Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1919-01-24

i owing to scarcity of help this last sea
son.
On Patrol sections we have small
graders, 8 road planes, II road dragS
and slushers.
Respectfully submitted.
PHIL KOEHLER.
County Highway Com
missioner, Rusk Coun-
ty, Wisconsin.
| Supervisor Stubs moved that the
report be accepted. Motion carried.
County superintendent Sew
enth Annual Report
TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS OF RUSK CO.:
! Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen:
The Statutes provide that the Coun-
| ty superintendent shall annually rem
der to the County Board of Supervis-
| ors full and concise report of his Ia
bors, and of the condition of the
schools of the county.
| am pleased this fall to submit for
your consideration this, my seventh
annual report of the schools of Rusk
county.
Each year heretofore has required
the erecting of several schoolhouses.
and the year 1917-191S found us in
need of seven new buildings, but be-
cause of the restrictions on building
placed by the federal government for
conserving material and labor, only
three of those seven were built, the
other four districts being compelled to
get along with temporary buildings
rented and repaired. The new build
ings are in Big Falls No. 4; Stubs No.
s. and South Forks No. /. One build
ing in No. |, Flambeau, was destroyed
by fire this fall. A new modern build
ing is to be built on the same site.
To merit special State Aid of $50
annually for first class rural schools,
many districts have made very sub
stantial improvements in buildings,
grounds and equipment. Such aid was
awarded last year to % rural schools.
Most school officers and patrons of the
schools are manifesting increased in
terest in school equipment, and the
taxpayers are more liberal in appro
priatiOns for securing better schools.
Other counties and other states are
vieing with one another for leadership
in matters pertaining to the improve
ment of the public schools. Rusk
county, leader in many ways, is just
ly proud of her schools and the work
being done in most districts. The
present year, 191S-1919, gives promise
of excellent school results throughout
her borders. were it not for the serious
epidemic still prevalent in certain dis
tricts. The so-called 2-4-S law, by
which the state pays a teacher special
aid of So, 81, or SIS per month, if she is
retained two, three or four years in
the same district, and does satisfactory
work, is a noticeable help for better
teachers received such aid, which, in
total, amounted to $40S.35.
There are now in Rusk county 50
school districts, of which have high
schools, 8 state graded, and 50 rural
one-room schools. The whole number
of teachers required for the county, in
Guiding in the county training school,
is 129.
School Visitations
During the year all the schools have
been visited and inspected from one to
three times. Numerous interviews
and conferences have been held with
school officers and patrons, and invari-
ably | found an excellent spirit of CO.
operation for school betterment among
the people This condition is what we
should expect, and it enables the SUI
perintendent to do more efficient work
for the teachers and the schools.
Institute Work
Since my last report | have held two
2-day Institutes, and four 1-day meet
ings at Ladysmith, Bruce and Glen
Flora.
Institute conductors from Milwau-
kee Madison, Stevens Point and Chi
cago were employed and results of
highly satisfactory kind were secured
Practically every teacher in our county
attended two or more of these meet
ings.
School Board Convention
On October Sth, the annual conven-
ton for school officers and teachers
was held in the court house. Nearly
every district was represented by one
or more members of the school boards
and the teachers.
Mr.. w. E. Larson, State Rural
School Inspector, helped to make the
convention most valuable meeting.
County Fair School Exhibits
Following our custom, an excellent
display of school work from many dis
tricts was made. Pupils, teachers. as
well as parents, manifest much inter-
est in the school exhibit department of
the Fair. Here, all have an OppOr-
tunity of seeing what other schools
have done, and thus make comparisons
with their own school productions
This results in leading teachers and
children to put forth better efforts for
making their own school as good. or a
little better than the other schools, and
consequently, many schools do better
work because of competition at county
fairs.
Teachers Examinations
These examinations are held three
times each year at Ladysmith and
Bruce, two or three days each.
Certificates as follows were issued:
First grade certificates ......13
Second grade certificates ID
Third grade certificates -.-17
Limited certifica teS.---..- 3
TOtal.... As
Teachers holding state certificates 80
Hna chars holding fret opa a