The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-09-17
State Superintendent Gives Out
Some Information in Regard
To Conduct Of Schools
RULES FOR RURAL TEACHERS
State Department Keeps a Close Watch
Over the Management of Schools
in the Various Counties
and Limits Support.

BY the law enacted by the last legis-
lature country schools are divided into
two classes. The schools of the first
class are those that come up to GER
tain standard in efficiency and equip
ment, while those of the second class
are those that lack some Of the things
laid down by the state department as
essential to good school work AS we
are starting out on the new school
year it is well for us to look over the
things that are necessary to have in
first class country school.
In the first place it is understood
that the districts that provided those
essential prior to June 80, will get
their extra $50 this coming winter
Those districts that provided the
equipment after that date will get
their first $50 year later, or after
the present school year is over.
| A first class country school does not
differ materially from any other first
class institution. A first class farm is
not necessarily a large one or one
owned by an individual Of noted an
cestry. 1t is one in which business
principles are kept in mind, one that
is kept IN good condition, one whose
owner is a thinker and keeps up with
the times; one from which first class
articles are sent out. The same is
true with first class store,s first
class cheese factory, first class
blacksmith shop or a first class meat
market In first class school there
are four things to be looked after:
1. The teaching, including discipline.
2. The sanitary conditions.
3. The equipment
4 The general conditions Of build
ing and grounds.
AS the purpose Of the school is to
develop the mind, the matter that
should be considered first is the teach
| ing. Poor teaching is detrimental. A
careless, Indifferent teacher is menace
to community. Such a one is not
merely zero mark, but negative
quantity. By fostering the same habits
in the children teacher of this de
scription gives to the nation heri-
tage Of negative quantities like him
self, only they are raised to the second
power. In judging Of the teaching
work done in the school there are a
few general considerations.
l. The work must be definite. It
must be planned. Going at thing in
a haphazard way just to fill up time
is not teaching any more than hap
hazard earth scratching is road MAX
ing. There must be plan in the
teacher s mind and this plan must aim
towards some definite accomplishment
not only in the completion Of the sub
ject matter, but the gaining Of power
on the part Of the child Let US keep
in minu the subject matter and the
text books are only the means not the
end Of school work.
2. The work must be adopted to the
ability Of the child. The over feeding
of an animal may stunt its growth
physically and it is the same way with
the child IS mind. Trying to force
down geographical text book work
when q child is in the primary form
shows lack Of common sense as well
as ignorance of psychological princi-
Piles. In all school work consider the
needs and the ability of the child.
3. There must be good school adj
ministration. Order must prevail that
order which is the result of business
activity. The mechanical parts Of the
school management should be studied
SO that there be as little friction and
noise as possible. Let the school be a
place Of business.
| f. The pupils should do the work.
In school where the teacher does
most Of the talking there is very little
real work done by the pupils. AS
the blacksmith's arm~bec mes strong
through the work he is continually
doing, so the pupils mind becomes
strong to the extent that the teacher
makes him do his own thinking.
5. There should be in the very at
mosphere Of the school and even the
grounds, feeling OF respect for au-
thority. While we want activity both
inside and outside Of the school house
yet we want to see the energy directed
along proper channels. A school
whose pupils modest the passersby
even though these may be tramps, can
scarcely be called a first class school.
A school whose outbuildings are dis,
figured by carving and whose fences
are in broken down condition can
not be considered first class. The
teaching of civics is poor in such a
school Much more could be said on
this subject, but the above will illus
trate what is wanted.
ADJOURNED MEETING OF OLD