Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-04-19
THE FUTURE OF
THE WIIIMAR
SCHOOLS
BY Supt. G. A. FOSTER

In attempting to discuss the future
of the Willmar schools, it is necessary
to keep in mind the trend of modern
education in the United States and
Minnesota, as we'll as the recent his
tory Of our own school.
During the past six or eight years,
great changes have taken place loc>
ally, and in the state and natiol at
large. The Willmar schools have in
troduced courses in industrial sub
jects, and the training of teachers ior
the rural schools. While these chang.
es have been taking place, the city
creasing at a somewhat uniform rate.
Relative to the growth in schoo! pop
ulation for the future may be consid-
cred several factors which are t:lL,ost
sure to make large school popula>
ton, both in the grades and n the
high school,, but more particularly in
the upper grades and high school.
Such fac+crs as the general growth
in population, both in the city and IN
the rural districts, may be readily
comprehended. But, there are other
factors which will undoubtedly have |
as great effects upon the numbers who
attend school as this one of general
growth of population. First and fore !
School Laws Increase Attendance.
most among these other factors is the
compulsory attendance law which re-
quires that every child, between the |
ages of eight and sixteen years, shall
attend school every day of the school
year unless properly excused by the
School Board. This law tends TO-
wards keeping pupils in the schools
through the sixth, seventh and eighth
grades directly. But, because of this
law, many pupils who are thus en-
work will undoubtedly enter and pur-
sue courses in the high school. This
law is already showing it's force and,
no doubt, as the communities become
accustomed to the workings of the
law, it will produce greater results.
The Alumni Influence.
Another factor, which may not be
thought of at first, is the fact that IN
every high school community there
grows up a large number of former
graduates who in their turn influence
the younger generations to attend
high school in greater numbers than
ever before. In community where
the parents were not high school
graduates, and where there were no
former graduates in the family, the
children are inclined towards enter
ing business at an earlier age and do
not see the value of high school train.
ing. Often times the parents are op-
posed to this training and actually
exert a considerable influence towards
keeping them from continuing tn cir
education beyond the grammar
grades. In connection with this fact
of large alumni population, which
grows up in each community, compe-
tition becomes more severe for the
more desirable occupations and the
pupils who leave school before COM
pleting the high school course find
that they are at decided disadvan-
tage when applying for these posi-
tiOns.
Training Teachers.
~ In recent years girls who have want
ed to teach have found it necessary
to take the high school course be-
fore they can receive certificate to
teach, whereas but a few years ago
it was nothing uncommon for girls to
leave the grammar grades, take the
teachers examination and enter At
once into the teaching profession.
This last requirement by the State
has already had its effect upon the
numbers attending high school and,
at the present time, the law is so
strict that it is almost compulsory to
complete the equivalent of high
. school course before taking profess
sional years work. The colleges OF
law, pharmacy and even the more
modern business colleges are insist
ing upon the equivalent of high
school course, before they will enroll
students.
Children Move In.
The fact that the growth of a city
like Willmar is made up, to a consid-
cradle degree, of retired farmers
4 sometimes seems to preclude the idea
of growth in the school population
This may be true to some extent but
as q matter of fact, a large number
of these farmers retire and move to
town for the sole purpose of finding
better facilities for their children's
.. ..--z r. p r