USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee from its first settlement to the year 1895 > Part 29
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of German commence with four hundred dollars and increase fifty dollars per annum, until they reach a maximum of six hundred and fifty dollars. Substitute teachers receive one dollar and fifty cents per day, and when not assigned to duty fifty cents per day for reporting.
In 1892 the principals asked for a maximum of two thousand dollars and assistants also asked for a corresponding increase, but the board did not see fit to make any change. By vote of the board, May 7, 1889, the salary of the superintend- ent was made four thousand dollars, an increase of one thousand dollars, and that of the secretary two thousand dollars, an increase of six hundred dollars. The charter had been changed by the legislature in session to allow this change in salary. Reduction of salary on account of absence has varied at different times in the history of the schools. In earlier years deduction was not made for absence on account of sickness. The salary of W. H. Richardson, principal of the Twelfth district school, was allowed in full for eight days absence on account of sickness and death in the family in 1878. Also the salary of Miss Gertrude I. Downey for October was paid in full. She was absent on account of sickness and subsequently died.
In 1879 the rule was adopted that any teacher absent on account of sickness shall suffer no de- duction in salary. Teachers absent for any other cause shall forfeit their pay. Afterward, the rule was adopted that teachers absent on account of sickness be given full pay, less substitute's pay. This deduction on the above basis could continue for only one month. An absence of three days is now allowed, on account of death in the family, with the full salary, less substitute's pay.
Sommes Douglas
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CHAPTER XXVI.
COURSE OF STUDY AND TEXT-BOOKS.
BY AUGUSTUS J. ROGERS.
O N September 4, 1883, in obedience to a re- quest from the School Board, Superin- tendent Anderson presented the course of study then in use, with suggestions as to desir- able changes. It had been the plan of Mr. Mac- Alister to publish syllabuses of all the subjects taught. He had, however, distributed only sylla- buses in geography and civil government. Mr. Anderson proposed to complete this work and re- arrange and make more definite the primary in- struction to connect it with the kindergarten work. During the last five years, United States history, physical geography, civil government and book- keeping had been carried on in the seventh grade, and physiology and descriptive geography discon- tinued. He would revive physiology and have it taught orally and would make the "General Les- sons" found in the different grades, more definite and embrace knowledge of common things. In accordance with this plan the first manual upon Matter and Method was published in 1883, and in ten years five editions had been published.
In the autumn of 1883 a very careful inquiry was made by Superintendent Anderson, concern- ing the amount of school work that was required of pupils at home. It was found there was a tendency on the part of parents as well as teach- ers to require home work. It was found that the average time given to home lessons was in many schools from two to three hours. The Special Com. mittee on Home Lessons were of the opinion that this outside study should not be required of pupils below the fifth grade-and in the sixth and seventh grades, if given at all, should be of moderate ex- tent-and for the eighth grade not more than one hour and thirty minutes should be required for their preparation. Regular examinations were also limited to once a term. Several years later Superintendent Anderson also recommended that the sessions for the lower grades be shortened. This did not meet the approval of the board.
In his report to the board, January 8, 1889, he
expressed the opinion that the " adoption of a rule which would place all pupils of the first year on three hours' time, would redound to the physical and intellectual well being of the children and would not ultimately retard their progress in the schools or detract from the efficiency of their in- struction."
During the second and third years he thinks children should not remain in school longer than four hours, and in the case of many children four hours in school is all that should be attempted un- til they reach the age of eleven years.
In the summer of 1883 the five-year period had again expired when it became possible to make changes in text-books. Houston's physical geogra- phy was introduced for use in the eighth grade, Cutter's physiology was discontinued, Swinton's grammar replaced Greene's grammar, "Bright's graded instruction in English," as a manual for the use of teachers, replaced "Hadley's lessons in English," and Appleton's mental arithmetic was adopted as a manual for the use of teachers.
Mr. Anderson having found that the instruction in book-keeping was unsatisfactory, secured the voluntary services of Principals White and Spin- ney, to instruct the teachers having that work in charge. A large number of teachers com- pleted the course during the winter of 1884 and received certificates. The work in this branch of study was still necessarily elementary, but it was improved in quality.
In the report of Superintendent Anderson to the board, July 5, 1887, upon the condition of in- struction in the primary and district schools, he recommends the introduction of geography read- ers, where the child will get information as well as acquaintance with the literary form. He would also introduce more exercises in mental arithmetic. He, with the principals of the dis- trict schools, recommends the use of a speller which shall include those common words that are frequently misspelled and lists of words coming
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under certain rules. He would extend the ex- perimental science teaching and add still more apparatus for that purpose. Mr. Anderson finds that promotion from a lower to a higher grade, without examination and on the pupils' daily record- where the standing is high-has proved very suc- cessful. In the promotion of the seventh and eighth grades only a minority of the pupils were examined, and he thought a much truer estimate of the pupils' scholarship and training was ob- tained than under the former system.
