The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-01-16
EDUCATIONAL.
(BY C. W. MEISNEST.)
Continued from last week.
PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE
COMMITTEE OF FIFTEEN.
THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTRY

After full discussion, il seemed to
the Committee that its work should be
determined by the following needs
l. The need Of stronger teachers,
especially in our country schools.
Ways and means ought to be devised
by which better prepared teachers can
be secured
2. There is need of better super
vision.
3. There are in the State a great
number of small schools. In many in
stances, these schools should be com
bined so that better teachers can be
secured, and better work done.
t. A campaign needs to be conduct
ed, in order to get the people interest
ed in educational matters. One of the
principal remedies suggested is using
the school as a social and civic center.
.. Children are leaving school too
early. Provision ought to be made
wherever possible for higher school
work in country communities.
SUGG ESTIONS AND RECON-
MENDATIONS.
Following the first meeting of the
Committee, other meetings have been
held as follows: In November, 1911;
May, 1912, and September, 1912. At
these meetings, the subcommittee
have made reports which have been
discussed and acted upon. AS a result
of the deliberations, the Committee
submits the following:
|. CONSOLIDATION.
The bulletin on consolidation of
schools has been prepared and sub
mitted to you. In this bulletin we
have compiled information that we be-
lieve will be of value to the people of
the state. In preparing 1t the present
laws of the State have been kept in
mind. We have found that under the
laws as they now stand, consolidation
can be effected only in cumbersome
way, and so we make the following
recommendations:
(a) The present law relative to the
changing of district boundaries should
be simplified. We believe it would be
a better plan to have a County Board
of Education, which would have matters
of this kind in charge. Such Board
would be more permanent body, and
could decide upon these changes from
a broader viewpoint than is possible
under the present arrangement. The
result of this change would be that it
would be possible then to do some de-
finite constructive work in building up
school centers
(b) The existing law providing for
the transportation of pupils, should be
changed. At present, the law does
not compel the establishment of trans
portation routes in case consolidation
is effected. The law should be so
framed that the people would be guar.
anteed safe system of transportation
in case several districts are united.
(c) The state should provide in
some way for fund to be used for
transportation purposes. At present,
special state aid for transportation is
taken out OF the apportionment to the
common schools. The transportation
of school children is an important
phase of rural school education, and
the State should recognize its import
ance by providing special funds for the
purpose.
(d) In some cases where the at
tendance falls below certain point,
and where it is possible to make pro-
vision for the children to attend neigh
boring schools, consolidation should be
made compulsory. Provision for ar
ranging the details in such cases could
be put into the hands of the County
Board of Education.
(e) Instead of Offering special State
aid, depending upon the number of
children transported, there ought to
be made a provision for the payment
Of definite sum to the consolidated
district, such sum to he determined
somewhat by the size of the district, or
of the school.
THE PREPARATION OF
TEACHERS
In regard to the phase of the prob
lem dealing with the preparation OF
teachers for country schools, the Com
mittee makes the following recon-
mendations:
(a) After January lst, 1915, no
teacher should be permitted to teach
in any public school in the State who
shall not have had at least year of
professional training Noperson should
be admitted to this course who shall
not have had at least the equivalent OF
two years Of high school work. This
provision, however, should not affect
the teachers who are in the service at
the time this provision would go into
effect.
(b The Committee recognizes the
importance Of the County Training
| Schools for teachers. In them is found
the professional atmosphere necessary
for the proper training Of the country