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

A J. Ingli, disappointment OF
Schools, read his report, which was
adopted.
To the Honorable County Board of Pierce
County:
Gentlemen
/ have the honor of hereby submitting
for your consideration my last report as
County Superintendent of Schools. As my
successor is also to report to you at TINS
session, l shall not take your valuable
time hy reading a long ana exhaustive
report but shall be content by giving
brief resume of the progress made by our
schools during the past six and one-half
years, and by making such suggestions
for their continued progress as may seem
pertinent. In making this resume 1t is
not my desire to take special credit for
any progress that our schools may have
made. If / have been instrumental IN
their improvement, I shall rest content
with what credit the people may accord
to me.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
During my first round of visits I found
very unfaVorable conditions in the school
libraries of many towns. Many OF the
books were entirely unsuited to the needs
of the schools, being entirely beyond the
comprehension of most of the pupils, and
in several towns / found most of the
books to be either story books or books
of a historical nature, according to the
After consultation with some town clerks
/ adopted the plan of having teachers
recommend books for selection. These
lists were revised by myself and in some
instances by the town clerks, but they
were left materially as selected by the
teachers who were certainly IN the pest
position to know the peculiar needs OF
their respective schools. By this means
we were generally able to secure a Well
balanced list of books for the different
schools. Quite material change was
+l,n last 1ncriS1 LOT IL
brary law. Hereafter the library fund is
to be withheld by the County Treasurer
instead of the Town Treasurers, and the
books are to be selected and purchased by
the County Superintendent. If the law is
properly administered much good Will re-
suit from the change. The school library
is unquestionably the most valuable aid
which the teacher possesses and Wlscon-
sin certainly deserves much credit for its
excellent school library law.
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS.
About ten new school houses were built
during my incumbency and large ad-
ditions were made to the buildings at
Ellsworth, River Falls and Rock Elm. A
considerable number of country school
houses are now heated by furnaces, while
there were but two such six years ago.
Many teachers and pupils have worked
enthusiastically in the Improvement OF
school grounds, and hundreds OF trees
have been successfully planted; but IN
by the fact that no fences enclosed the
grounds, which became the barnyards for
the neighboring cattle.
The environment of a child is one of
the most important factors in the mould
ing of his character. 1t is therefore of
the utmost Importance that we give our
attention to the improvement of our
school grounds and buildings to the end
that our children need not be thrown into
contact with school grounds overgrown
with weeds and Uttered with refuse,
school rooms undecorated and in an I'M
sanitary condition, and outbuildings that
are a disgrace to the community. Much
progress has been made in this matter
but there is still a great opportunity for
Improvement
RURAL SCHOOL GRADUATION.
For several years before I became SUI
perintendent l felt that the system of
conducting examinations for graduation
from country schools in most counties
was unsatisfactory in many respects.
During my incumbency I therefore fol-
lowed the committee system and perfect
ed it from year to year. This system is
now followed in many counties in the
state. During the past two years held
two diploma examinations, one in Febru-