History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 172

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767

USA > Wisconsin > Barron County > History of Barron County Wisconsin > Part 172

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There are three Catholic parochial schools in the county, located at Rice Lake, Almena and Dobie.

The story of the Rice Lake Day School for the Deaf, and the various city and village schools is told elsewhere in this volume.

Of school development in the past decade, Miss Regina Kohton, county superintendent of schools, has written:

Barron County has now 148 districts of which number 132 are rural dis- tricts, 12 state graded and five have a high school with grades, exclusive of the Rice Lake city schools which are not under the supervision of the County Superintendent and which are not included in the following statistics. Five small rural schools are closed and the children therein go to adjoining schools. In the figures below it will be seen that during the past ten years the enroll- ment in rural and state graded schools has remained about the same but that of the grades and high schools has doubled. It follows that the population in cities and villages has greatly increased.

1912. Number of schools-rural, 126; state graded, 10; city, 3. Enroll- ment-rural, 4,381; state graded, 1,037; grades, 784; high schools, 292. Num- ber of teachers-rural, 128; state graded, 29; grades, 23; high schools, 12. Graduates-rural, 130; state graded, 50; grades, 70; high schools, 41.

1913. Number of schools-rural, 125; state graded, 11; city, 4. Enroll- ment-rural, 4,585; state graded, 945; grades, 1,045; high schools, 336. Num- ber of teachers-rural, 127; state graded, 28; grades, 26; high schools, 17. Graduates-rural, 130; state graded, 17; grades, 102; high schools, 67.

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1914. Number of schools-rural, 127; state graded, 12; city, 4. Enrollment -rural, 4,333; state graded, 1,105; grades, 1,172; high schools, 374. Number of teachers-rural, 129; state graded, 28; grades, 27; high schools, 15. Gradu- ates-rural, 139; state graded, 39; grades, 57; high schools, 39.

1915. Number of schools-rural, 126; state graded, 15; city, 4. Enrollment -rural, 4,412; state graded, 1,291; grades, 1,167; high school, 391. Number of teachers-rural, 127; state graded, 30; grades, 29; high schools, 20. Graduates -rural, 155; state graded, 36; grades, 62; high schools, 69.

1916. Number of schools-rural, 128; state graded, 15; city, 4. Enrollment -rural, 4,491; state graded, 1,334; grades, 1,206; high school, 374. Number of teachers-rural, 129; state graded, 37; grades, 38; high schools, 21. Graduates -rural, 152; state graded, 53; grades, 81; high schools, 49.

1917. Number of schools-rural, 128; state graded, 16; city, 5. Enroll- ment-rural, 4,370; state graded, 1,162; grades, 1,376; high schools, 445. Num- ber of teachers-rural, 129; state graded, 34; grades, 32; high schools, 25. Graduates-rural, 173; state graded, 53; grades, 97; high schools, 58.

1918. Number of schools-rural, 128; state graded, 16; city, 5. Enroll- ment-rural, 4,414; state graded, 1,189; grades, 1,328; high school, 430. Num- ber of teachers-rural, 128; state graded, 37; grades, 44; high schools, 25. Graduates-rural, 97; state graded, 53; grades, 93; high schools, 64.

1919. Number of schools-rural, 129; state graded, 17; city, 5. Enroll- ment-rural, 4,319; state graded, 1,223; grades, 1,320; high school, 467. Num- ber of teachers-rural, 129; state graded, 39; grades, 35; high schools, 25. Graduates-rural, 103; state graded, 37; grades, 81; high schools, 64.

1920. Number of schools-rural, 126; state graded, 14; city, 5. Enroll- ment-rural, 4,529; state graded, 1,086; grades, 1,354; high schools, 506. Number of teachers-rural, 126; state graded, 34; grades, 36; high schools, 26. Graduates-rural, 112; state graded, 46; grades, 107; high schools, 72.

1921. Number of schools-rural, 127; state graded, 12; city, 5. Enroll- ment-rural, 4,597; state graded, 981; grades, 1,453; high schools, 556. Num- ber of teachers-rural, 127; state graded, 29; grades, 37; high schools, 28. Graduates-rural, 154; state graded, 57; grades, 118; high schools, 86.

The number of state graded schools have decreased because of smaller enrollment and increasing cost of maintenance.

