River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-08-27
SAVE 100000 ON
NORMAL SCHOOLS
ECONOMY Is RESULT OF SURVEY
MADE BY BOARD OF PUB
Lie AFFAIRS.
IS APPLYING BUSINESS
METHODS TO STATE
Entire Educational System, on which
People Spend $4,000, 900 a Year, lie
Under Investigation - Improvement
in Many Departments.

0H0Ct iHbCSllSdttOfi - Improvement
in Many Departments.
Results OF the survey Of the state
normal schools have been made pub
lie by the State Board of Public At
fairs. Changes which have been and
will be made, both In the administra-
tive and institutional sides of the In
stitutions, as q result OF the findSngs
OF the survey VIII greatly increase the
efficiency Of the normals as training
schools for teachers and at the same
time will effect a saving of from $780,
900 to $125,000 in the cost of main
tanning and operating this branch of
the states educational system.
Eighteen Millions for Schools.
Wisconsin expends upwards Of eigh-
teen million dollars year on It's edu-
cational institutions, from the common
schools to the university. The state
last year put $1,000,000 into the nor
NAL schools. The saving Of $1,000
q year which will come as the result
of the survey by the Board Of Public
Affairs Is a saving Of 10 per cent. II
q survey Of the common schools, high
schools and university should result
lin the same percentage Of saving, the
aggregate saving would be $780, 600
or almost two millions.
The survey of the rural schools was
completed and the report made pub
lie more than year ago.
The study of the university which
was begun in May, is we'll under way
and will be completed by December /.
Calming More Than Money.
The important thing gained from
the normal school survey. now COM
pleted, will be something greater than
the mere saving of ten per cent In
the cost. It will be q matter OF In
creased efficiency by reason of more
clearly defined field. Heretofore the
normal schools have duplicated the
work Of the high schools at one end
Of the curriculum and some of the
work of the university at the other
end. AS a direct result OF informa-
ton brought out by the survey this
duplication, to large extent, Is like
~ 10 De eliminated.
The college courses heretofore
maintained at the Whitewater. Platte
Vile and River Falls normals have
been discontinued. This action alone,
1t is estimated will save from $4,000
to $4,000 a year, as we'll as enable
these institutions to concentrate time
and effort upon training their students
for the professions Of teaching.
Cut Out Duplication.
The question of aboiishing the first
three years of the fve-year course,
came up at the June meeting of the
board. The work of the first three
years of the course Is q duplication
of work done by the high schools, and
a large percentage of those making
up the classes are residents of the
city where the normal school is To-
Gated. The presence of these local
pupils in the high school courses of
the normal schools has been also q
source of jealousy and conflict be-
tween the local high schools and the
'normals Now that the survey has
disclosed that the state spent during
the second semester OF this school
year, $1,165.66 a week, or at the rate
of $46,626 a year, for giving instruc-
lions to pupils doing work of high
school grade, probably the regents
will abolish the first three years Of
the Ave-vear course.
Chance to Save $4,000.
This does not include the cost of
materials, equipment or overhead
charges. 1t has been estimated that
to include these charges the cost of
preparatory teaching of high school
grade would run up TO at least $4,000
ard possibly exceed $4,000 a year.
Final action by the regents has been
deferred until the formal report of
the Board of Public Affairs has been
made.
AS a result of the report on the size
of classes, showing that during the
second semester, 1873, out of 827
classes, enrolled ten or less students,
the board of normal regents at the
June meeting passed stringent rule
prohibiting the organization of classes
enrolling less than ten students, eX-
lcept as especially authorized by tn
committee on courses of study The
significance of this regulation can bet
ter be understood when it is borne
in mind that in one school whose pro
gram provided for rs recitations {.
day, 40 contained ten or fewer stu
dents While 1t is impossible to es
innate the saving in cost of instruc-
ton which must necessarily follow
ibis action, there can be no doubt bat
that it will greatly reduce the cost of
instruction in normal schools.
Abolish Latin Classes.
The teaching of Latin has been
abolished in all the normal schools
excepting La Crosse. This action was
taken not because of any grudge
against Latin, but was based upon
the fact that the classes in Latin were
so small Only one class had enroll