SUGGESTIONS BY THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS. SUGGESTIONS BY THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS. 275 The Reports of the County Superintendents, embodied in the Report of the State Superintendent, contain many valuable suggestions, some of which we present below, designing to give fuller selections hereafter. Their observations deserve the more attention, as those of intelligent men brought into immediate contact with the working of our school system. We gave last month the views of several Superintendents upon the "Township System." NEED OF NORMAL SCHOOLS. The teachers, as a class, have been laborious and faithful. They have commanded my respect and confidence, while they, laboring in the midst of discouragements, have often enlisted my deepest sympathies. Their attainments have not reached a standard which ought to be reached; but they have tried to do do their work faithfully and well. We have some superior teachers, but by far the greater number are sadly deficient in the best modes of teaching, and lack thoroughness in conducting school exercises, especially recitation. A good Normal School, expressly designed for the training of teachers, is greatly needed in this county.-I. N. Cundall-Fond du Lac. As the value of our schools depends so much upon the efficiency of our teachers, it is to be regretted that more effective legislative provision has not been made in our State for the establishment of normal schools for the education of teachers. Such schools located in such parts of the State as to enable those who are preparing for the profession of teaching to attend, at small pecuniary sacrifices, would do more to raise the character of our common schools than could possibly be accomplished by the same expenditure in any other direction. It would enable the State in a short time to supply its schools with teachers, not only qualified in literature and science, but also well "posted" in the philosophy of teaching.-W. R. Alban-Portage. I am satisfied that the wished for good results of our common schools will not be realized till we can, as a people, make school teaching a profession, and pay for it as such.-G. W. Lee-La Fayette. The benefits of normal schools are clearly seen in this county. Those teachers who attended Mr. Wernli's normal school last fall, in nearly every instance pass good examinations, and a very large proportion of them teach excellent schools.-J. K. McGregor-Waupaca. AID FOR ISTITUTES. I would suggest that we need some "material aid" from the State, for the support of Institutes. Also, if the County Superintendent is obliged by law to hold an Institute each year, there should be some preference given to such as attend, or some other means devised to secure an attendance of those proposing to teach. Is it true that teaching our youth is of so little importance that it needs no preparation ?—R. Graham-Kenosha. HELP FOR THE SOLDIERS! In response to the General Circular (which we copied last month) the young ladies of the "Castalian Society" of the State University gave an Entertainment at the close of the winter term, which while very pleasing and creditable in itself, yielded some substantial results for the "Public School Department " of the approaching Fair at Chicago. Other movements of a similar nature have probably been made. The following Appeal from Mr. McMynn has already been widely circulated. It appears here, after the general closing of the winter schools, and schools which have a spring term will not close before the Fair. Could not such schools, if not already prepared with an offering, give the entertainment or exhibition suggested, in the progress of the term, say about the middle of May ? Let each teacher and scholar constitute himself a committee of one and do what he can. The Circulars suggest a variety of methods. Where nothing has been done in the Winter term, let the matter be taken vigorously in hand at the opening of the Summer term. There is yet time enough. NORTH-WESTERN SANITARY FAIR. To the Superintendents, Teachers and Pupils of the Public Schools of Wisconsin : A prominent feature will be the Public School Department, in which will be exhibited only such articles as are contributed by the school children, or their teachers and superintendents. The undersigned, having been appointed a committee for Wisconsin, earnestly requests the county and city superintendents of this State to aid in making this department worthy of our State and the sacred cause for which it is organized. Each superintendent is respectfully requested to act as a committee for his county or city, and to carry out, so far as practicable, the following suggestions as to ways and means: 1. School Exhibitions.-Let every school in the State, as far as practicable, hold an Exhibition at the close of the Winter Term, and charge a small admittance fee, and give the proceeds to the Fair. 2. Tableaux.-In many places an exhibition of Tableaux wonld prove an attractive and sure mode of raising funds for the Fair. 3. Mite Societies.—Where neither of the foregoing plans is practicable, let Mite Societies be formed, one in every school district or neighborhood, to meet weekly, from house to house, and let each pupil contribute his mite-five or ten cents-any sum, however small. These societies may also be formed in places where exhibitions, &c., are held, as additional means of raising funds. 4. One Day's Salary.