River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-12-15
EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE

An important Educational Confer
ence was held at Madison last Thurs
day and Friday, December 9Th and
9th. Members of the several State
Boards concerned with educational
matters in the state were called to-
gether for a two day meeting to dis
cuss several important matters. The
members of the following Boards
were present: The Normal Board of
Regents, the University Board of
Regents, the State Board of Voca-
tional Education and the State Board
of Education. There was also includ-
ed in the conference, the President of
the University, the Dean of the Col
lege of Education of the University,
Presidents of Stout Institute, Milwau-
kee, Oshkosh and River Falls, repres-
enting the Normal School System.
Secretary Edward A. Fitzpatrick
of the State Board of Education in
itiated the movement for this gather
ing. The leading topics up for con-
sideration were the Training and Ger
LITIGATION of High School teachers,
Educational Extension and the Junior
College. 1t was decided by the con-
ference to recommend legislation
looking toward the advancement of
the requirements for high school
teachers. Resolutions were passed to
the effect that after 1924 no teacher
be permitted to work in any of the
high schools of the state with less
than three years of preparation above
high school graduation, and that after
1926 this requirement be placed at
four years. In the discussion it was
brought out that the Wisconsin Nor
Schools h. 11saf 8
supply for high school teachers, the
number furnished by such institutions
being greater than that from all 9TH
er institutions combined The River
Falls Normal School is furnishing
more teachers Of Agriculture than
any other institution in the state, the
| Oshkosh Normal School more teach
ers of Manual Arts than any other in
stitution in Wisconsin. La Crosse
Normal School is furnishing more
teachers of Physical Training and
Whitewater more teachers of Com
mercial subjects than are being fur
nished by other institutions.
1t appeared at the Conference,
therefore, that the Improvement Of
the training of High school teachers
must come from extension and i'm
provement of High school training
courses in the Normal Schools.
The other topic which excited great
| est interest was that Of the Junior
| College. The program suggested by
Secretary Fitzpatrick called for the
endorsement of the proposition that
the state promote the establishment
of Junior Colleges in connection with
some the leading high schools of the
state. This plan calls for the exten-
| sion of the work in such high schools
| through the first two years of the
College Course Theodore Kron-
| shage of Milwaukee. member Of the
| University Board of Regents, advo-
| Gated the further extension of Col
lege Courses in the Normal School,
1t is becoming more and more evil
dent to University authorities that
| Junior College work must be done
elsewhere than on the University
campus, inasmuch as the Universities
are overcrowded with students, par
ticularly of Junior College grade.
The Conference created Committee
for the purpose of investigating the
Junior College situation and to report
to the Boards represented as to re-
Communications. A second Committee
was created for the purpose of inves-
tigating the matter of the training
and certification of high school teach
ers with the idea of making report
to the Boards of Education and later
recommendation to the next Legis-
lature.