Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-01-11
TEACHERS OF STATE
ASSOCIATIONS ANNUAL CONVEN-
TON IN MILWAUKEE.
Many Interesting Addresses and Pa
pers Observation-Disclosures Sisters
Join Organizafion-OHicer Are
Elected for Ensuing Year.
Milwaukee eorrespondence:


Elected for Ensuing Year.
Milwaukee correspondence:
With q larger audience than ever be-
fore at the first session of u convention
of the Wisconsin Teachers Associa-
ton, the f1fty-third annual gathering
opened at the Davidson Theater in this
city Wednesday.
The occasion was marked by several
new departures. In the audience for
the first time were noticed the SOM
ber-hued garments of the Catholic sis
ters who are teachers in the parochial
schools of Milwaukee and who have
been received into membership in the
association this year.
One of the speakers was a represen-
tative of union labor. and in the audi
ence were leading Social Democrats
and union labor men attracted by his
speech.
Another speaker was the rabbi of a
Jewish temple who pleaded for ethical
teaching in the public schools and sug-
gested a commission to make up a
textbook for the public schools which
should contain the highest thoughts of
the leading minds of the worlds his
tory, be they pagan or Christian, Bud
dhist or Jewish, agnOstic or of what
ever faith, so long as their thoughts
are lofty and inspiring.
The meeting was called to order by
President McLenegan, whose annual
address, however, was not delivered
until later in the session.
a. 3. West, of Lake Mills, urged the
members TO secure the cooperation of
their school boards in putting into eff
feet the new law which permits school
boards to form mutual insurance
company. The law requires that insur-
ance totaling $250,000 must be applied
for before the State mutual company
can be formed.
In the evening the Milwaukee Teach
erS' Association and the Milwaukee
Principals Association entertained the
visiting teachers, the Milwaukee School
Board and all interested in educational
matters in the Colonial room at the
Plankinton House. The reception was
informal. There were music and re-
freShmentS.
That Bible stories should be told to
school children as part of their Ian
guage lessons is Il recommendation
made in the. report of the committee
appointed to investigate language
study. This proposal caused a sensa-
ton among the teachers. Under Il de
cision of the Supreme Court reading
of the Bible is prohibited in the public
schools of the State. Prof. PatZer of
the Milwaukee Normal School is head
of the committee.
Through the efforts of Principal A.
n. Fairchild, of the Seventh District
school, twenty-siX sisters who teach
in the Catholic parochial schools have
joined the Wisconsin Teachers AssOci-
alton. This is the first time that the
parochiaI schools have been represent
ed in the association.
AT the CLOSING session OF the cOnVen-
ton the list of officers other than pres
ident was submitted to the convention
by the nominating committee and
elected as follows: First Vice
President, Superintendent Il. f.
Converse, BelOit; Second Vice
President. Frances NJ. Walsh, Mil
Waukee Third Vice President Super
intendent J. t. Hooper, Ashland. Mem
bers of the Executive Committee, f. S.
Hyer, Stevens Point; Treasurer, Miss
Julia Rockafellow, Waukesha. On mo-
ton OF G. c. Shuts, of Whitewater,
President John L. Sims election was
made unanimous. Secretary Catherine
Williams will hold over two years
more.
A plea for the country school teach
er, the teacher in the little red school
house, (which is generally white" as
the speaker said, was made by Alfred
Bayliss, superintendent of public in
struction in Illinois.
The superintendent and Supervis-
ing Principals Association elected the
following officers: President, w. H
Hickok, Amigo; Vice President, J. E.
Hall, Augusta Secretary and Treas
urer, G. f. Loomis, Waupun.