Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-12-12
Report OF Teachers Training School


Training School Board. Ladysmith, Wis.
Dear Sir: In conformity to custom / here
with present to YOU report OF the condition
of the Rusk county training school. The in
formation herein contained may properly be
transmitted by you to the state superintendent
of public instruction and to the county board
of supervisors
The school opened Sept 8. 1907, in the cir
cult court room 1t has been in session three
months The purpose of county training
school is to prepare teachers for the public
schools TO this end it's students must be
thoroughly taught the knowledge which tney
in turn, must teach, and the best methods OF
presenting said knowledge to the learners
mind. In addition, the student-teacher mus.
be instructed in the art of management, and
must be taught the proper relation of teacher
and pupil. teacher and patron, teacher and
school board, teacher and community. The
school has for it's purpose one particular thing,
and the atmosphere thereof is permeated with
desire for the best and determination to
attain to the best preparation possible under
our conditions.
The total enrolment is thirty-nine. or this
| number, thirty-seven in daily attendance.
| The average age of all students is eighteen
years. The average age of prospective gradu-
ates for this year, at the time of graduation
will be almost twenty years. You may be in
terested to know what the preliminary prep
aration of our students is. Eight have had
| four years of High school work. Eight have
held certificates and have taught school.
Twenty-one have completed the ninth grade,
or above. Seven have finished the eighth
grade ana three are irregular.
You may be interested in the following COM
parsons with training schools in other coun-
ties, data for which / happen to be in posses
sion of. In a school that has been in session
six years there are fifty-nine students in at
tendance, OF this number, ten have had four
years of high school work. two have taught
school, and twentv-eight have finished the
eighth grade only.
In a new school that opened in September,
1907, in one of the old and populous counties
there were, in the early part of the session,
| forty-six students. OF this number nine were
considered wen enough advanced to enable
them to be entered on the books prospective
| graduates for this year. Thirty others had
previously finished the eighth grade.
| I recently visited school in another county,
that began in 1906 There were graduated
/
| The present indications are that there will
ty school in June, 1908, a class of from fifteen
| to twenty. These students will be fully up to
the highest requirements of the state.
1t is the policy of this school to encourage
it's prospective students to get the best prepar-
alton offered by the home school. A student
can not be too well prepared before he comes
af,,l
| that this school, of all schools in the county is
created by the representatives of all of the
people, that it is maintained for the people,
and that it must render the greatest possible
service to all of the people of Rusk county
We are also mindful of the fact that.there are
many capable young people in this new cou =
ty who, for various reasons find it impossible
or at least extremely difficult to fit themselves
with the best preliminary education before
coming to the training school To such may
say ''be of good cheer" You were in the
minds of the educators and of the legis-
atorS of this state who are III
fathers of Wisconsin training schools. They
saw you in advance, and their great hearts
felt your conditions. When county training
schools were established the doors of opportu-
nifty were opened to you.
The course of study in every training school
must, by the very nature of things, be elastic
The standard for graduation is high and exact
ing The requirements for entrance involve
reasonable maturity, desire to prepare for the
work of teaching, and as minimum gradua-
ton from the eighth grade, or ability equivalent
thereto. Persons who enter with the mini
mum preparation are classed together and re-
qure two years, more or less. to complete the
course The exact time depends on the in
dvduality of the student and extent and in
tensity of application to the work of the
school.
In conclusion, I may say that we have every
reason to be satisfied with the start our school
has made. The number of students in attend
ance is larger than was anticipated. From
point oil maturity our students are older than the
students in many of the training schools.
From point of preliminary preparation, we have
a larger per cent of strong students and
smaller per cent of students of minimum prep
aration than many of the other schools.
The institution is tbs fairly launched. But
it must grow and develop so as to be prepared
to meet the ever increasing needs of this rap
idly growing county. 1t will need the support
and cooperation of all the friends of educa-
ton.
have faith that the spirit of progre SIS. the
keen discernment of what really makes for
common good which prompted the establish
ment of the school will be ever ready to sup
pbrt it, that 1t may render it's greatest possible
be nefits to all 81 the people.
Respectfully
r. H, BURNS, Principal.