The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-01-30
State Aid for.Rural Schools Great
Agent for the Betterment
of These Institutions
SCHOOLS IN GOOD CONDITION
Representative of the State Superin-
tendent's Office Shows the Work
ing of the New Law-AdOpt"
ed in Many Districts


state gives country schools $50 each
wear for period Of years under GER
tain conditions is working wonders
in the country schools of the state, =
said G. L. Harper Of the state super
intendents office in an interview
.|Tough schools are disappearing as
the cause for their toughness is re-
moved under the new conditions. We
demand of the schools that they shall
keep the building up and clean, and
install heating and ventilating appa-
ratus and few other things in re
turn for which the state will pay the
district $50 year for three years.
cover 5000 out of the 1000 school
districts in the state have already com
piled with the conditions and will re-
ceive state aid to the amount named.
The cost Of installing the proper equip
ment amounts to from $75 to $50 and
when it is in the result in comfort to
teachers and pupils, discipline and
work, is remarkable. With the new
equipment the cause which has sent
thousands of teachers out with the re-
putation for not being able to maintain
discipline has been removed. It used
to be found that along in the afternoon
children would get restless and keep
moving about in their seats and were
prone to do things which they should
not. These conditions were more no
ticeable when the weather was bad
and the children did not get out at
recess and many teacher has been
given a reputation which she did not
deserve on this account. Now with the
proper ventilating and heating there
is not half so much work in maintain
ing discipline, for the children are not
uncomfortable through breathing over
and over fetid air.
cone teacher up in Manitowoc
county, he is a member of the legis-
lature by the way, made some interest
ing experiments afGer the new ventilat-
ing apparatus had been installed. He
took the thermometer and placed it
up against the ceiling, then at height
at which the children sat, then down
on the floor, and to his surprise the
difference in temperature was but 5
degrees Then he shut down the damp
about the old schoolroom conditions,
making the same tests. He found that
the difference under those conditions
was 26 degrees, and the children began
at once to show the old time rest
lessness. He made other experiments
which proved conclusively that much
more work and better work could be
done under the new conditions, at
greater comfort for the pupils, than
before, showing conclusively and in a
practical manner that much of the
former troubles were due to i'll ventil-
ated buildings.
GIN the meetings which we are hold
ing with the country school boards in
every county we impress this on them
also the fact that they will have to
get into the game unless they wish to
pay for something which their neigh
bors are getting without any advantage
to themselves. Under the bill as orr
ginally drawn $4,000 was appropriate
ed for the purpose Of assisting in i'm
proving the country schools. When it
was in the committee on claims it was
changed SO that the payment should
come out of the mill tax without any
limit to amount.
AS result districts which do not
take up the question of improvements
simply have to pay for those who do.
They are rapidly absorbing this idea
and are taking the matter up with the
result that before long practically every
district in the state will have adopted
the new rules and the improvement in
conditions at the country schools will
be simply wonderful
cit is one Of the best things the
state has taken up yet and it has led
In many things in an educational way.
These meetings with the school boards
too are of incalculable benefit, as
those present exchanges ideas, hear of
new methods and go back home to put
them in Drac tica >,