The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1915-12-31
zig Gains by Normal Schools.

Inc Wisconsin state board or educa-
ton issued a statement showing that
the total enrolment in the state nor.
NAL school at the end Oft first quar-
ter of the present school year was A.
40S, an increase of 25.5 per cent over
that OF last year. The increase in the
enrolment at the Whitewater school
was 81 per cent. the largest of any
school.
The report, in part, follows:
In 1894 70.6 per cent of all the
students in normal schools were en-.
rolled in courses requiring high school
graduation. This year, 1855 per cent
are enrolled in such courses. The
school showing the greatest improve
ment in this regard is River Falls.
where the percentage of students en-.
rolled in high school graduate courses
has increased from 80 per cent to 81
per cent. 1t is interesting to note that
the entire increase in enrolment has
been in courses requiring high school
graduation. The total number Of stu.
dentssin these courses has increased
from Eats to 1868, while the total in
courses not requiring high school
graduation has remained about the
same, being 1,035 this year and 1,031
two years ago. The largest course un.
der the head of courses not requiring
high school graduation is the first
three years of the tive-year course.
This course is comparable to high
school work.
In the training of rural schoolteach-
ers a remarkable advance has been
made. Two years ago there were 287
students being trained especially for
rural school work and these students
were enrolled in a course which did
not require high school graduation.
The enrolment in the same course
this year is 800, and in addition to
that, there are 1916 enrolled in a new
course which requires high school
graduation as a prerequisite. The to.
tai number of students being trained
especially for rural school work is
therefore ASS. an increase of SO per
cent in numbers and great improve.
ment in the educational requirements.
Students graduating from the high
school graduate rural course will re-
ceive the special state aid of $40 per
month, provided by the last legislature
In addition to the students above men,
toned, there are, each year, a number
OF graduates from other normal school
courses who go out to teach rural
schools.
which corresponds to two years of uni
versity work, has increased from 231
to POI, or rs per cent. This is in spite
of the fact that during this period the
course was abolished in four of the
normal schools. 1t is now being Of
fered in the schools of Lacrosse. Mil.
waukee, Oshkosh and Superior. In the
schools located in smaller cities it has
been found that the course did not at
tract stuff cient number of students
to make it profitable. The board OF
normal regents has therefore abolished
this course in the schools of Platte
vile, River Falls, Stevens Point and
Whitewater in order to reduce the
cost of teachers.
The total enrolment in other special
departments requiring high school
graduation in most cases shows a
marked increase. Among these may
be mentioned agriculture, from 80 to
1875; physical condition, from 10 to 6l;
music, from nothing to 40; coAmer-
cial course, from q to 1874: domestic
science, from Ga to 104
State Should Care for Risks on Life.
The state legislature should provide
money by direct appropriation or 9TH
erwise for the solicitation of life in
surance if the state life fund insurance
business is to be continued, is the con-
clusion of Actuary l.. A. Anderson of
the state insurance department in
report filed with State Insurance Com
missioner M. J. Cleary.
The cost of conducting this insur-
ance business, which is the administra-
ton of life insurance fund by the
state, greatly exceeds the revenues
provided, the actuary says. In fact
the people of the state generally are
paying part of the cost of running this
state life fund for the benefit OF the
persons carrying policies in it.
The actuary says that some radical
changes should be made in methods
of bookkeeping so that the exact cost
could readily be determined. The next
Legislature will probably be asked he
says, to repeal the law providing for
state life insurance or amend it SO
that the enterprise will be self-sustain-
ing.
MIR. Anderson finds that the life fund
has not been properly accounted for;
that it's cost of administration is vast
ly beyond that which appears on rec
ord; that the system of bookkeeping is
poor. and that in many other respects
there is need of changes.
IF the life fund is to be continued"
says Mr.. Anderson, land is to be made
success, the legislature should pro-
vide means for active solicitation of
L.. H. III how