The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-07-03
SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS MEET.

SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS MEET.
Nearly 200 Representatives of Schools
of the County Convene.
The school trustees and other Off
Gals Of Redwood county s schools re-
sponded to the invitation of Supt.
Bebermeyer last Friday, to the num-
Der Of nearly 200. They report
very profitable session.
Supt. Bebermeyer welcomed the
trustees at the opening session and
outlined school conditions as he had
found them since assuming the du-
ties of his office He expressed him
self as well pleased with the corps
of teachers employed. More that 65
per cent. of these held first grade
certificates, and at no time has there
been more than three third grade
teachers employed in this county dur
ing the time covered by the report.
Prospects Indicate a demand for an
increasing number of first grade
teachers in the county schools in the
future. The general condition Of
the school house was good, but a
number would have to be renovated
in order to be in suitable condition
for the fall term. Redwood county
now has free text books in all of it's
school houses, and school Libraries in
all save one.
In the discussions which followed.
a variety of subjects were touched
upon, considerable time being given
to the matter Of good water supply
and wells.
C. FL. Fredericton read paper
OF First grade teachers versus Sec
ond grade" He brought out plain
ly the fact that knowledge from
books is only part Of the::teachers'
qualifications. A lively discussion
followed. One prevailing opinion
developed that the teacher with the
greater amount Of training is pref
cradle, no matter what grade she
teaches.
Proper School Sanitation was
very ably and thoroly presented by
DR.. Goslee. If many of the sugges-
lions are followed, or rather put to
use, much good will result. While
our school houses rank with the first
in the state, from the view point of
sanitation, they are far from being
ideal.
The climax of the program was
the lecture of Prof. Boostrom, The
Rural School and its Problems. y
The speaker captured his. audience
from the opening sentence, and held
their attention to the end. Prof.
Boostrom is a practical educator
who firmly believes in the rare pos
sibilities that are open to the boys
and girls from the farm. His simple
way of presenting common sense
views appealed to the audience. He
emphasized the fact that we must
have teachers in the rural schools
who are in sympathy with country
boys and girls, which is we'll and
good, but in his depreciation of the
high schools of the county as poor
starting point for teachers, it has
occurred to some of his critics that
| he went too far, and suggested the
suspicion that Prof. Boostrom was
trying to boost the Southern Normal
college in which he is an instructor
at the expense of the high schools
of this and adjoining counties. Red.
wood Falls has no reason to apollo
gize for the hundred or more teach
lers who have gone from the portals
Of its highschool. Such schools are al
much a part of our public schoo
system as the primary grades, and il
Prof. Boostrom has|been persistent
| ~ knocking them as he is reported
to have done at Wabasso, he should
be asked to prove his damaging
assertions. In view of the sound
mess of his views in general, we are
disposed to attribute some Of hi!
raillery about high schools to de
|sire to be sensational rather thar
malicious.