By act of the legislature (Chapter 327) , 1885, physiology and hygiene, with special reference to the effects of stimulants and narcotics upon the human system, was required as a part of the course in all schools supported by public money. In conformity to this requirement the board adopted " How We Live," which is still in use in the schools. On February 7, 1888, the board adopted Reed's word book for use in all grades above the third. By a resolution adopted by the board, November 1, 1887, teachers were forbid- den to collect money from pupils for the purchase of school supplies, or to act in behalf of parents or pupils in the purchase of school material.
By authorization of the board, December 6, 1887, Superintendent Anderson was permitted to arrange a programme of visits of the eighth grade to the Public Museum, for the purpose of receiving instruction in geography and natural science from the custodian, Mr. Wheeler. These lessons were upon the following topics : Rocks-The Ages of the Earth-The Formation of Coral Islands-Ani- mals of Different Countries-Peoples of Different Countries and Peoples of Different Ages. They were instructive, illustrated talks, and awakened much interest in the pupils.
To carry out more fully the plan of oral and object instruction, as planned in the manual of the graded course, an institute was conducted by Superintendent Anderson, assisted by Principals Lawrence, Lan, Wolthers and Hooper, for the pur- pose of giving instruction by experiment to the assistant teachers upon subjects related to phys- ical geography. This work was carried on during the winter of 1886 with zeal and enthusiasm by those who received the instruction and those who gave it.
By recommendation of the Committee on Text- books and Graded Course, the board authorized an expenditure of six hundred and seventy-six dollars
and eighty-eight cents, for the purchase of neces- sary apparatus for teaching the elements of science by experiments in the school room, in accordance with the plan presented by Superintendent Ander- son and Principals Lau, Lawrence, Hooper and Wolthers.
At the close of the five-year period in 1888, some changes in text-books were made. On Sep- tember 4, 1888, the Committee on Text-books reported in favor of replacing the Harvey readers which had been in use ten years, with the McGuf- fey series, and they were adopted by the board. On December 3, 1889, Mr. Anderson presented to the text-book committee a large number of omissions which he would suggest be made in the lessons of the various readers then in use. These lessons he regarded as objectionable on account of style or doctrines advocated or presented. On October 2, 1888, Swinton's new composition was adopted as a text-book for the seventh and eighth grades, Swinton's new language lessons for the fifth and upper grades and Long's lan- guage lessons for the second and fourth grades. As this was the year for a change in text-books, the Tenth District Public School Association peti- tioned the Common Council May 21st to furnish text-books to pupils free of charge. This com- munication was referred to the School Board and by the board referred to the Committee on Text- books. This committee reported adversely Novem- ber 6th, after having carefully investigated the results of the method as carried out in other cities. Since 1872, Alexander Mitchell had placed at the disposal of the superintendent an amount of money sufficient to procure text-books for all poor children unable to procure them for them- selves. This influenced the committee somewhat in their report.
During the year ending 1889, Superintendent Anderson with assistant Superintendent H. O. R. Siefert, revised the Manual of Instruction. In this revision what were regarded as non-essentials were eliminated and greater stress was placed on the essentials, especially reading and arithmetic. The requirements in mental arithmetic were more definitely stated and teachers directed to improve methods on that subject. Formal lessons in geog- raphy were omitted in the first and second grades, and instruction given by reading in the text- book-geography for young folks. The discon- tinuance of Ilouston's physical geography was
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recommended and the study of natural phenomena by experiment substituted.
In 1891 Robinson's beginners' book in arithme- tic was introduced for use in the third and fourth grades. Superintendent Anderson favored its use, as "good teachers are never hampered by a text-book. Inexperienced or indifferent teachers are assisted greatly by it." At the same time Robinson's graded school arithmetic took the place of Ray's new practical arithmetic for use in the upper grades; the Spencerian system of pen manship was also adopted with the Spencerian copy books.
Superintendent Anderson says in his report for 1891, "it is eminently desirable that all young people before leaving school should be able to read English intelligently and with facility, spell common words correctly, express themselves on simple matters of fact with regard to the plain and simple rules of composition and grammar, perform with facility and correctness the simple operations in arithmetic, possess a fair knowledge of geography and know the chief facts of the history of this country." These Mr. Anderson would regard as the fundamentals in any course of study for the common schools.
