Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-07-22
FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT
Marathon County Training School for
Teachers.

On Saturday afternoon, at a meet
ing of the board for the Marathon
County Training School for Teachers,
Supt. o. f. Wells presented his four
teenth annual report as follows:
To the Honorable, the Board of the
Marathon County Training School for
Teachers:
GENTLEMEN Il have the honor of
presenting the fourteenth consecu-
tive annual report of your school. A
like privilege is not shared by any
other principal in this class of schools.
| appreciate your courtesy and for
bearance.
This report dealing with much the
same conditions can not ordinarily
present great novelty.
At the beginning of the year seven
ty-four pupils enrolled. About the
middle of the year nine more entered,
making the total enrolment eighty
three. OF these seven were males
Der of graduates was twenty-seyen,
one male and twenty-six females.
The average age of the graduates was
eighteen years. Eight graduates
from the high school entered last
year, five of whom graduated. The
others entered late in the year. They
will enter at the opening Of the COM
ing year and will be ready to respond
to the call of the county superinten-
dent toward the end of the year to
maintain his quota, and will graduate
with next years class. The total
number of graduates is 379, an annual
average Of twenty-seyen With one
over.
The ideal training school would
consist Of high school graduates and
others of equal qualifications, but
ideals are seldom quickly realized.
The exceptional value of the certifi-
cate now granted the high and train
ing school graduate, and the higher
wages now required by law, and in
creasingly demanded by growing
public sentiment in favor of higher
wages and better teachers, will more
and more attract high school gradu-
ateS TO the training school.
The minimum salary of $40 per
month now required by law assures
the beginner respectable livelihood
with some opportunity for additional
preparation, and reasonable eXpec-
tatfon of more liberal compensa-
ton There comes with this
other legislation relating to schools,
e. g.: Consolidation of districts with
transportation of pupils, social center
work. ETC., extending call to all the
factors and forces in education to
unite in a vigorous campaign state
wide, intelligent, forceful and cease
less for mighty uplift of the schools
and through the schools of the social
life and welfare in the country.
Note the enrolment in the training
school: Seven boys and seventy-six
girls. Above the age of twelve in the
enrolment of pupils in the county
schools, the showing is little better.
WHY should not the country boy be
given more than primary education?
Is he not entitled TO fair chance in
life? If, firing of life in the country,
he goes to the city, he is prepared
only for the hard and dirty work with
the lowest pay. The work affording
good wages he is not qualified TO do.
If he choose to remain on the farm he
is not prepared to make full use OF
modern methods and opportunities.
More than all he misses the pleasures
and SatisfactionS of an intellectual
life which an educated man may have
on the farm.
The ordinary country school has no
attractions for q grown up boy. lt Is
small primary school offering no
competition as an incentive TO work,
and no comradship on the playground.
Advanced work, competition and fell
lowship must be provided. These can
be afforded by consolidation of dis
trictS and where necessary, tranSpOr-
tation OF pupils, the present leglsla-
ture has provided for the change along
flexible lines and with liberal assist
ance from the state. The system has
been widely adopted and long used in
other states, so that there can be no
doubt of its practicabllity. economy
and usefulness. 1t is asserted that no
community that has tried il, has ever
been willing to go back 10 the old dis
trict system.
The consolidated school gives oppOr-
tunity for graded school, and. ulti-
mately, 10 high school, with courses
of study and equipment adapted to
the rural conditions and opportuni-
ties. The school house becomes the
social center for the community, a
place for exercises and entertainments
appropriate and acceptable TO the
people.
With better schools. better pre-
pared pupils would come 10 the train