As to graduates, the number in rural schools has not materially increased while that of the high schools has more than doubled. Yet the number of rural graduates attending high school has increased very much.

Ten years ago there were 12 high school teachers and in 1921 there were 28.

Cameron had its first high school in 1912 and Turtle Lake in 1916.

Barron County has more modern school buildings than any other county in the state. Ninety-one are now up to standard as to lighting, heating and ventilation. Twenty years ago there was but one, the Third Ward building in Barron.

In Chetek and Barron there was much of an overcrowded condition in the high school and in both places new high school additions were built in 1921. The new Turtle Lake High School and grade building was burned to the ground in the spring of 1918, but by Christmas of that year the building was rebuilt.

The last log building of this county was in Joint District 4, Chetek and Sumner. It was vacated late in the winter of 1916 and the site was removed to the east boundary line of the county where a fine modern building was put up.

District No. 7, Maple Grove, known as the Maple Grove Center School, has perhaps the best one-room building in the county. It is provided with a library,

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domestic science room, separate teacher's and pupils' cloak rooms, a play room, inside toilets, and fine furnace and coal rooms, beside the class room.

The County Nurse law requiring every county to have at least one nurse went into effect July 1, 1921. County Boards could employ one before that time and Barron County did so in the spring of 1919, when Margaret Thomas was appointed. On July 1, 1920, Ruby Mckenzie, our present nurse, was en- gaged. During the year 150 schools were visited by her and 4,333 children were weighed and examined. The number having defects of one kind or another were 1,994. Of this number, 1,580 has defective teeth, 1,236 had defective ton- sils and 393 had defective eyes. Other defects were found, but in less num- bers. All were reported to the parents, whose response, upon the whole, has been encouraging in remedying the defects. Much of the poor work in school was traced to poor sight, adenoids, and defective tonsils. The nurse has out- lined ten important health rules, which are posted in nearly every school room. They are to be checked up every day or two. Not all teachers have felt the importance of this work. Indifference at home has often been too much of a barrier for the teacher to secure interest in one of the most important duties- that of the health of the child. About one-fourth of the schools are now serv- ing hot lunches and a number have secured scales. Any child carrying out all the rules during the year will receive a credit of 20 per cent toward his final examination in physiology. Some very attractive health posters have been made.

The nurse has held baby clinics during the past two summers and last summer assisted with tubercular clinics held at Barron and Cumberland, at which places 157 were examined. Fifty-five, or 37 per cent, were found to be tubercular. Outside of this, she has found others having tuberculosis and in a number of cases has succeeded in getting them into sanatoriums.

The law relating to supervising teachers was enacted and went into effect in 1915. The county superintendent submits to the Committee on Common Schools, names of teachers from which list the Committee appoints. During the first three years there was one supervisor, Regina Kohten, during the next three years there were two, and in 1921-22 there was one, who is now Laura Hansen of Chetek. The salary and traveling expenses are paid by the state. The work deals largely with supervision in rural and state graded schools. There is no question but that the general character of the work as done by the teachers has greatly improved through the efforts of the supervisor. Much more attention is given to the Course of Study, program, and health conditions.

Besides the help a teacher may derive from a supervisor, a teacher's insti- tute is held every fall, and for the past two years eight local mid-winter meet- ings were held to take up our special needs. Almost every month circular letters are sent to all teachers, emphasizing matters taken up at meetings and that which is of immediate importance. There is therefore always close con- tact between the teacher and the superintendent. Teachers are also urged to attend school board conventions. An increasing number of them attend sum- mer school at some normal in the state. With the professional reading also re- quired, a teacher has every opportunity to better herself and keep abreast.

In 1919 the teachers' certification laws were amended to the effect that for renewal of a certificate, the teacher is required to read two professional books prescribed by the State Reading Circle Board for each year during the life of the certificate held. If this is not done the applicant must pass an examina- tion upon all subjects. Outlines are prepared by the county superintendent on the two books chosen by her and sent to the teachers who use them in their study and when making the written report. A record is kept on file showing books read and year of such reading.

Every important line of work has its trade journals so that all may keep abreast with progress.

Pupils in the grades as well as in the high schools may and are urged to read library books. Even first and second graders can earn credit which is

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in the form of a reading circle diploma or seal. The diploma is granted for the first year of reading and a seal for each subsequent year. A certain num- ber of books are required each year, depending upon the grade.

