Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1921-05-19
WORK
IN HIGH SCHOOL


GERS of the local schools, telling of
their high standard and improve
ments that might be made. The let
ter in part, to E. P. McFetridge, the
president of the board of education,
reads in part as follows:
I am in receipt of the report made
by Supervisors Thomas and Touton of
this department who visited your high
school on May 8. / am glad to be able
to report to. you that the supervisors
found much to commend in the work
of your superintendent and teachers.
It is apparent that Sapt. Kings
ford is pursuing an aggressive policy
in his plans for your school. He is
evidently succeeding in leading his
teachers and in directing his school
along the best approved educational
methods Your teachers are reported
to be interested in their work, and
anxious to improve the effectiveness
of their work. Your pupils show a
keen interest in the work which. they
are pursuing. They are bright, eager
group of young people, and are worthy
of the best opportunities which any
community can offer.
I am glad to see that the Baraboo
school offers a wide range of academ-
&c and vocational courses. Through in
struction given in the English Cur
riculum, in Latin, in French, domestic
science, manual arts, and commercial
branches, your pupils have the varied
opportunities which are found in only
the best schools. This provision for
individual differences is to be COM
mended. Your school is reported to
be we'll organized, the discipline is
good and indicates clearly that your
superintendent has in mind the need
of leading pupils to recognize the
need for good order in your school
building.
There is ample evidence of co-opera-
ton between your principal and
teachers am confident that through
this cooperation the teaching of your
school has improved in it's effective
ness in the course Of the current year
The sanitary conditions of your
building are reported as good. The
ventilation is not entirely satisfactory
in some rooms, and the toilet condi-
lions are just fair The boys toilet
should be supplied with paper towels
and watched over just little more
carefully by your custodian.
The building in general is in need
of some repairs. for the plastering is
broken and in some cases patches
have fallen from the ceiling to the
floor. 1t would no doubt be wise for
your board to plan for the replace
ment Of broken plaster and for the
giving of the needed attention to 9TH
e. repairs.
In the classroom work observed, the
supervisors report that the pupils are
in the habit of making use of good
English in their junior and senior
classes. 1t seemed in particular that
the sophomore pupils have more diff
ficulty in their use of good concise
English expression. suggest that a
conscientious and earnest attempt be
made by your faculty to train the
sophomore group in better manners
Of expression.
The general impression which your
school made upon the supervisors of
this department was very good, in
deed. There was present a fine spirit,
the attitude Of your teachers in gen
eral is superior, though in one or
two cases some Improvement is cas-
lily possible. Your teachers are AGA
demically we'll prepared and indus
trious on the whole. The pupils seem
to be earnest in the preparation of
their lesson assignment in most cas-
es. In the few cases where pupils
seemed somewhat listless, the diff
Guilty can no doubt be overcome
the giving of more definite
lesson assignments and the laying
down Of specific requirements by the
teacher. This Iistlessness is the un-
usual thing in your school, for in most
cases the pupils seem to be indus
trous and eager to profit by the val
ues which your school offers.
A meeting was held by Supervisors
Thomas and Touton with your prin-
cipal and teachers at the close of the
school day In this meeting, some of
the problems of effective classroom
instruction were rather thoroughly
1 am pleased to note that
your principal and teachers show
deep and real interest in the improve
ment of the effectiveness of classroom
instruction. Their success in teach
ing leads them to improve the meth
DDS which they use. This is, indeed,
healthy sign.
assure you of the pleasure I have
taken in noting this favorable report
made ON the work carried on under
direction Of Superintendent Kingsford
at Baraboo, and | assure you, also,
Of my continued interest in the work
which is being carried on under your