Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-01-13

school during the year ...- 1851
Average daily attrndanra 4,n93
Whole number of male teach
,rs Observation-Disclosures. 81
Whole number of female 49,.
teachers employed. ....... I49
M of school houses huilt..,. l3
Total amount invested in ......
school hoases, school SITES.
and apparatus ..................s15S 279 90
Cost of school houses built.....
during ihe year. .........sl4 s6s 90
No OF deaf mnteS !. ............. 6
feeble minded ..........
enlldran.. Observation-Disclosures. -.-.....
No of blind children............... l
Amount expended for library
purposes. ................. 81, 100 81
chased during the year ...... 1856
Total No of volumes now in..
the township libraries in the
conuty........ ...............-. 1876
The amount raised by tax for school
purposes for the year was S4l ,97S 13and
the actual cost of maintenance S92 040 80
making per capita cost, exclusive
If the building of school houses, of
S101. which is much lower than it is in
the large cities of Wisconsin Mr.
Lamont has the following comments
to make on school work:
THE question of teachers wages
should receive the thoughtful attention
of good citizens. The cost of living
has materially increased during the
last four years and the wages of rural
teachers remain about the same. We
have lost, during the year. some of the
very best teachers in the county be-
cause they discovered that they could
get better pay in other lines of work.
The demand fOI better teachers is
strong, but the inclination to pay bet
ter wages is slight The question has
been discussed for many years and no
appreciable increase has been secured.
The average wages paid female
teachers in this county is S33.40 per
month. Considering that the length of
her term is but eight months, her earn
ngs for the year amount to 1867 20
She pays $1,000 month board or $4,000
q year. This leaves her about Sl47. A
live progressive teacher subscribes for
several educational papers and adds
sever;( volumes to her library each
wear She attends an institute during
the summer months, requiring an
ado ftional expenditure. Another re-
quisite of good teacher is that she be
constantly well dressed. During the
term, occasions arise when she would
like to spend few days at home which
necessitates the paying of livery and
railroad fare. There are many little
incidental expenditures in her vocation
and it is necessary that her financial
policy be conducted on an economical
basis, in order that she may be able to
lay aside even small amount for a
rainy day. Parsimoniousness on the
part of district boards will drive TIE
best teachers into more remuneratiye
lines of work and it behooves district
boards to act considerably in the
matter and pay live wages to live
teachers.
"The frequent change in text books
has led to so much complaint that there
has been organized in this state move
ment toward uniformity Many plans
have been suggested but nothing very
definite determined upon. There seems
t. be an understanding that if state
uniformity is to be secured the text
books to be used viii be designated by
state commission and if county uni
formity, by a county commission.
There are many strong arguments in
favor of either plan. There would be
less frequent changes of text books and
the price of the books would probably
be less. The present pernicious activity
of book men would not be as much in
evidence as now.
''On the other hand, it opens up a
promising field for competition. 1t is
the experience of other states that have
this system, that the commission which
selects the books to be used. is open to all
kinds of influences 1t is worth so
much TO each company to get book on
the approved list, that the true worth
of the book IS not always the cause of
its selection The scheme of state Sc
lection is paternalistie in so far as IT
says that the local school officers are
not capable Of selecting the books
needed. IT is Capitalization in so far
rs it takes power out of the hands of the
district boards of the state and puts it
ia the hands Of one committee. If one
book company should control the com
mission, it would give that company a
complete monopoly of the text book
business of Wisconsin. The whole
question is worth careful consideration.
It's results may be far reaching and
costly, and any change in the present
method of selecting text books should
be conservative. A radical change
may be very expensive.
Hon. L. D Harvey viii retire from
the state department on Jan 9Th, after
four years service as state super1ntend-
ent MIR Harvey has done much for
/ the schools of Wisconsin during bis
term of Office, and Marathon county
has been especially fortunate in taking
advantage Of his work We owe him
much and his retirement must be a
msuter Of sincere regret to all the live
school men Of the county. Mr Har-
yey's successor, Hou. e. p. Cary, Of
Delevan. is in every respect a worthy
man. aud is entitled to and win receive
the cordial support Of the school men
of Marathon county.
In general the schools Of this county
have shown satisfactory advancement