The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-05-23

Mrs, Mary ID. Bradford, superinten-
dent of the Kenosha schools, has sent
the following open letter to the Even
ing News:
Editor Evening News:
- was somewhat disturbed for
moment on Saturday evening, May IL,
when | read heading in the Evening
News, saying State Official Fails to
Find Value in County Agricultural
Schools. BY my alarm was only. for
moment for reading the article
through, ] discovered that the heading
was not in accord with the general
purport Of Dr. McCarty S statement.
il is with the hope of correcting or
helping to correct any wrong impress
sion that may have arisen from that
heading that l am asking YOU to print
this article.
The outcome of the investigation
of the rural schools of our state by
the Wisconsin board of public affairs
has been something | have been
anxiously waiting for. This board
employed for the work the services Of
the New York Bureau Of Municipal
Research the investigation has been
thoroughly and impartially carried
out, and the report is undoubtedly re-
liable.
1t is not the county agricultural
schools that are pronounced failure
by these Investigators; but the teach
ing Of agriculture by the teachers in
the country schools. This is no new
discovery to any one who knows any
thing about this matter. How can the
teaching of agriculture, or anything
else for that matter, be otherwise than
'farcical' when attempted by lot of
girls, not only igorant Of the sub
ject, but not interested to learn
about it.
A few years ago with the thought
of giving the country school children
studies adapted to their needs, agri-
culture was added to the branches re-.
CURED for certidcation to teach in dis
trict schools. Books on agriculture APP
peared, and weuldbe teachers stu
died these and passed the examina-
tions; but they knew nothing about
agriculture, any more than girl who
can recite a recipe knows how to cook,
City bred girls attempted to teach
this so-called agriculture to country
boys and girls and disgusted the prac-
teal fathers. But this was not alone
true of the city girls who went into
the country to teach. have found
country girls densely ignorant Of COM
mon natural phenomena in the midst
of which they had always lived.
Eyes they had, but they saw not.
They needed seeing teachers that
was all.
The County Agricultural Schools
are commended by Mr.. McCarty. He
says that they are doing good work.
What they need is to extend their in
fluence. He says that each Country
School needs a well paid man to
travel from district school to district
school and teach the teachers of these
schools how to instruct in practical
farming.
Better still he says this: Every
county should~be compelled to support
a County Agricultural School with
such a man travelling all the time
from school to school.
This compulsion would not be felt a
hardship by the progressive people of
any farm community. / feel sure that
Kenosha county would welcome it.
Kenosha county is aware of their need
Of improved teaching, as was shown
by the effort made to have County
Training School by the board Of super
Fisors last fall.
The movement was defeated by ig.
uorance Of what such schools mean to
the community, and BY the short
sightedness that could not o. would
not see that Aenosha mist Indirectly
reap a benefit from everything that
tends to build happier, more intelli-
gent, more progressive country lopu-
lation.
TO have a tra!nel teacher in every
country school abba te teach agricul-
lure well and everything else that
country children need, to give these
children the right start, instead Of
having them stultifiad hy ine1perienc-
Cd and incompetent teachers, means,
as DR.. McGarty says that people will
have to dig down into their pockets;
out the results will justify the
expenditure,
The County Training School, or Nor
NAL School for Rural Teachers, and
the County Agricultural School should
be together as they are in Dunn and
Marathon counties.