The number doing the required reading work in 1919, 1920 and 1921 was as follows:

1919. Rural pupils, 493; state graded pupils, 64; city grade pupils, 127; training school pupils, 25; high school pupils, 0; total, 709. Rural teachers, 5; state graded teachers, 2; city grade teachers, 1; total, 35.

1920. Rural pupils, 1,141; state graded pupils, 302; city grade pupils, 160; training school pupils, 16; high school pupils, 142; total, 1,761. Rural teachers, 69; state graded teachers, 13; city grade teachers, 11; total, 118.

1921. Rural pupils, 2,135; state graded pupils, 600; city grade schools, 389; training school pupils, 36; high school pupils, 36; total, 3,199. Rural teach- ers, 64; state graded teachers, 13; city grade teachers, 12; total, 108.

Since 1916 Barron County has had a recommended list of text-books which list is sent to all clerks and teachers, and clerks urged to use this list when ordering books. Great care has been taken to select good text-books and it is gratifying to know that Barron County has perhaps more such and other equip- ment than any other county in the state. There is also becoming more and more uniformity in the text-books used. This is of great advantage in more than one way. At training schools, teachers may be made familiar with them before going out to teach. 'Pupils transferred from one district to another will not be strange to the books.

Now there are 141 districts in the county furnishing free text-books.

During the past three years diploma examinations have been held at var- ious centers in the county. They are conducted by the county superintendent, supervising teachers, office clerk, and such teachers as are appointed by the county superintendent. Children from the rural and state graded schools come to the center most convenient to them. All papers are marked by the force at the Superintendent's office and later diplomas are issued. Last year 209 were issued. For the past five years credits for work in the form of maps, milk, sheet records, carrying out of health rules for the year, arithmetic accounts and reading circle work have been accepted toward graduation. Last year 755 sixth, seventh and eighth grade children entered over 2,200 credits.

In November of 1920 was the first attempt to have what is known as "Good School Week." A special effort is made by teachers, pupils, parents, etc., to make good in matters of attendance, kind of lessons, health work, visiting and talks by outsiders, securing of school and playground equipment, patriotism, singing, etc. In 1921 there was almost a 100 per cent response from every school. Such campaigns ought to impress the importance and needs of an education.

Other important legislation concerns itself with the teachers' pension law, since 1910, superseded by a new one in 1921, school board conventions since 1907, and Committee on Common Schools since 1907.

The Barron County Training School for Rural Teachers was established at Rice Lake in 1907. During the years it has been in operation its principal ob- ject has been the training of teachers for the country schools of Barron County. How well it has succeeded may be judged from the fact that 329 teachers have to date graduated from this school. These graduates may now be found in the rural, village and city schools of the county. The course of study has been changed from time to time to conform with the best judgment of those who are informed on the rural school problem, and with each increasing demand, the institution has fully met its new responsibilities for training teachers for higher standards in rural life and for rural leadership.

The school furnishes two years of academic work and one year of profes- sional work.

The purpose of the school is to offer the young people of Barron County, at the least possible expense, the opportunity to be trained as teachers, and

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to give them this opportunity in their own county, near their own homes under, at least partial, home influence. It should benefit the common schools by pro- viding teachers trained for their specific tasks and is on the ground to co- operate with the other educational agencies in the county. It offers prospec- tive teachers an opportunity to meet the minimum requirements of the law at a minimum expense. The normal schools of the state give credit for work done in this school.

John E. Hale was the first principal, serving in 1907-13. George M. Snod- grass served in 1913-16 and G. E. Pratt in 1916-21. L. P. Bunker, the present efficient principal, took charge of the school in 1921. The first year there was one assistant, Sarah Dixon. The second year there were two members of the staff in addition to the principal, Margaret H. Hutton, as assistant, and Mar- garet I. Taggart as supervisor. The first named served until the close of the 1910-11 session when she was succeeded by Mabel Ahlstrom, who served two years. Hope W. Mowbry became supervisor in 1910 and served until the close of the 1912-13 season. Others who have been members of the faculty since then are: Delia E. Kibbe, 1913-14; L. Lucile Haddow, 1913-14; Annabel Hut- ton, 1914-17; Eva Gregerson, 1914-1917; Evangeline Colburn, 1914-20; Clara Beers, 1917-1918; Mary McDonald, 1917-18; Ruth McClelland, 1917-20; Regina Kohten, 1918-19; Alice Marner, 1919-20; Fannie Hunn, 1920-21; Janet Johnson, 1920-22; Nell M. Cashman, 1921-22. The present faculty consists of L. P. Bun- ker, Nell M. Cashman and Janet Johnson.

