River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-06-27

make one that / cannot prove. If
you want this work in the schools,
then it is up TO you to put it there.
Very briefly, let me touch some of
the things | have heard said on this
subject. 1t is said that this kind
of work is not necessary. Just as
truly can it be said that our Com
mercial Course, our free text books,
our Latin, German, Physics, bubbler
fountains. electric lights, play
grounds, and numerous other
things in the schools are not neces-
sary.
1t is said that those who want
these subjects may go to the Nor
NAL to get them. The statement
forgets that the Normal cannot ac-
comodate all the pupils of this
district, if they should elect these
subjects; that there is no law to
compel the Normal to receive any
pupil from this district nor to COM
pei any pupil here to attend the
Normal, and it forgets that if the
work is good thing for the Normal
where the great aim and purpose is
to train teachers, then it. is even
more a good thing where those
children are to attend with no
thought of training teachers, and
lastly, the statement admits too
much, for it admits that the work
is good thing for those who want
it, and if they want it they ought to
have it, forgetting that if they ought
to have it the district ought to fur
nish it.
But it is objected that we are try
ing to copy the Normal Very we'll.
Then we may we'll ask, has not the
Normal something worth copying?
If communities like Spring Valley,
ST. Croix Falls. Black River Falls,
ect., copy the Normal, why
shouldn't we?
But we are told that the work
costs the Normal more than the
recommendation calls for. True,
but the Normal is teaching teachers
and its teachers must be teachers
of teachers. Not SO ours. And
at that, am asking for as much
for initial equipment as tho Nor
NAL had for like purpose.
Then it is said that the work
will be cheap as compared with the
Normal work. If the people are
afraid of that, let them vote more
money for it. But the work will
not be cheap. 1t will parallel the
the work of other communities and
meet the demands of the state.
But it is said that the school is
not now teaching the three RS"
as it ought to. Even if that were
true, which it is not, it is no
argument. Because man is not
raising potatoes as he ought is no
argument he should not raise
wheat. Our city schools are teach
ing the rudiments thoroughly and
efficiently. l am safe when |
challenge proof to the contrary.
But the DIRECTORS miss the point
that the schools of today MUST do
something more than teach the
three "R's". Witness the address
by Prof. Rossat Normal commence
ment.
l have heard it said that our
school has been dropped from
some accredited list. l know not
where the statement came from.
The fact is, this high school is and
has been for eighteen years
accredited to the State University.
1t is and has been for years on the
accredited list of the North Central
Association of Colleges and
Secondary schools, it was placed
there when it and Menomonie were
the only high schools north Of
Lacrosse, west of Eau Claire and
south of Superior in the state on
the list, it has never dropped from
the list, and today 1t and Menomonie,
Black River Falls, Hudson and
New Richmond are the only high
schools in the above-named region
on the list. and l have a letter,
dated April 18th, 1912. from Smith
College, Northampton, Mass, one
of the old, conservative colleges of
the east, stating that graduates
from our high school will be admit
ted to that institution on their
certificates from this school. This
school is doing good work, high
class work for school with the
old time courses. My recommend
alton is that it get into position to
do additional work, work worthy the
twentieth century, work the schools
of today are doing and work the
times demand.
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