History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 134

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168

USA > Wisconsin > Green County > History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 134

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

If the reader has gone with the writer care- fully over the preceding pages, he will now, of his own accord, both ask and answer the fol- lowing momentous question : Were not our fathers, who framed and so exactly perfected our school system, fully aware of their respon- sibility to the children of the whole country ?

Our condition in life furnishes us the most important part of the circumstances which educate us, and influence our character more than all the lessons of our masters; and though independent of our will in some respects, yet it is modified by our co-operation, and even by the manner in which we resign ourselves to what is inevitable. Fully aware of this, our fathers laid the foundations of the common school system, not for their own day, not to

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

meet fully all the requirements and necessities of the youth of their time, but for the future, more for the millions of unborn, than for those already environed by the old system, no system. At birth, each child is heir to these influences cast about it by the school system. We can no longer say the conditions environing the child are "hard." But, on the contrary, gentle in their influences, powerful in their molding effects.

We proudly point to our school system as an heir-loom to our children, and as the conditions that surround us in our youth, and those that are to surround us during our development and march to manhood, really have more to do with our moral and social worth, in shaping our destiny in life, we submit our children, the little men and women of our Nation, to these most benign influences cast about them by the public school system.

We cannot claim for the framers of our State constitution greater dignity, deeper penetration of thought, nor broader motives, nor still more comprehensive ideas, than have guided other legislators; they did most assuredly make some invaluable provisions, the full fruition of which have scarcely begun to be realized. The com- mon district school, the immediate product of the constitutional provisions, bas flourished to abundant prosperity. The public school has also reached a highly advanced state of perfec- tion. The normal school, a most powerful and influential factor in our system of education, has reached proportions potent for usefulness, little suspected by its founders.

At first, to educate the youth was thought to be sufficient; but now, a still greater care rests upon our system of public instruction, the especial education of our educators. The ex- perience is not a limited one, that to make a Nation strong, enduring and prosperous, its people must be educated. Education is the only requisite that many Nations lack to fit them for freedom.

May we not say that the schools and univer- sities of the great German empire are the chief bulwarks of her strength, the strong arm of her national liberties? On the other hand, the manifest weakness of some other continental Nations of Europe is directly attributable to the ignorance of the laboring classes.

We need intelligence, and that generally dif- fused to keep watch and ward over our liberties. May we not be entitled to speak still plainer- this education must be a popular one.

No Nation can long be safe that educates the aristocracy only; the majority cannot, nor will it long be governed by the minority; the people must all be elevated alike; education begets love of freedom, and consequent independ- ence. An educated Nation cannot be bound by chains of servitude, bonds and fetters. Op- pressive laws and edicts, whether of Church or State, must crumble and fade in the presence of a rightly educated people. The real aristoc- racy, if aristocracy there be, is the whole peo- ple. Where a whole people is intelligent,if guided by no higher motive than local self-interest they will maintain their freedom against usurp- ers of all kinds, whether ambitious rulers or base demagogues. A liberal education, such as is now afforded by our school system, makes all positions of honor in our land possible and at- tainable; the poorest, humblest subject, be he honest, industrious, intelligent, sees all the avenues to honor, preferment and distinction open up before him like measureless vistas, and along the line of their path he sees the full fru- ition of his every thought, wish, ambition. A capital of a common school education secures to each citizen the possibilities and ex- treme probabilities of an honorable and suc- cessful career through life; each one becomes the architect of his own fortune.

So great and manifold are the blessings be- stowed through the agency of the district school, that the poet has set his praises and de- gree of usefulness in not very ungraceful tro- chees:

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"The common school, oh, let its light, Shine through our country's story; Here lies her health, her wealth, her might, Here rests her future glory."

Perhaps one of the wisest provisions made and provided in the statute is that one forbid- ing all teaching of a sectarian character. We may dismiss the matter without offense to any one by simply saying, both Church and State thrive better when separate, and in a strict sense, independent of each other; hence, being a mixed people, professing the various beliefs religiously, we cannot allow any one, much less all the dogmas of belief to be given to our youth at the expense of the State. Here, too, our national poet comes forward in sweet tro- chees, as before, and sings of Church and State both free, but schools all the more prosperous and effective for good:

"Nor heeds the skeptic's puny hands,

While near her school the church spire stands; Nor fears the blinded bigot's rule,

While near her church spire stands the school,"

We have always felt that the spirit which directed the founders of the common school system was nothing less than that of inspira- tion, for certainly no man could have measured the extent of the consequent blessing, much less could he have measured the consequence of such broad and philanthropic principles. It being thoroughly democratic, it fell upon and amongst the masses like the genial rays of the glorious sun, long detained by heavy murky clouds, upon flower, shrub and tree. Perhaps the law was but a nucleus of the glorious sys- tem now in full operation throughout the length and breadth of our land. The beginnings were like flashes of lightning, low in the hori- zon, ominous, but for good, presaging not evil to the crops and fruits of the husbandman, but harbingers of the advent of an era pre-eminent- ly revolutionary, reformatory.

