Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1916-01-05
GAINS MADE BY
NORMAL SCHOOLS
Attendance Increase Is 25.5 Per
Cent Over Last Year.
STATE BOARD ISSUES REPORT
River Falls Institution Has Record,
Makes the Largest Advance in
Number of Students Taking
High Graduate Course.

Madison. = The Wisconsin state
board of education issued statement
showing that the total enrolment 10
the state normal school at the END
of the first quarter of the present
school year was 4,403, 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 7O.6 per cent of all the
students in normal schools were en-
rolled in courses requiring high school
graduation. This year, 76.5 per cent
are enrolled in such courses. Inc
school showing the greatest improve
ment in this regard is River FANS
where the percentage OF students en-
rolled in high school graduate courses
has increased from 80 per cent TO Oh
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
dents in 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 1881
two years ago. The largest course I'M
der the head of courses not requiring
high school graduation is the nrst
three years of the tive-year course.
This course is comparable to high
school work 1t has decreased in this
peerless from Sol to 4S7. By action OF
the board of regents of normal schools
last September, no students will be adj
mitted to this course after this year.
Students now enrolled in it will, how
ever, be allowed to continue.
: In the training of rural schoolteach-
ers a remarkable advance has been
made Two years ago there were 2S7
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 300, and in addition to
that, there are 155 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 455, an increase of SO per
cent in numbers and a 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, number
of graduates from other normal school
courses who go out to teach rural
schools.
The normal school college course,
which corresponds to two years of uni
versity work, has increased from 231
20 291, or % 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
schools located in smaller cities it has
been found that the course did not at
tract sufficient 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 q
marked increase. Among these may
be mentioned agriculture, from S3 to
1875; physical condition, from 10 to 81 ;
music, from nothing to 40; CONNER
cial course, from 81 to 1874; domestic
science, from 81 to 104.