The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-06-12
WILL LEAD TO CONSOLIDATION
New Law Promises to Bring organiza-
ton for System of Schools in Wis
consin Counties and is Regarded as a
Step in the Right Direction.

been accomplished for the cause of ed
ucatlon in the recognition of the bill
creating county boards of education.
This is a measure which has been long
desired by the Wisconsin Teachers AS
ISOLATION and is bill whose passage
has been recommended by that assoei-
alton. The bill is now practically by
the assembly and its passage in the
senate is also practically insured. 1t
is true the bill is in way comprom-
Use measure, but it is doubtful if the
bill does not go as far as constitutional
limitations will permit The bill orr
glnally advocated on this subject by
the friends of county boards of educa-
ton provided that the county superin-
tendents should be elected by the
boards.
There were grave doubts if this bill
was constitutional, it being held by
many that the constitutional limita-
tions which after naming certain officers
shall be elective as county officials,
designating them by the title of the
office, provides for the election of such
other offices as the county may require.
This limitation, it is claimed, makes
compulsory the election of county
uperintendents. The county board of
education bill as passed, however,
grants broad powers Thus the salary
of the county superintendent is fixed
by the board and the board is to be
responsible to the people of the county
for the entire rural school conditions
Of the county. In fact it places the
country schools under practically the
same supervision as the city schools
and in this way insures good country
school supervision.
One of the best features of the bill
is its report clause. Under the terms
of the bill reports are required from
the county board to the state super
intendent and the superintendent Of
schools of the county is also required
under the terms Of the bill. to make
reports to the county board of the
condition of all schools and of the
work which is being done for the
benefit of all the schools. In this way
a valuable publicity is to be obtained.
1t is said that one of the reasons why
the country schools Of Wisconsin have
not advanced farther in the last few
years is the fact that they have not
had the supervision that was required
and that also the people of counties
have not been aware of real conditions
nor in a position to look after these
conditions and remedy evils which ex-
listed. The county board of education
bill will, it is said, give the public a
real insight into the condition of their
schools and place responsibility upon
the members of the board of educa-
ton which they will have to carry
and which will arouse the public to
the real necessity of better school
conditions.
Much, it is claimed, will be accom-
plished toward the consolidation of
the schools which by many is believ-
ed to be the best solution of the dis
trict school problem. County boards
of education will be able to see where
one school can do the work for several
districts and with this insight into
the school will be able to consolidate
them and provide that where one good
school can do the work of several poor
schools and where benefit will be
obtained from the combination the good
school shall be established The
county school board will also give
body which can advise with the state
superintendent and through the advice
take steps which shall be of benefit
to the schools.
One of the real troubles of the
country school system has been that
there has been no organization to
which suggestions could be made for
the Improvement of the country
schools and the county school boards
give such an organization and provide
the method whereby such organiza-
tion can be made useful. The work of
framing the substitute bill has rested
largely with educators and Prof. G. E.
Patzer of the Milwaukee normal
school, who is admittedly one of the
best authorities on the country schools
of the state, has been giving a great
deal of his time to the drafting Of the
bill. Mr.. Patzer is firm believer
that the measure will accomplish a
world of good and that once the
country school boards begin to be
working bodies the counties of the
state which have large agricultural
population will see the value of the
plan.
The opposition to the measure, how
ever, came largely from farming dis
tricts and was based in a great degree