Time witnessed longer and more continuous flashes and outbursts of light from our edu- cational horizon, until at last the very zenith

of our native land is radiant as if lighted by torches that glow with an ever increasing brilliancy.

The relation of our schools and our school system, to our native land, may be compared with the relation that the central sun sustains to the system of planets that revolve about him, although at times he exhihits spots, enor- mous, expansive ; and when viewed with a pow- erful glass, they cause terror even to astrono- mers, yet closing up, seems to glow with in- creased brilliancy, giving additional warmth, imparting new life to all planets and their in- habitants.

The school system may exhibit some weak- ness, may contain some points antagonistic ; yet, when put in working order, like the fire of the forge, glowing all the brighter. After receiving its baptism of water from the hands of the smith, it kindles with an in- creasing brilliancy, bringing life, joy, intellec- tual vigor, and consequent mental improvement to the rising generation.

There is no Nation on the earth that can, for a moment, compare with our country, in this respect. England is fifty years our junior in school work; France has scarcely begun the great work; Germany, although many educators are extolling her, giving to her precedence in all educational matters, is still far behind us. Our free schools are freer, better, more ad- . vanced, more thorough than hers. Her free schools are lacking in system, direction, thoroughness, especially in discipline. More attention is given in Germany to the phys- ical, doing less to the mental discipline, more to what are called common branches, less to the fundamental principles that underlie and make these common school branches possible. The works being translated from the German, treating of educational work, contain mostly methods used by American teachers for the last fifty years, not essentially new, although they may contain some original points. The same remarks may also be applied to

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

works translated from other languages. The scientific works of the German scholars are amongst the foremost, in fact they are the very best within the reach of our higher schools. We still look to the works of our own educators for positive helps in advancing the great cause of education, and spreading broadcast through- out the land, intelligence.

We have settled beyond all question that the public school system of education furnishes but one plane for a social and a political status; it provides for no castes, no discrimination, no exception, no aristocracy. Every post of honor from the rail splitter, from the canal boy to the Presidency, is open for competition to all our citizens. Honesty, energy, virtue are alone needed to increase the probabilities of success, and, at the same time, diminish the possibilities of defeat. Our youth are encouraged by the pow- erful incentive of their seniors rising to places of honor and profit through the blessings wrought by a common school training. The fact that children are but little men and women, is a sufficient guaranty that the affairs of State and society of the near future, will be the affairs of the little men and women of to-day; it is also a further assurance to the youth that there is an intrinsic value in the education fur- nished by our common schools, for with it and by it, they will be enabled to express thoughts and feelings in terse Anglo-Saxon that shall move millions to arms in defense of liberty, and turn to flight the foe of freedom and progress. The great question of how quantity and quality of matter is to be given to our schools was, and still continues, in certain phases, to be a matter of dis- cussion. Although we say still continues to be, yet, we at the same time admit "that the three R's" are as well established in the minds of the people, as constituting the school course as is the school course itself. Wherever a further advance has been made it has been done by the aggressiveness of law makers and law break- ers, for most assuredly nothing less than "the three R's" will ever be tolerated in our school system.

In this respect our teachers and school officers are quite active; while the people are more conservative, resisting almost to stubborn- ness, any advancement or improvement in the matter and method of school work.

We have found by experience as teachers, that an advance unsanctioned by the people, is really no advance, but simply a wave to be hurled back with deadening effect upon the line of true advantage. Whenever and wherever local legislation is needed, we can expect it only from those who have reaped the advantages of a more liberal culture than is obtained from the provisions in the general statutes. The last remark must not be understood in its absolute sense; for, while the statute is over- explicit in defining what shall be taught in the district school, it also empowers the district board to form and carry on a school of higher grade than the common district school, when- ever and wherever it may become necessary ; hence our public graded, and our free high schools, greater boons than which do not exist.

THE MONROE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

As long ago as 1858, the citizens of Monroe felt that the time had come to take advantage of this special provision and establish a public school for the more perfect training of its - youth.

