Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-12-24

REPORT OF CO. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen; hereby submit
tor your consideration this my annual report Of
the condition of the schools of Vernon county:
While there are always defects to be found IL
the administration Of our schools that need tn,
constant attention of the superintendent anC
school boards the general condition Of our schools
are gradually improving and the past year ha:
been no exception to the rule. Numerous perma
nent improvements have been made, wood-shed:
nave been built. school houses repainted bar-
wood floors laid and needed apparatus purchased
but lack of time and space viii not allow me to z,
into details and menti4n the merits of each ind
vidual case.
More attention should be given to improve tn,
appearance aud sanitation of the inside Of some Of
our school houses. A school room soon becomes
dingy and cherries under favorable conditions
but when there is defective stove pipe. a stove
or furnace that smokes, as is sometimes the case
the room soon takes on the appearance of smoke
house At tbs beginning Of each year the chin
ney. stove pipe and stove should te clc-ned and
repaired il necessary, and the wa.!s and ceiling
Should be white~ashed or kaisomined. The wood
work and floor should be thoroughly clSaEed 81
the beginning Of each term. We believe that ev-
cry room in which children are .uested should bt
a model in beauty. cleanliness aud sanitation. In
other words. We believe that every school room
should be made cheerful home ana not a dingy
prison.
District No 5 Of the town Of Franklin is build.
ing b j. sa with basement and fur
mace. lt ould have been finished by
the De=luu ioo year but owing to diff
heul g. material it may not BE-
fhisa days,
4 .eteat arvision Of the co. su.
petin'r" ghools, nineteen grade
roofi IA -anols, twenty-five state
graded stl tal or common schools
Thee o.. all are in session, 19I
tea heIs 8. bare bepinners teach
Ing her III ing the high scboO
or faCe l1reu Of school age
Is $3.50, OF ~ was reported last year
The average daily attendance was 4. l9f or daily
increase Of ils notwithstanding the decrease in
the number Of children of school age. The tota
cost Tor all educational purposes was Sl25,763 AZ
or an average Of Sl927 per pupil enrolled. Six
teachers examinations were held during the year
four in the spring and two in the fall 1t takes
sixteen days to hold these examinations. not count
ing the time in going and coming from the place
Of examination. We had more available teachers
for our schools this fall than we have had for
number of years. This was due partially at least
to the fact that we had ten more training s.hoo
graduates than heretofore and nine more high
school graduates took the teachers examination
Four teachers institutes We're held namely al
Ontario, LaFarge, Hillsboro and Westby. We al.
so had a one day institute with an evening meet
ing advertised at Stoddard. but owing to bad con.
dition of roads and the washout on the Southeast.
ern the institute had to be given up. but we had
an interesting evening meeting with crowded
house. We were assisted in these Institutes by
Prof. j. o. Engeman of the La Crosse normal
and Principals A. A. Thompson of the RichlaDo
County Training School and A E. Smith of oul
own Training School. We also received local as
sistance from the principals of the schools where
the institutes were held. The total cost of these
institutes was SlS75l, leaving US balance on hand
of $l9S65.
The corn growing contest for boys and girls be
tween the age of ten and sixteen was held in con
nection with the county fair. Printed circulars
were sent to the teachers of the county with the
necessary rules and explanations regarding the
contest and suggestions for a systematic study Of
corn growing to be taken up with the pupils IN
school. Two circulars were also sent explaining
the proper ways of testing seed corn. Three hun
dred pupils applied for corn and each was suppl
ed with package containing about a pint. The
corn used was the Golden Glow or Wisconsin No
IL, which was furnished by the Experiment Sta
ton ut Madison and put up in packages and dis
tributed by the county superintendent Sixty
seven pupils entered corn at the county fair ano
$50 were distributed in prizes. We believe that
the practical knoSSage gained by the pupils il
raising this and the distribution of new seeC
throughout the county will more than repay the
time and money spent in promoting this contest
SO that we would not only recommend a continue
ton of corn contest but would enlarge it to take
in other things.
will call your attention to a few of the most
important school laws that were passed by the
last legislature.
Chapter l44 adds rural economics to the list Of
subjects required for a third grade certificate.
Chapter 274 makes it uulawi al to sweep sehoo
room without using proper dustleSs brushes Of
wetting the floor with damp saw dust or othei
dustless material. This almost makes it necessary
for school boards to provide the teacher with Z
dustless sweeping compound:
Chapter 325 permits high school boards to charge
dollar per week instead of fifty cents as here
tofore.
Chapter ala provides that after January /. 1915
all applicants fer certificates must have at leas
one year of professional training.
Chapter 44S changes the time of holding the an
nual school meeting in all rural school common
schools from the first Monday in July 10 the frs
Monday in June. The annual meeting in incorpor.
ated villages and cities will be held heretofore
The district clerk reports direct to the county
superintendent who has to do all the clerical worl
formally done by the town clerks. The law ais,
provides salary of ten dollars for each clerk Of
the rural school and twenty-five dollars for elerk
in district which include an incorporated village
having two hundred or more pupils OF school age.
Chapter 75l relates to the county board of educa
tson. Under this law there shall be elected in tn,
spring of 1914 five members known as the coun
ty board of education They shall meet on the frs
Tuesday in May and determine by lot the time tina
each shall serve which shall be for one, two, three
four and five years. After April 1914 one member
shall be elected each spring for term of FIVE years
Some of the duties Of the county board of educa
tioa to fix the salary of the county superntend
emit. To appoint assistant or clerk for the coun
ty superintendent and fix the salary of such cleri
or assistant To appoint examiners TO hold the
common school diploma examinations To visit
schools. To assume all powers and duties now ex
ercised by town and village boards relating t
boundaries of old districts
In conclusion / wish 10 express to the member;
Of this board and to the public my earnest appre
citation of the cooperation and assistance that have
always been so freely given. and sincerely solicit
a continuation of this spirit and ! trust that we
NAV grow to meet the demand Of approaching
what we make it. 1t is therefore our duty 10 do al
that is within power to make schools of thu
most practical value to our children and future
generations" Respectfully submitted,
H. L. GARDNER Co. Supt.
REPORT OF COUNTY TRAINING SCHOOL
BOARD
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: The county
trining school board herewith submits for YOU
consideration this, its 9Th annual report
Regular session Of training school was main tain
ed for ten months, required by law. in addition
8 six weeks summer school was held for the pur.
pose of giving high school graduates and Others
who wish TO take the e ache rs examination
chance TO get the legal professional qualifications
without going to other counties. SISty-nine stu
dents were enrolled in the regular session and 81
finished the course and graduated. There were
II enrolled in the summer session. % beginner
who had never taught and 40 experienced teachers
who were working for higher certificates.
Miss Wilson our assistant, resigned at the END
of the regular term and Miss Grace Dinsdale Of
AIRY of S1OG per month. Our principal was rehired
at salary Of $50 per month
The training school has now been established 81
years and your board firmly believe that It has dons
a needed and credtsbe work for the rural schools
of the COUNT. The graduates have been as sue
cessful as could reasonably be expected They
are earnest and e1uscientlous IN their work and
they show good professional spirit OF coUrss
we have had failures but our experience has beer
that school be il training school, normal seneo
or university, can make successful teachers OF ey
cry graduate who may attempt to teach
We would respectfully recommend that n
board appropriate the sum Of Sl.5t8 FOR support o.
the training school, including SIX weeks suranel