Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-01-10
Educational Platform

IL IuC fOIclS vi w ioNOiIolhs
Upon the call of hundreds of cit
izens from all parts Of the state, in
Guiding teachers, business men, wom-
en- industrial workers. farmers and
professional men l hereby announce
myself as a candidate for the office
of State Superintendent of Public In
struction.
4 ask the support of the voters
upon the following educational plat
FORM
THE rural schools need and de-
serve the best support of the state.
More than one half of the people of
Wisconsin live in rural communities.
Their schools should be Of direct
practical service and widen the oppor
tunities for every boy and girl on the
farm. There should be a more defl-
mite preparation Of teachers for In
dustrial and social service. The ele-
ments of agriculture and other sub
jects directly connected with indus
trial work should be emphasized. Ex-
perience in a few cases has shown
chat the rural schools may be made
factors in the production of wealth
upon the farms. The state should
require the country schools to serve
the economic interests of the far
ners. The civic life of the state
should be felt in every school and
every school In turn should become
a vital force in democracy and rep
resentative government. The school
house should be made the social and
civic center of the community.
Some progress has indeed been
made In the rural schools. The an
nual school board conventions, the
appointment of rural school inspec-
tor, and recent Investigations are all
efforts to improve the country school
But such Investigations show that
the rural school of today is in need
of marked improvement. The various
and often diverse Investigations
should be united into & unified, con-
structive program. The office OF the
state superintendent should be an
educational bureau where the best
ability in the state, whether from
the industrial business and profes-
sional classes, or among the city and
;nta nf cphnnIc
in the normal schools, the colleges
or the university, may be utilized.
THE state superintendent should
devote his very best efforts to the
constant improvement of the rural
schools and the elementary grades in
the villages and cities. AS exofflclo
member of various state boards, he
must be directly interested in the
higher institutions of learning; but
be directed to the improvement OF
common schools He should be their
representative before the legislature.
Chosen by all the people, his high
est duty is to serve their common in
terests.
"The state is just beginning a sys-
tenn of industrial schools. Owing to
the efforts of citizens specially in
terested in such schools, the leglS-
lature of 1911 provided for the ap-
pointment of non-salaried state and
local boards. In May, 1912, the state
industrial board employed an assist
ant to devote his entire time to the
work A number Of cities have or
ganized these industrial schools.
''Such schools are not for the pur-
pose3 of studying merely academic
subjects They are for the purpose Of
making workmen skillful and eff
; cient in all forms of industry. Wis
consin is gradually developing most
varied manufacturing and industrial
system and this demands a great
| body of skilled workmen. The indus
trial schools will increase the earn
ing power of labor They will be of
direct economic value to the man
who works in the shop, factory or up
on the farm They will benefit the
employer by increasing the efficiency
Of labor. Just as scientific agricul-
ture has added Millions of dollars an
nually to the wealth Of the state, SO
| these industrial schools will make ar
tisans skilful and efficient. The state
should broadly enter upon the policy
of training its adult citizenship for
efficiency.
''If elected to the office of state
superintendent Of public instruction,
l will endeayor to cary out the pol
icies outlined IN the platform
| WILLIAM KITTLE' -