The county training school is an institution supported partly by the county and partly by the state. The members of its faculty are persons of maturity and are prepared for the work both in experience and in scholarship. They understand country life and are interested in its development. The school has a single purpose-the preparation of teachers for country schools and the en- richment of country life in general. It is vocational in nature and has there- fore definiteness of purpose. The faculty of the training school keeps in close touch with its graduates not only to assist them with material, help and in- spiration, but that the whole county may become a laboratory from which the faculty may draw lessons in the training of new teachers.

At the present time there are three instructors: L. P. Bunker as prin- cipal, Nell M. Cashman, first assistant, and Janet Johnston is second assistant. Miss Johnston also teaches domestic science. Since the founding of the school there have been 340 graduates, 3 of which number are boys. At the present time there are 58 students enrolled. This number should be very much in- creased since the number graduating each year is far from supplying the de- mand. Some of our very best teachers are training school graduates. They do practice teaching with four grades under close supervision.

In the spring they spend one week with some rural teacher during part of which time they take entire charge of the school. While they are out this week some member of the training school staff or from the county superintendent's office visits the school and talks over the work with the student teacher. In the fall the county superintendent takes out each senior for one day visiting rural schools.

High school graduates may complete the course in one year and receive a year's credit at any of the state normal schools. Eighth grade graduates may also enter but their course requires three years of work.

Upon presentation of the certificate of graduation the superintendent of the county in which the school is located shall, and others may, issue a certifi- cate, the grade of which depend on the standings appearing on the certifi- cate of graduation.

The school is supported by appropriations made by the County Board of Supervisors and the state each contributing about equal amounts.

The school was originally established by the county board by a vote on Nov. 16, 1906. Under the state law such a school is in charge of a board of three members, the county superintendent of schools to be ex-officio member and

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the secretary of this board, and the other two members, to be elected for a three-year term by the county board of supervisors. On the same day that the school was voted, T. T. Hazelberg of the town of Cedar Lake and Dr. I. G. Babcock of Cumberland were elected as members of the Training School Board. At a special meeting of the County Board held January 15 and 16, a site at the city of Rice Lake for the training school was selected. At a meeting of the Training School Board, consisting of the two members named above and T. H. Lage, the county superintendent, held Jan. 16, 1907, T. T. Hazelberg was elected president and I. G. Babcock, treasurer, T. H. Lage being ex-officio, sec- retary.

An old building originally built for a court house, then used many years as a high school building which had been given to the county for training school purposes on condition that the school be located at Rice Lake, was now repaired and partially equipped for the work of the training school which was begun in August, 1907.

The members of the Training School Board have been: T. T. Hazelberg served from Nov. 16, 1906, until Dec. 24, 1919, at which time he resigned. I. G. Babcock elected Nov. 16, 1906, resigned in March, 1916. T. H. Lage became a member Nov. 16, 1906, and served until the first Monday in July, 1909, when he ceased to hold the office of county superintendent. L. S. Cheney became a member of the board when he came into the office of county superintendent in July, 1909, and served eight years. Mrs. Grace Mason was appointed to the board March 21, 1916, and served until November, 1921. E. C. McClelland was appointed to the board Feb. 13, 1920, and served until November of the same year. Gertrude Wahl became a member of the board by virtue of her position as county superintendent, the first Monday in July, 1917, and continued there until Oct. 22, 1918, when she resigned and was succeeded by Mrs. Gertrude Cuff, who served until the first Monday in July, 1919. At this time, Miss Regina Kohten became county superintendent and a member of the board. She is still serving. G. J. Holland was elected to the board in November, 1920, and is still serving. C. P. Stenerson is serving his first term on the board, having been elected in November, 1921. T. T. Hazelberg, E. C. McClelland and G. J. Holland have each served as president of the board, and each for the full time of his service on the board. The treasurers have been I. G. Babcock, Mrs. Grace Mason and C. P. Stenerson, each having served in this position during his entire term on the board. The county superintendents have been, T. H. Lage, L. S. Cheney, Gertrude Wahl, Mrs. Gertrude Cuff, and Regina Kohten. Each has served as secretary during the term of service as superintendent.

