River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-12-14


ary for part of the subjects and the other
in June for the remaining subjects.
have given a second day in June in order
to give pupils an opportunity to make uE
subjects on which they failed IN Feoru-
airy. At last years examination 81 appll-
cants received diplomas. This did not In
! clude the graded school pupils. These
| were given separate examinations for the
| first time, on questions submitted to the
| county superintendent for approval.
| have followed the practice instituted by
| Superintendent Shaw, of holding central
graduating exercises. This is an eVentful
! day for those who graduate, but believe
| more people could be reached and greater
| local enthusiasm aroused if local gradua-
| ton exercises could be held. This has
been done in several localities with excel
| lent results.
TEACHERS.
Probably The greatest improvement that
/ has been made by our schools in recent
| years lies in the teaching force, the wages
| paid and the tenure of position. The
| great majority of our teachers have earn
| estly striVen to improve themselves pro-
] fessionally by attending normals, insti-
1 tutes, high schools, ETC., and [ believe
/ most of them are making a strong eff
! fort to merit the generous increase in
] teachers wages during the last few
| years That our people appreciate good
| service is evidenced by the fact that dur
! ing the last six years the average wages
paid to male teachers has increased from
! $4I32 to $6632, an increase OF over AZ per
| cent. This unusual increase is however,
| due partly to a decrease in the number of
! male teachers employed in the country
| schools, which brought up the general
| average. The wages of female teacher
| have increased from an average of $31
| per month to $4O.14, an Increase of over %
| per cent.
| With possibly few unavoidable eXcep-
| tions, I believe the increase in wages has
proven a good investment and is so con-
| sidered by a majority of the people.
| I am pleased to state that while former
| ly it was the exception to employ
| teacher for more than one term, it has
now become the rule to employ teachers
| for at least one year.
| The number of teachers required to 6ll
| all of our schools, has increased about Is
! per cent during the last six years. The
| Spring Valley school has become a four
| year high school, while the Plum City,
| Maiden Rock and ElmwoOd schools have
become graded schools of the first class,
doing some high school work. The Fargo,
Rock Elm and Bay City schools have al
so become graded schools recently.
Wisconsin has made unusual progress in
it's schools in recent years. We have one
of the best library laws in the union, we
are pioneers in the establishment of
county training schools for teachers and
county schools of agriculture, our graded
school law has proven a blessing to hun
dreds of overcrowded country and graded
schools and we are now turning our at
t6ntlOn more Sp0cllcdlly THAN ever " Tie
improvement of our rural schools.
Our last legislature passed two very i'm
portant laws affecting the country
schools. One provides for rural school
inspector to aid the county superintend-
ent in the supervision of the country
schools and the other provides for the
calling of an annual school board CON
vention by the county superintendent.
The latter law was drafted by the legls-
lative committee of the County Superin-
tendents' Association, and is a direct out
growth of the conventions held IN this
county during the past two years.
The three great needs of our country
schools are better trained teachers better
equipped and more sanitary buildings ana
closer supervision. I believe that these
results can be brought about best by the
consolidation of small schools where the
typographical conditions are such that
the plan would be feasible. have made
a careful study of this plan during the
last few years and I am more firmly con-
WINGED than ever that it is the solution to
many of our problems.
In conclusion I wish to say that my SIX
and one-half years as County Superln-
tendent of this county have been among
the pleasantest of my life. / have met
almost universal courtesy and co-opera-
ton on the part of the teachers, parents
and school officers. / have severed my
official connection with the schools of
Pierce county, but / have not lost my IN
terest in them. 1t will ever be my aim
to do what lies in my power to advance
be- For the last time allow me to appeal
to you to use your influence for the adj
vancement of our schools, so they may be
brought to the very pinnacle of success.
My relations with the county board as
whole have been very pleasant. Our
opinions have not always conceded but
the right of private judgment is sacred
to all men, and [ think none the less of
a man because he does not agree with me.
[ have undoubtedly made mistakes but
can assure you that my guide in all of
my official acts has always been the in
terest of our schools as I saw it.
I wish to thank the members of your
honorable body for the consideration you
have given my suggestions and the coop
Grafton you have accorded me- and be-
speak the same cooperation with my sue.
ceSSOr.
Respectfully submitted,
A ]. INGLI,
EX-COunty Superintendent.
Sup. Brown moved that this Board
extend vote of thanks to Mr.. Ingli
for his faithful services as County Su-
perintendent of Schools. Motion car
ried unanimously.
On motion the Board adjourned till
o'clock this afternoon.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
Board convened at o'clock. Roll
called, Full Board present, except Sup.
Murphy.
Journal read and approved.
Resolution providing for the ap-
pointments of special committees on
| bridges was adopted.
| Resolved, that the following named
members of this board be appointed to
act with the respective town boards, for
which bridge appropriations have been
made, in letting and accepting said
| bridges.
| For the building of the bridge in town
| of Diamond Bluff, Supervisors Severance
| Corcoran and Johnson.
For the building of the bridge in town
of Maiden Rock, Supervisors Gilmore,
I Fox and Foley,
For the building of the bridge In town
| of Union, Supervisors Fitzgerald Scott
| and Olson.
For the building of the bridge in Mar
! tell, Supervisors Murphy, Bliesner and
| Finn. MIKE FOX.
Committee on Equalization present