The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-11-22
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER %, 1917
The Teachers-T Training School.


tie manner in which they have disposed
Of the problem Of joining with Racine
county in the erection of a joint
training school for teachers. The ac-
tion sayors Of the good sense which is
being shown in lot of ways in con-
nection with wartime economy. It
shows that Kenosha countJ is go
ing to give a. little more consid-
era5,on to one of it biggest assets
the country school,
There may be a few people with an
overly developed bump of county
pride who will feel that Kenosha
county should have built training
school of it's own if for no other rea-
son just to show its independence of
the old parent county. This is the
sort Of pride that goeth be-
fore destruction. 1t is pretty hard
to Gevelop boundary lines in the edu-
cation of children.
The problems Of the schools of
western Kenosha county and western
Racine county are identical. There is
no difference in the brand of educa-
ton that is desired for the children
Of this great county and that great
county and the whole problem is one
of method. 1t is doubtful if there are
enough young men and women in Ke-
nosha county to properly support a
training school of this kind. With the
two counties united there is chance
to build up a real school which will
render real service to the two counties
and which will eliminate the heavy
overhead expense which must follow
the building of individual schools.
The problem Of the Improvement Of
the rural school is one of interest to
every part of the county. 1t is not a
sectional problem. Men n Kenosha
want the children of Kenosha county
educated They are willing to pay
the mere triAe which is necessary to
have them properly educated
Too LITTLE attention has been given
to the rural school. Our friends in the
city have been uninterested and our
friends in the county have considered
the school something that must be
maintained but maintained as cheaply
as possible. Now the feeling is
changing. Not how cheap but how
good, is getting to be the measure of
the country school. People are, COM
ing to know that the success of the
rural school depends entirely ON the
capacity Of the teacher to make it
successful. Now school teachers in
these schools or all under paid. In a
lot of districts in Kenosha county they
hire two school teachers at price per
month less than the city of Kenosha
pays police officer to travel beat.
Some one is going to raise the ques-
ton some time as to what IL the most
important---to protect people against
robbery or to protect the children
against ignorance. To the man who
is student of affairs and who learns
the value of education, the problem of
the rural school is a serious one. The
ioint-county training school for teach
ers is step toward meeting this
problem. TT is the first step and not
the last. With better educated teach
ers it is expected that there will come
better educated district school officers,
better men and women to handle the
big school problems and handle with
the understanding that the work that
they are doing, is the most necessary
and the most important work in the
county. Better teachers is going to
bring new and greater interest in
the work Of the schools. 1t is going to
bring better pay for teachers and with
the better pay the teachers are going
to be of higher grade.
The County Board has decided to
take the course of economy in the
training of teachers. This does not
mean that it is not the best course
Organization of the two counties for
the education of teachers is going to
save money to both counties and it is
to be hoped that the broad minded
county board members will see to it
that the money that is saved in one
line Of county education viii be in
vested in that other line of school
Improvement. With the wealth of
Kenosha county it should have the best
rural schools, not only in Wisconsin,
but in the United States. Our schools
are probably UP to the average now
but cup to the average" is not the
Kenosha way of doing things. We
want them to be up to the limit of ex-
cellence. The education that the
county gives its boys, and girls is their
greatest asset. This is the first step
to make it greatest asset and it
is to be hoped that the other steps
will follow rapidly.
The small cost of this school to the
county just indicates that very great
things can be secured at q very small
price if the proper cooperation is in
evidence.