In 1890 Superintendent Anderson observes that the work in drawing and in calisthenics, and in many cases music, can be conducted successfully by the class teacher, and the specialist in those subjects is no longer required to teach, but may supervise. It has been evident that the teachers in later years have a breadth of attainments and a training for their work which fits them for a more extensive line of work than was possible in earlier years in the history of the schools. Supplementary reading has come to form a prominent part of the school course in the district schools. At the present time each grade has books from which selections may be read, or even read entire in connection with the regular reader. Superintendent Peckham calls attention to the difference in the character of sup- plementary reading necessary in the lower and higher grades. He deprecates the practice of many teachers in drilling the children in the first grade in repetition of sentences of the chart and first reader. By continued repetition of the same sentences the idea conveyed by. the words is re- tained rather than the words themselves, or words are retained only in that particular combination
of words. In some cities it is required that chil- dren in the first grade shall be able to read a certain number of words at sight, rather than be able to read a certain number of pages. In Philadelphia the first grade must learn four bun- dred words and the second grade eight hundred. In the first and second grade the aim is to teach the child to recognize and pronounce readily words whose meaning he already knows. The aim, after the third grade is reached, "is not only to convey the thought and sentiment of the selec- tion to the mind of the hearer, but also to develop the powers of thought and imagination, to estab- lish the habit of reading good books and to give useful information." These may be of a some- what heavier character than those used for home reading, and may include poetry, fiction, biogra- phy, history and science.
By rule of the board adopted July 3, 1893, it is required that the regular reader and two or three supplementary readers shall be read in the first grade, and in the second grade the regular reader and selections from three supplementary readers. In the other grades from one to three books was required to be read, and lists of from one-half dozen to a dozen books suitable for each grade, re- spectively, were given, which pupils might read.
By the act of the legislature, 1879, all children between the ages of seven and fourteen years were required to attend some school for at least twelve weeks in the year. Fines were imposed upon parents or guardians for non-compliance with the law. The effect of the passage of the law was to increase at first the attendance ; but it gradually fell off again. In 1889 in view of the failure of the previous law to increase school attendance in the state, a substitute for that act was passed known as the " Bennett law." Its provisions were more stringent than in the preceding act. Children between seven and fourteen years of age were required to attend some school for at least twelve weeks in the year, and no school should be known as a school unless reading, writing, arithmetic and United States history were taught in the English language. Justices of the peace and police magis- trates had power to enforce penalties upon parents or guardians for failure to comply with the law. No child under thirteen year of age was to be allowed to work in any shop, factory, mine or place of business. By vote of the board, August 5th, the twelve weeks next ensuing consecutively after
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the first day of October, 1890, was fixed as the period of compulsory school attendance in pursu- ance of chapter 519 of the laws of 1889.
In compliance with a popular demand, and especially from the private schools, this law was repealed in 1891, and an act passed in its stead requiring parents or guardians to keep their chil- dren between the ages of seven and thirteen in school, unless they should receive the equivalent of such instruction in some other way. Truant offi- cers were required to enforce the law. Difficulty is everywhere experienced in enforcing compulsory attendance at school. Twenty years ago a stand- ing Committee on Truancy was formed in the board. This committee suggest rules for deal- ing with trnancy, and truant children may be suspended. Monthly reports of trnancy have for many years been made to the superintendent by the principals.
On June 3, 1886, the board directed the superin- tendent to investigate the extent of truancy and get information of legislation pertaining to tru- ancy in Massachusetts, New York and Illinois. He reported October 7th that Massachusetts had sixty-three truant officers in the state, fourteen of whom were in Boston. Through the vigilance of these officers truancy had diminished very much. In New York the law required instruction in the ordinary English branches of all children between seven and fourteen years of age, and they were required to attend school at least fourteen weeks during the year. In New York city twelve truant agents were employed, and from 1870 to 1874 there were six thousand one hundred and five arrests made, and from 1882 to 1886, three thon- sand six hundred and ninety-two were made.
Since the accommodations in the school build- ings provided by the city have always been inade- quate for those children seeking admission, efforts have probably not been as strennous in enforcing truancy laws and compulsory attendance as other- wise would be the case. In view of the lack of school facilities it has always been deemed inex- pedient to employ officers to look after truant children and those of school age not attending school.
Commissioner Pereles introduced a resolution into the board, July 3, 1893, providing that cor- poral punishment in the Milwaukee Public Schools be entirely abolished. This was referred to the committee on rules, which reported in favor of
suspending the rule for the fall term of the cur- rent school year. No action has yet been taken by the board in the matter. The discussion of the subject served to materially decrease the number of cases of corporal punishment in the schools, as it showed that public sentiment is gen- erally opposed to that mode of discipline. School boards still hesitate to take away the power of inflicting corporal punishment in extreme cases. They, however, restrict its infliction, and place it in the hands of the principal of the school who is presumably more intelligent and discreet than the class teacher.
