Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-09-10


A quite extended acquaintance with
several small rural schools, On the
Rich Arm of Massachusetts, gained
when a youth by attendance at them
fifty and more years ago, enables the
writer to speak from experience OF the
good in them-and much can be said
in their praise-and also of the things
in which they were deficient.
AS these schools and the method of
maintaining them have almost If not
entirely passed away, it may not be
out of place to give brief account of
them before they are forgotten.
For educational purposes the town
was divided into numbered sections,
called school districts This division,
wcs made in such a way as to best
convenience the attending children,
who resided in the villages and small
communities constituting the town.
The amount of money to be expended
for public schools was appropriated at
the annual town meeting. At the same
time school committee was chosen,
usually consisting of three persons,
who had general oversight Of educa-
tional matters, including the examina
tion and appreciation of the candidates
for teachers though not their selection
1t was the practice for each member
OF this committee to visit the nearest
schools three or four times during the
year. At the end of the term for
which they were elected they printed
a report on the condition of the
schools of the town. But as the per.
sons composing the committee often
changed at each recurring election,
and as no school was visited in the
year by more than one committee
man, there was meagre opportunity
for a comparison of the schools of one
year with those of other, or of knowing
the relative condition of the different
schools of the town. during the same
year Furthermore, the inspection sell
dom lasted more than an hour or two
and was necessarily hasty, including,
as 1t did, an examination of the school
register, conversation with the
teacher, hearing of one or more reci-
tations, and asking the scholars a few
questions. and at the close, perhaps
making few perfunctory and com
monplace remarks. The COMMITTEES
mans presence in the schoolroom was
a mere tormality. valueless in obtain.
ing any real information about the con.
dition of tho school, and of no assist
ance the teacher, who often need
counsel, or to the scholars. who wanted
encouragement in their efforts for i'm.
provement under limited and often I'M
favorable opportunities.
Each school district chose annually
one person, called the prudential com.
mittee. who had charge of all matters
relating to the school of his district.
In the selection little consideration
was paid to fitness for the position;
willingness to serve, or with children
attending the school, more often deter
mining the choice. AS there was no
pay connected with the office. and but
little honor, with constant liability to
adverse or unfriendly criticism. there
was no rivalry for the position. Its
duties. however. were very important.
The prudential committee selected the
teacher for the school In his district
subject to examination and confirma.
ton by the school committee. He
stipulated the wages to be paid the
teacher, and had charge of the school
property, The buildings were not
owned by the town. but each district
built and kept in repair its own school.
house and provided it's furnishings.
The manner of distributing the
money voted by the town for its
schools operated with great injustice
to those residing In its thinly settled
parts. Once year a census of the
children between the ages of FIVE and
thirteen years was taken by each dis.
trict, From the whole sum raised,
each district was allotted the proper
ton that the children of school age in
that district bore to the whole number
of similar children in the town. BY
this arrangement the children living
In the larger villages would attend
school most of the year, while children
in farming neighborhoods would be
able to do so for few months only.
AS ltdCHeT TOT JutSt SU1duST SCHOOLS
man was usually employed for a
few months in winter. and woman for
snort summer term. This was some.
times. though not often, extended by
private contributions. But little care
was exercised in the selection of a
teacher, Sometimes a farmer of the
town would teach during The idle win
ter months. often some inpecunfous
friend of the prudential committee,
with nothing TO recommend him but
his necessities. would be given charge
Of the school. Occasionally stu.
dent would teach for q few months
during the long college vacations and
so help pay the expenses OF his educs,
ton. Many of the women teachers
employed had no other preparation for
their work than that gained by at,
tendance as pupils at similar schools.
Although the state normal schools had
been established a number OF years
there were but few of their graduates
outside the cities.
Ono gentleman who often fauubf q,