Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-12-14
CONDITION OF OUR COUNTY SCHOOLS.
PiekIugs from the Annual RspoFt Of Supsrinien-
dent Shows Some Interesting Facts.

IN MS report 70 the board or super
visors Superintendent Gardner starts in
by saying 'As the county superinten-
dent will hereafter be elected in the
spring, and his term of office begins with
the second week in July, this report COW
ers nothing after June 30 last" On
school finances the superintendent
states that from January last to June
80, the total receipts including balance
on hand year previous, was SIG, 79O 63;
disbursements $50 522, 10. There was
paid for buildings and repairs So, 277 06:
for apparatus 81 207 SO Fer services of
male teachers Sl1, %; for female
SAP, 594.I5. Average wages per month
for rural schools, $3S IS for male and
$29 05 for female teachers, as against
s34 so Cor males, and S25 30 females in
1908. The average wages per month
for grades and high school teachers was
$50 .63 for males, and S49 63 for females,
as agaidst $7l for male, and S3S 20 for
female q year ago On account of this
increase the superintendent says, espec-
tally in the rural ,hools, fewer expert
enced teachers dropped out and r num-
ber came back who had temporarily
quit, so that there is now o small sur
plus of teachers in the county Six pub-
lie examinations were held during the
year In al 221 applicants desired to
teach, and 1919 of the number were grant
ed certihcates-thr first grades, fifteen
seconds, and. .one-hundred and eighty-one
third Superintendent Gardner says
there - been a constant decrease in
number of applicants for certificates
since 1898, when 357 wrote, and that was
about the average in those days.
Two Institutes were hel9 Gho past year.
at Hillsboro for one week, the other at
ViroTua for two weeks. Enrolment at
the .0rmer place was %, at Viroqua 170
The superintendent commends teachers
for attendance n N these gatherings,
stating that it Is the only means by
which large per cent obtain any pro
fessional knowledge of how to teach.
Salaries fC conductors for these insti-
tutes amounted to $500
The report slows that there are dis
tricts in the county 1874 a gain of /
number of different departments 100;
number teachers required at one time
1893; male teachers employed 35. females
210 The superintendent made 1877 vis
itations during the year. Number days
school maintained 20, 26G; average mum
Der days for each school 1914 Whole
number male children in county between
ages of 4 and 90 s. 306; females same age,
4 959, total number 10, 265 OF this mum.
Der Z. S25 Were enrolled in school Nun
her of children between the ages of Z and
II is g. 1856, Of which only 3, 5S7 attended
school 90 weeks or more, making thirty
per cent IF this class who failed to re-
ceive the schooling the law requires,
aud for which the people tax themselves.
Thl4 is greatly TO be depiored, and Super
intendent Gardner well sGys. Every
child has a right to receive g reasonable
ara unit Of schooling each year Every
parent should feel that q common school
education is as much the birthright of
his child as Heavens hountiful gift of
pare air and sunlight. When parents
fully realize that it takes better edu
cation to achieve success in this age of
strict competition than it did q genera
ton ago, every child in the land VIII re
eeive the bsst training that the schools
afford. II, however, wiilful carelessness
CT indifference ahont sending children TO
school, district boards should appoint
truant officers who will not hesitate to
enforce the law The superintendent
reports that one district Ia the town OF
Hamburg held only thres month school,
making it impossible 10 draw state or
county school funds because Of non com
pliance with tire law.
There were 142 pupils graduated from
the district schools the past year
The records snow that there were
three new school houses built the past
year, District No :, town Of Kickapoo.
supplanting log house, the oldest school
building in the county District No 4
town or Stark, and at Brookville, 10
Franklin. Here fine brick house with
basement, was built, credit to the in
| telligence OF that community. With a
small expenditure of money and little
time many school grounds could be
greatly In proved Some grounds need
grading, while othe have not single
tree TO provide SHADE for the children
Mr.. Gardner suggests that members Of
school boards donate their services on
Arbor day ana join the teacher aud
pupils ia improving their grounds.
Superintendent GardDer's report Is
crowded with beneficial suggestions and
interesting fact q hortf OI1r nQuuty eqhQOlR