CHAPTER XV.

BARRON COUNTY JOURNALISM.

The first paper to be published in Barron was the Barron County Gazette, first published in June, 1874, by C. W. Carpenter and W. L. Abbott. This paper was moved to Rice Lake in 1875, and later the name was changed to the Rice Lake Chronotype. The Barron County Shield, the next oldest paper in the county, was founded November 1, 1876, by A. Dewey, who published the paper for three years, selling out to Walter Speed & Co., November 1, 1879. While no name is given it is generally understood that C. S. Taylor was the company. With Walter Speed as editor the paper was continued until July 6, 1893, when the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Speed going to the Chetek Alert and C. S. Taylor becoming sole owner of the Shield. From the notice of dissolution it ap- pears that this partnership had included the publication of the Chetek Alert, which was established in 1882. May 4, 1883, the name of H. H. Lampman ap-

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peared under the firm name as foreman of the office and he continued in this capacity until May 22, 1885 .. C. S. Taylor continued as publisher until. Novem- ber 10, 1893, when all names were dropped from the paper. The name of Thomas Dovery, who had been an employe of the office for some time, appears as publisher for the first time on January 19, 1894. August 30, 1895, a notice to patrons of the paper is signed by the publishers. January 24, 1896, the Amery Free Press compliments "Editor" Dovery when he "comes out with four pages of home print instead of two." While there has been no notice of any change in management it was generally understood that Mr. Dovery became the owner of the Shield in January, 1894. He continued as publisher of the Shield until January, 1905, when he sold out to W. R. Hotchkiss & Co., Mr. Hotchkiss sold out to Frank B. Gessler in 1908 and went to Menomonie. In October, 1909, Mr. Gessler sold to Durnal & Dretzke, who were the publishers for three years, when Mr. Dretzke retired and Mr. Durnal continued as sole owner until the fall of 1914, when he sold to August F. Ender. Mr. Ender was the owner and editor of the Shield until November 1, 1918, when the subscrip- tion list and all equipment was sold to N. S. Gordon and the Barron County Shield and the Barron County News were consolidated under the name of the Barron County News-Shield, under which name it is still being published. Mr. Gordon had previously bought the Dallas Index and consolidated it with the News, and the Cameron Review had recently been taken over by the Shield. In November, 1920, Mr. Gordon bought the subscription list of the Prairie Farm Breeze and that paper was absorbed by the Barron County News-Shield.

The Shield, now consolidated in the News-Shield, has maintained a stand- ard of stability somewhat unusual in the history of rural pioneer journalism in the Northwest. From Nov. 1, 1879, until Jan. 1, 1905, its destinies were in the hands of but three men, Walter Speed, Charles S. Taylor and Thomas Dovery, all men of substantial standing and worth. During its latter years before the consolidation it experienced the usual journalistic vicissitudes. But in the meantime the present editor had taken over the News, July 1, 1904, and so has a continuous record of nearly eighteen years. Thus four men, the Messrs. Speed, Taylor, Dovery and Gordon, span more than forty-two years.

The Barron County News dates its existence from 1900, although its first name was the Weekly Call and its first editor was Fred W. Haislet. It had a somewhat stormy existence for the first four years of its life. Many times the office force was obliged to call for help in getting the paper out when Mr. Haislet was "feeling too good to work." Finally in 1903 the paper was sold under mortgage sale to C. W. Andrews, and the name was changed to the Bar- ron County News. In February, 1904, Mr. Andrews sold to George C. Elwood and in June of the same year he sold to N. S. Gordon, who took charge of the paper the first week in July and who, as noted, has served continuously for 18 years now, a longer term than any other publisher in the county, except Walter Speed, who was with the Chetek Alert from September, 1882, to February, 1901. The paper has grown from the smallest, both in volume of business and prestige, until now, under the title of the Barron County News-Shield. It is recognized as the leading paper of the county.

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History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 172

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1767

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767