-For teachers, no more simple and effective plan can be devised than to contribute one day's salary to this object. Most teachers can do this without inconvenience; many have already done so. 5. Handiwork. The taste and skill of the school girls, inspired and directed by their teachers, will devise and execute innumerable miracles of ingenuity, use, and beauty, to deck the tables of the Fair, the sale of which will add largely to the receipts. CORRESPONDENCE. Committees desiring information may address Hon. J. L. Pickard, Chairman of the General Committee, Chicago, Illinois. Communications received by the undersigned will be promptly answered. HOW TO FORWARD CONTRIBUTIONS. All articles for the Fair, except money, should be boxed and sent direct to Chicago, plainly marked, thus: "PUBLIC SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OF SANITARY FAIR, N. W. SANITARY COMMISSION ROOMS, Boxes or packages for the Fair, not exceeding sixty pounds in weight, will be transmitted to Chicago, by the express companies, free of expense. Articles may be sent at any time, and whenever a box or package is shipped, Mr. Pickard should be informed of the fact, by letter, and he will immediately acknowledge receipt, and dispose of the articles in accordance with the wishes of the donors. Donations of money for the Fair may be remitted to the undersigned, who will acknowledge receipt by return mail. NECESSITY OF ORGANIZATION. Nothing can be done without earnest, organized effort. Let every one who receives this circular begin at once to plan, consult and act. Let school exhibitions, mite societies, &c., be immediately commenced and earnestly prosecuted. Let loving hearts at once set in motion busy fingers all over the State to prepare articles for the Fair. Organize without delay, in every county, town and school district, and let the good work go bravely on. THE OBJECT OF THE FAIR is to obtain the means to save the lives, restore the health, and cheer the hearts of our sick and wounded soldiers; to help our fathers, brothers and friends who are suffering for us. No gift is too small and none is too large for this merciful object. The blessing follows as closely upon the humblest as upon the richest offering. Our public schools must not and will not fail to do their part. Our `State is known on every battle field by the glorious deeds of her soldiers; now let her be heard of in every hospital, by the glorious deeds of her school children. JNO. G. McMYNN, Supt. Public Instruction. Madison, March 10, 1865. HOME FOR DISABLED SOLDIERS. Our readers have observed the appeal published in the papers for this Institution lately chartered by the Legislature, and to be located in Milwaukee. While the appeal from Chicago claims our first attention, it should not exhaust our charity. It is obvious that a large number of disabled soldiers will need permanent aid in a "Permanent Home." Every State should establish such an institution. What we wish to say now is, let every teacher and school-child be prepared when called upon to do something, not only for the Sanitary Fair in Chicago, on the 30th of May, but for the Milwaukee Fair, which will commence on the 28th of June. We shall say more next month. 1 THE PROSPECT FOR VOL. X. It is impossible to say, as we go to press, whether the Legislature will enable the Journal to go on or not. But as a large proportion of the Spring Examinations take place during the month of April, we shall take it as a great favor if County Superintendents and leading teachers will, at these examinations, present the matter and obtain as many pledges as may be from teachers, that they will do their part if the Legislature do theirs. The price of the Journal, if continued, will be $1.25. OUR ADVERTISERS.-Messrs. Ivison, Phinney, Blakeman & Co., in connection with their western publishers, Messrs. S. C. Griggs & Co., present a new Announcement of their popular and excellent school books. The new Union Readers and the Robinsonian Mathematical Series, also the Penmanship and Book-keeping Series, have a wide and we believe constantly increasing circulation. The Botanical Series by Dr. Gray has likewise a deservedly high reputation. -The constancy and copiousness of the advertisements of the ECLECTIC SERIES, published by Messrs. Sargent, Wilson & Hinkle, indicate that they also have a strong and permanent hold upon popular favor. We observe that our new State Superintendent, Mr. McMynn, himself a teacher of large experience, gives a prominent place to the publications of the above Houses, in his official recommendation of school books; also, to the "Comprehensive Geography," by Shaw & Allen. BOOK AGENTS WANTED! To sell by subscription, with sample, excellent POPULAR ILLUSTRATED FAMILY WORKS, HISTORY OF THE REBELLION, Of which OVER FORTY THOUSAND of Vol. 1 have already been sold. HENRY HOWE, No. 111 Main street, Cincinnati, Ohio. SUGGESTIONS BY THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS. These selections from the Reports of the County Superintendents (embodied in the last Report of the State Superintendent) are continued from last month. EVILS OF FREQUENT CHANGE OF TEACHERS. The frequent change of teachers is another evil which can hardly be overlooked, and which it will require time and much effort to remedy. It occurs to me that, to secure permanence, somebody beside the teachers and their pupils must be educated. I think that good teachers are sometimes discharged or permitted to resign because their employers do not know that they are good teachers, or because they ignore the truth that the remuneration should be in proportion to the value of the services rendered.-J. C. Yocum, Adams. One great obstacle to the efficiency and success of our public schools in the country districts is the frequent change of teachers. The short period for which they are generally employed, and the uncertainty of being retained induces many of the best and most competent to seek other and more steady employments. I have endeavored to remedy this evil by impressing our school officers with the importance of securing good teachers and permanently retaining them.-E. Hicks, Brown. There is too great a disposition to change teachers every year or every term-though this evil is diminishing. I have labored to convince the people that an inferior teacher even can accomplish more, if continued term after term in the same school, than can be accomplished by a succession of quite superior teachers each term. Much that is learned under one will be condemned by the next and must be unlearned. It is well to retain a good teacher when once secured. A large number have been engaged in teaching during the whole year, and there is quite a number who have no other employment. But I fear the number of professional teachers cannot be large as long as no greater inducement is held out to young women and young men to make teach. |