River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-12-23

II Is. Aasterud, County supt of Schools
read his report and tire same was referr-
cd to Committee on Eiusaiion.
| hEPoRT OF HE COUNTY S:rPT. OF
SCHOOLS, 1920.
To the Honorable County Board of Pierce
| County, Wisconsin.
| 1t is a pleasure to me to present 20 you
at ibis time my report as superintendent
| of schools for the past year.
| The great problem in our schools this
year has been the shortage of teachers
This was felt last year and more SO this
| fall. To meet this shortage two means
have been resorted to: generous raise
in teachers salaries, and demanding less
! in teachers qualifications. The minimum
salary was fixed by the last legislature
at $75. 90 month The average in the
rural schools in this county is now 500. IA .
| However, the shortage is so great that it
| will take several years to bring the sun
! ply of teachers up to meet the demand
IL the wages continue high the younger
students will be attracted and go into the
training courses and in this way we look
for an adequate supply in few years.
We feel that letting down the standard af
qualifications will do more harm than
good.
According to reports Wisconsin is short
| between three and four hundred teachers
| with other states in about the same pro-
portion. AS arule it is the country school
that suffers first. There are evident
reasons for this among which may be men
toned poorer buildings to work in, bad
roads to be travelled in going to scoh oil
and to the district, and bad sanitary con-
ditions at the schol and in the boarding
places.
During the year we had to contend with
the flu and other contagious diseases but
not to such extent as the year before.
525 days were lost thru diseases of this
kind.
The Committee on Common Schools ell
ected Miss Kemp Supervising Teacher in
May. She spends most of her time in
! the country schools spending half a day
with each teacher.
| The school census in July showed a de-
crease of 1863 from last year. In all 3!l6
pupils were enrolled in all the schools:
from the graded and GO from the high
schools. In the rural schools 101 teach
ers were employed, in the graded schools
IL and in the high schools AZ making a
/ (The two sister schools are not included
in these figures and River Falls is indie
pendent.) 81 of these teachers are grad
yates from normals or colleges. The fact
that wages in the country schools are 60
ing up even faster than in the cities is
drawing the best teachers in these schools:
We need the best teachers in the rural
schools.
Since it is so difficult to secure teach
ers many localities are considering clos
ing their schools and either transport the
with other districts. SO far we have nc
consolidated schools. Three of our schools
are closed and pupils are hauled to other
schools. Joint 10 of Rock Elm is haul,
ing to Rock Elm, District of Sprine
Lake is hauling to Elmwood and Joint
IL of Salem hauls to Maiden Rock. As
far as / can ascertain the people are wei
satisfied with the arrangement. l know
that the attendance is better in the dis
trfcts hauling their pupils than 1t was
before their schools We're closed Aitnt
people are reluctant about closing theil
home school we may as well decide to az
n Something to meet the teacher shortage.
! During the year many schools have beer
J remodeled and otherwise improved DIST
rict 2 of Clifton has a new ana uP-t O.
date building as has also District O.
u fnswor+h. The Hager school has peer
remodeled. The worst feature OF tn.
!, school plants in general is the sanltar.
conditions, Most Of the outbuildtngs ar
very POOR, many Of them worse than an.
! Last year 716 pupils did Reading Cir
, Gle work. . .,o =,
? fee. were f1rsts seconds, and thre
thirds. were refused. 10 teachers wer
granted special aid by the state depart
s ment. In regard to the % o1t .he state SIM
j.. erintendent Teachers Retirement Fune
I County Clerk and County Treasurer nav
n been made. The township library pook
$ Convention cow n was held in December, at
O tended the state convention of superin
tendents in August. I believe that Tn
. proper records have been kept. -.
4 In conclusion I wish to thank TINS Doa boar
: flor the support given educational matter
3 in this county. We are passing thru
= critical period for our schools but Their
q are indications of things adjusting them
> selves which point to stability and I'm
Money Received from Co. Treas. 1928 y
0 Spent for Office .........'........ ooI .
Balance on hand ..:....S 49'V
H. B. Aasterud
3 County Superintendent
. Ellsworth Wis, Nov. 1920
Report of Committee on Common oct1U,
I was referred to Committee on Educatloh
REPORT OF Committee ON CoMho-
SCHOOLS
: no +ba Honorable County Board of Pierc