the Virginia Office,
because the head of those schools is
held responsible to the state and coun-
ty officers for these reports. Such
being the case, suitable blank form
ought to be prepared for the proper
regulate of these items in the Vir-
ginia Office.
The question of compulsory attend
ance to school cannot be overlooked
in this report, as strong effort was
made at the opening of the schools to
compel the attendance of all pupils
not working, as required by law; but
the plan was not entirely satisfactory.
Every means were tried to induce par
ents to send their children to school
regularly, but in many cases they paid