Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-12-25

keep but one text book for each grade II
each subject. Parents are Obliged TO buy an.
trict to another. In some cases they are
| forced to discard good books and to purchase
/ inferior ones because the district into which
they move has failed to adopt modern text
books. Many Of the text books now in use
| are unsuited to the children, as they were
adopted in the schools years ago when teach.
| ing methods were different and pupils attended
until they were much older. Teachers cannot
use the manual prepared for the common
| schools by the State Superintendent. nor can
they apply modern methods of teaching with
books which were written when teaching
methods wers different More than 40 per
cent of the books now in use are editions
twen ty year, old : great number of them are
~ years oil. Some of them are editions OF
1873 and 1876. There are history books in use
that were edited in 1885. Imagine studying
histo-y frori book written during the ad.
mlhIstration of President Garfield. Such a
situation de- erxes the serious consideration OF
every voter Vernon county.
ADgANIASES OF COUNTY UNIFORMITY
To School Boards :-
It will relieve the school BOARD members
from any Of the responsibility attached to t, /
selection of school books w.hich the majority
agree IS burdensome task. Many school
board members state chat they do not have
the time to examine all of the books OF the
different publishers and to take into consid.
Grafton quality of material used illustrations
binding. price, ano all other things that 20 Ia
make up a desirable book
To Parents -
l With uniform text books parents will
not need 90 buy new books when moving from
one district to another. Agents now deal with
tne schccl boards of one hundred fifty-six dis.
tricts and at present there are different books
IN neighboring districts.
School books may be obtained at once
stock. N' ~
The price of school books will be lower
a sthe dealers need to keep but one tent for
each grade in each subject.
1o the Schools
l 1t viii enable the teachers to apply mod.
ern methods of teaching and will furnish an
incentive for more thorough study of the
books IN use, as a knowledge of the uniform
county.
2 The teacher can do more effective work
upon moving into new district as she will
be familiar with the text books.
) The Vernon County Training School
students can be instructed in the use of the
modern series adopted.
Institute conductors can tell definitely
how a subject IS to be taught from a particu-
lar book instead of giving general suggestions
as they are Obliged to do at present on account
of the great difference in the text books
8 1t Will place modern text book in the
hand of every child suited to his grade and
years. This means inspiration and interest
An outline of the work for each month
Of the year based upon the manual and the
text book in each subject can be prepared.
This will make the school work uniform
throughout the county
This thorough grading throughout the
childs school life viii enable the teacher to
prepare her pupils for the eighth grade d.
IS uniform the examination cannot be the
same throughout the county.
METHODS OF OBTAINING COUNTY UNI
FORMITY
1t is decided by the members of the
school district board when assembled at the
regular county school board convention.
Each district is entitled to one vote
The vote must be taken by ballot or by
yea and nay.
A majority of the districts in the county
must vote IN favor of county uniformity.
there will be no great expense to the
purchasers in the districts because complete
change will not be made at one time. Books
will be changed to conform to the uniform
set only when changes are necessary. Thus
the adoption of the uniform series will be a
gradual process.
DIPLOMA EXAMINATIONS
Last spring, diploma examinations were
held in centrally located places and were con-
Quoted by someone sent out from the office.
We believe this plan to be much more fair
to the pupils and it worked very satisfactorily.
OF course this method meant an increase of
work in our office, for about 1000 papers had
to be corrected
COMMUNITY COMMANDMENTS
This plan of holding examinations was ma
turaly followed by Community Commence
ments. The children enjoyed coming together
for their graduating exercises and the event
was much more significant and important to
them. This plan makes for cooperation and
creates community spirit which is most
beneficial In addition, we believe that these
commandments viii be incentive to the
boys and girls to stay in school so that they
may graduate. Community commandments
were held last summer at Hillsboro, Valley,
i'aFarge. DeSoto, Chaseburg. Westby and vi