To trace the history of the public schools of Monroe, would require more space and more time than we can command. Many of the no- ble pioneers who pushed their thoughts to a full expression in the early school work, have passed away, leaving their thoughts and labors so thoroughly enstamped upon methods, and so stereotyped in local legislation, that they are no less bright and shining lights to-day than a quarter of a century ago in school matters. We hold them in grateful recollection, al- though the schoolmam's rap on the window is hushed forever, the master's ferule, unused, the "deestrict board" disbanded, yet the school- mam's bell, the master's firm and persuasive

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voice, the board of education's prompt and de- cisive action are all the more prolific in conse quence of their succession, for never did pio- neers do more thorough work; work that was calculated to reach down and affect posterity, than those who immediately preceded us. They nshered in and fought through the aggressive period. Like the Revolutionary Fathers, they have left us their declaration on our statute books, and in the exemplifications to be found traditionary, or fresh in the minds of octage- narians.

After establishing sites for, and building sev- eral school houses in Monroe, and maintain- ing schools for several years in the "wee village," the authorities finally bought the "seminary" which gave to the school a more definite existence and abiding place. This was in 1857 or 1858. The purchase of this building was followed by the building of the "South School Building" on the site of the present High School Building in 1863, and 1864, a very good frame or wooden building and quite commodious in its way. The fire- fiend very soon did its work, by reducing this new school building to ashes. This was in 1870, and many a tale of heroism is related of the teacher, and pupils, in decamping from the would be crema- tory; all escaped, we believe, without accident. One of the older boys says: "I went up into the high school room fifteen or twenty minutes after all had been so miraculously snatched from their impending fate, and got my book's, and was sur- prised to find that there was but little danger yet." A new, commodious, substantial white brick building was immediately designed and built upon the very spot, three stories high, con- taining five rooms, and conveniencies that are now transformed into four recitation rooms. The new building was dedicated and opened to the public, by due ceremonies, in 1871, and designated as the "High School Building." The school building known as the "South School," was built in 1859, and contains two school rooms and two recitation rooms. The building will

accommodate 130 pupils, providing that there are not over fifty for the upper room. Teach- ers have a faculty of packing little folks, that is well nigh marvelous, placing from three to five in a seat, when it would be death to cats to pack more than two in such close proximity. It has ever been the plan and purpose of the board of education, and the corps of teachers of the pub- lic schools of Monroe, to provide carefully for the children, by anticipating every want and need, as to room and convenience. The little folks are not kept in school all day, they are dis- missed at 10:40 A. M., and 3 P. M., thus freeing them from the restraint and crowded condition of the school room. As teachers, we have found that it brings blessings in a two fold way; the children advance faster as a-b-c-d-arians and sec- ond, the teacher has more leisure to bestow her undivided attention upon the older pupils under her charge. The grading of the school has been a matter of study by both teacher and board of education for years. We can safely say, the present state of perfection has been reached through these two agencies, and also by advisory aid from the best school talentin the State.

In no case has a grade been established with- out due reference to the capacity of the chil- dren to be thus classified. In every case where a grading has been found inadequate, it has been immediately supplanted by one meeting the wants, and satisfying the conditions of en- vironment; the whole system being based upon the lowest grade of minds, and thence expand- ing toward the plane of highest attainment. The course of study adopted for use in the dif- ferent department is a very liberal one, em- bracing in its entire compass, all contemplated by the statutes, distributed through ten grades, besides the high school. In contemplating the course in all its bearings, the one thought per- vaded the whole: That in no state of the child's advancement could he be entirely out- side of the three and most natural divisions of any well regulated school course: Primary, intermediate and grammar. The primary course

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is made to include every species of instruction presentable to a child; such as primary num- bers, the elements of reading including First Reader, an almost exhaustless fund of general information which may be very appropriately styled miscellaneous. This course of primary instruction is well calculated to induct the child into not only the school room, and school methods, but to wean him somewhat from his home, to engage his attention, thus training his faculties in a pleasant way, and rescuing him from the maelstrom of tricks by keeping him agreeably employed. The length of time given to this part of the course depends altogether upon the child's capacity and thoroughness; from three to four years may be very profitably spent in opening up to the child the great field, and vast expanse before him. In no case is a child ever detained beyond the period that his advancement indicates; there is no waiting for his class. In the intermediate course is em- braced a more definite amount of labor, being much better defined, both as to matter and method. Here the child begins to think and work out by processes of his own the little problems thrown in his way. The Second and Third Reader employ his time devoted to read- ing written spelling, as well as oral, makes him a more perfect speller in his own language; the field opened up to him in the primary room is broadened and extended in all directions, thus increasing the horizon of his school experience. Very simple, yet correct, analyses in mental arithmetic are here introduced and insisted upon, until the little tyro becomes quite a rea- soner. Geography, in its simplest form, door- yard, school-yard and home geography, as we term it, is presented to the child without text book. The reading, and in fact every lesson imparted, is more a language lesson than a reading lesson, in the old acceptation of the term. Writing is taught more to enable the child to secure a good legible, rather than an artistic hand. Two years are usually required to prepare the intermediate pupil for grammar

