Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-11-24
THE COUNTY BOARD AND THE
COUNTY BOARD OF EDU-
CATION.

Board a resolution was adopted
recommending the adjustment of the
County Board of Education.
hold no brief for the defense of
said board and am writing without
| it's knowledge or consent.
was not in favor of the change OF
| the existing boards to the present
board, and did not vote for it, but
have attended several of its meetings
and am somewhat familiar with its
work.
| 1t fell to the lot of the new boards
in the various counties to devise
methods of procedure, forms of
record, etc, for which there were no
presidents, and to interpret the laws
defining their powers.
| The members of the board took the
matter seriously and undertook the
work resolutely, earnestly and faith
fully. 1t would be a marvel if they
have made no mistakes. That they
have seriously erred in the perform
ance of their duties l do not believe.
/ There are grieyous wrongs ard gross
injustice in the management of the
! country schools. and it is the purpose
and intent of the board to lessen
them.
Probably the greatest injustice in
the management of schools lies in the
| location of the school house To
illustrate: At the request of the
people of a portion of the town of
Maine several years ago | managed
the organization of new district.
\ Accompanied by a resident of the
locality we secured the signatures of
all the voters in the territory included
Several school meetings to complete
the work were held and adjourned
until the citizens at distance refused
to attend The small minority then
concluded the proceedings by locating
the school house practically in their
own dooryards, leaving families five
or six miles from the school. Later,
seeing the injustice of the situation.
! it was decided to allow those at a
distance to transport their pupils at
the expense of the district, the most
generous act | have ever known in
this connection.
In Waupaca county when was
] the superintendent, there was a
school district which ran irregularly
across two townships. Pupils from
remote parts could attend school in
their own district by travelling twelve
miles over routes upon opposite sides
Of the township, and passing two
, school, houses upon either route,
a feat rivaling the worst political
gerrymandering in our history.
AS state superintendent had often
to deal with cases of like injustice
which came to the office on appeal,
and sometimes it was necessary to
send man from the office to 6is-
tant part of the state to Investigate
the case before decision could be
reached, although the rules of the
office require complete and specific
statement of the case with maps and
: diagrams.
Such cases and many more in the
state remain to be adjusted and the
: County Boards of Education are trying
to do it. The men who perpretrated the
, wrongs are still on the job and mean
, to stay. Naturally they clanor to be
/, let alone. 1t is the business of these
boards to pry them loose and give the
people square deal. The outcry is
evidence that the board in this county
is doing its duty.
The situation is not new in Wiscon-
sin. 1t is as old as the state. 1t is
inherent in the system of independ-
ent school districts. Every state
superintendent from Lyman G. Drap-
er, QS5S) to the present time, has de-
nounced it and urged change. Many
Estates of the union have discarded it
and adopted systems much more
. efficient and with less cost.
The township system ofschool man
agement, and The consolidated schools
with transportation Of pupils are the
best substitutes.
We need boards of education COM
petent to detect the wrong and cour-
ageous enough to apply the remedy.
To abandon the experiment without
giving it fair trial would be childish.
The boards have scarcely had time to
, organize and get acquainted with
their duties and opportunities. Let
the system be given a fair trial and if
it fails to yield results in better
schools, change will be in order
That the Legislature would consent
to abolish the system without giving
it time for a fair trial is unthinkable
| q r. WELLS