A proposition was introduced into the Common Council in 1874-5, to limit by statute the amount voted for school purposes to fifteen dollars per pupil, including the amount received from the state and based upon the average number of pupils in attendance during the year last preceding. This proposition met with vigorous opposition on the part of the School Board, whereupon the council indefinitely postponed the consideration of the proposed amendment.
In 1881 and 1882 the legislature imposed close limitations upon the power of taxation by the Common Council. The school fund, however, was made independent of other funds raised by the council. Three and a half mills were taken from the seventeen and one-half mills, fixed as the total limit of taxation, to be used exclusively for the support of public schools. To this is added the income from the state school fund and an equal amount levied by the County Board of Supervi- sors.
President Obermann, in his annual address to the board, May, 1888, states, that upon careful in- vestigation and inquiry into the expense per pupil of the school systems of other cities, Milwaukee makes the best showing for economy of any, with the single exception of Detroit. In 1890 Superintendent Anderson instituted a comparison of cost of instruction in Milwaukee with other cities, showing that Milwaukee pays less per pupil than any other large city doing an equal amount of school work. By reference to the tables of at- tendance and expenses it will be seen that the total cost per capita has varied from abont twelve dollars to twenty dollars on the average enroll- ment. There is generally a small increase per pupil in any given year over the preceding year. The School Board of Milwaukee has generally
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COURSE OF STUDY AND TEXT-BOOKS.
been a conservative body. No radical changes in their own organization or in the school system has ever been adopted by them. They have always recognized the fact that change is not necessarily improvement. At the same time they have recognized the fact that blind adherence to exploded methods and theories because long in vogue, is equally unwise. The manner of selecting School Commissioners, however, their terms of service and their number has been a subject of much discussion. When the board was first organized in 1846 it was composed of three com- missioners from each ward and appointed by the Common Council for a term of two years. By an act of the legislature, March 19, 1859, the number of commissioners was reduced to two from each ward. This number still continues as the repre- sentation from each ward. By act of the legisla- ture in 1891 the term of service of each commis- sioner was made three years.
In the winter of 1887 a bill was presented to the legislature changing the method of select- ing School Commissioners. This provided for the election of members of the School Board by popular vote. Its passage was strongly opposed, and a memorial to the legislature remonstrating against its passage was adopted by the School Board at that time, and the bill failed to become a law.
The idea of reorganizing the School Board on a different plan from the present has often been suggested, and the sentiment has been common that the city had outgrown its old-time method of selecting School Commissioners. President Obermann, in 1888, suggests that the appoint- ment of commissioners by aldermen just after municipal elections, is apt to lead to selections according to the political opinions of the appoin- tees. He also thinks the number of commission- ers should be less and the board not too strongly local in its character.
In the report of the Special Committee on Choos- ing School Commissioners, presented to the board January 8, 1889, it is urged that by the appoint- ment of a smaller board to administer the educa- tional affairs, there would be lost the popular character, and less interest would be manifested in the schools. It was also claimed that the method in vogue had drawn many of the best men of the community into the board, and that the board had always been practically free from politics.
They oppose any scheme which shall remove the schools farther from the people or that would establish an educational bureau or regency, or that shall centralize the power in individual officers. They think it possible that one commissioner from each ward and nine appointed at large might not be objectionable, but are not prepared to recom- mend even that. At a meeting of citizens at the Plankinton House, January 31, 1889, it was pro- posed that the city charter be so changed that the School Board shall consist of twenty-one members at large, appointed for three years, one third of whom shall be changed each year, and shall be appointed by a board of three school regents appointed by the mayor. The bill was presented to the legislature to amend Chapter XII of the Charter relating to schools, whereby the board should consist of twenty-one members from different sections of the city, and appointed by the mayor for three years. The bill was defeated.
The chairman of the Committee on Rules, Gen. F. C. Winkler, made a report to the board, Sep- tember 3, 1878 in which he strongly urges the discontinuance of the Executive Committee, whose duties are indefinite and powers equal to the entire board; the most important power they possess is that of appointing and discharging teachers. Several times since that date, the aboli- tion of this committee, or dividing or changing its powers has been urged, but no changes have been made in its powers or constitution.
The educational authorities have generally urged that the manner of building school houses, selecting sites and plans and letting contracts needs reform. They think that the Common Council should delegate the construction, repair- ing and arrangement of school buildings to the board, or to a responsible expert or board of experts, similar to the Board of Public Works.
On January 6, 1891, the board by recommenda- tion of the Committee on Legislation, proposed that the city charter be so amended that the term of service of School Commissioners be changed from two years to three years, that the school repair fund be transferred from the Board of Public Works to the School Board, and that the board be given a voice in the selection of sites and adop- tion of plans for school buildings. Only that portion of the report making the term of service of School Commissioners three years became a law. The officers of the board are the president
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HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE.
secretary and superintendent. £ The following
named gentlemen have been presidents since 1846 :
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