work. Here is the great battle ground of our school course. We lose more pupils from our schools while passing over the grammar course, than during any other stage of school work. The boys and girls have now reached an age when their physical labor is of some advantage to the home force in the struggle for bread and butter; hence many, too many, of our children are withdrawn from our schools and their ad- vantages, and cast upon society-to toil in com- parative darkness all their life, regretting the necessity, and deploring the circumstances that called them from their studies and consigned them to a life of toil long before their tender age and development would warrant. The course in the grammar room or rooms is largely a language course; the pupil is taught arith- metic and geography by means of a text book, although the intrinsic value of the instruction imparted to the pupils, emanates from the teacher herself, and is given to the pupil by means of blackboard and oral instruction. A careful, conscientious, intelligent teacher, if she be ingenious, is of far greater value to a school than many text books. The drill that the grammar teachers are enabled to give their pupils cannot be measured by words. It is discernible in their degree of advancement. Four years are usually given to grammar work, although five are none too much; in most cases we find the time not sufficient; not that the amount set apart for the time is too great, but that the mind of the child has not devel- oped sufficiently to allow him to be advanced to higher work. The child should do efficient work in all the studies enumerated in the stat- utes before he is put at higher work. The time required by ordinary minds to accomplish the course is ten or twelve years. This includes all work from a be's through grammar room, but the most of our pupils reach the high school at about the age of twelve years, and are thus en- abled to graduate from high school at sixteen; but few remain until they are eighteen.

We are frequently told that we are hurrying

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the children and thus preventing mental growth, and we may add also that we are as often told that we are holding the children back, thus preventing, or rather stultifying growth. We think, on the whole, the first class do not weigh well the entire course, each part sustaining cer- tain dependencies, and the whole mutual rela- tions, so that unless the parts be regarded, there can be no whole. While the second class, having no idea of the foundation lying at the base of the whole fabric, would rush the chil- dren over the course, regarding it as a mere tramway of slats or warp, and no filling, which is indeed the most important part of the whole structure.

Could book-keeping and United States his- tory be added to our grammar work, the gradu- ate from the grammar course might be regarded as well fitted for his duties as a citizen. But these studies demand a higher degree of culti- vation than the grammar pupil can possibly at- tain to. It would require six years of unremit- ting toil for him to reach the modes of thought and powers of expression necessary to master history, accounts and civil government. These studies most emphatically constitute a part of the high school course.

It has seemed at times almost advisable to es- tablish a course of two years between the grammar and high school, for such as desire to take advantage of its provisions. Why it is not generally done we are not able to say; it has some very serious objections, known only to teachers of considerable experience. Under these circumstances we must accept the situa- tion, and trim our course accordingly. This real hiatus between grammar and high school must be bridged over by what is known as first year in high school.

It will be seen by reference to our high school course, below, that the first year of the course is given to grammar, geography, arithmetic, reading and spelling, composition once a month, physical geography and algebra.

However much this first year's course may be applauded, it has some very serious defects; it does not represent, fully, grammar work, while it fails of securing to the pupils genuine high school work.

Spelling, as a class exercise or drill, should have been finished long before this stage of the pupil's work. Spelling from a spelling book has been very justly condemned by all ripe educators; it does not present to the child either spoken or written language, but a gar- bled, disintegrated, meaningless, monotonous series of lists of words by far the greatest num- ber of which can never enter the child's vocab- ulary for his busy, active, business life. Would it not be better to require the pupil to both commit the definitions of the principal words in use, and at the same time employ them to express his thoughts on paper, instead of simply writing them for criticism? He would then subject himself to double criticism, namely, definition and correct spelling. When defini- tion and correct spelling are compared, they compare as iron and gold. Iron is of manifold use, the most useful of all metals; gold glitters, catches the eye, arouses the greedy, but cannot be brought into any just comparison with iron. Like the Word of Truth the use of iron will descend to our children to bless them, but gold to molest and curse them. The love of the spelling book which was aroused by Cobb, Dillworth and Noah Webster, has come, I fear, to stay; no generation of intelligent school masters can circumvent or counteract it.

The last quarter of a century in the school room has told with marked effect upon our methods in teaching; it has revolutionized the presentation of language to children; it has re- moved forever Kirkham, Smiley, Murray, etc., from the halls of learning, and replaced them by language methods, free, easy, natural. We have now a generation of teachers that require work, not simply parsing, but composition, in other words, the teachers of to-day require the pupils to think out their analyses, their solu-

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History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 134

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168