USA > Wisconsin > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Wisconsin, past and present : including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county [microform] > Part 22
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SCHOOL BOARD CONVENTION.
In 1905 there was a law enacted requiring each county superintendent to call a convention of the school board members of county annually. About every district in the county was rep- resented in those conventions, and in addition to the local pro-
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gram, the state educational department always sent a man to discuss one or more subjects chosen by that department.
Those conventions have proven to be a very important factor in improving the rural schools. They have been the means of acquainting the board members more fully with their duties, powers and responsibilities, have increased their interest in the schools and emphasized the importance of sufficient apparatus, and the necessity of obtaining good teachers. These meetings were held in school buildings that were models with respect to seating, black boards, light and general apparatus, thus giving a good idea of suitable building and equipment. These meetings also helped standardize the schools of the county. At first some objected to the law on the ground that it was a useless expense without producing any good results, but time has proven that the objections were unfounded. There is no question whatever regarding the benefit of this law and the trifling cost of the dis- triets is insignificant when compared with the benefits.
COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE LAW.
For a great many years there has been a compulsory school law, but until recently it has been practically a dead letter, for the reason that the school board was to enter complaints against parents or guardians that were not sending their children. The board was not compelled to report and there was no penalty for not reporting, and for the further reason that the board did not like to make enemies of their neighbors by informing on them, they did not report. About five years ago the Compulsory Attend- ance Law was changed and made it the duty of the teacher to
enter the complaint instead of the school board. It is man- datory on the part of the teacher to enter the complaint. with a penalty if it is not done. At present pupils between seven and fourteen years and not more than two miles from the school house by the traveled road are required to attend school at least six months.
Pupils between fourteen and sixteen years must attend the same time unless they are regularly employed. The law, as it now stands, is quite effective and has been the means of giving many neglected children the opportunity of attending school.
Yet the law is not enforced as rigidly as it should be, and many live over the two-mile limit and can not be reached. Dur- ing the time this new law has been in force many parents have been notified by the truant officer, the county sheriff, to send their children, but there have been no prosecutions. It is not
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clear to school people why any parent could be so indifferent to the future welfare of his children as to deny them the oppor- tunity of a fair chance in life by neglecting to give the benefits of the free common schools.
IMPROVEMENTS IN METHODS OF TEACHING.
There is quite a contrast between the old methods and those of the present time. For instance, the child was obliged to go through the slow and tedious process of learning the alphabet. A. B. C's, before beginning to read. These letters were to be learned in order, backward, and in a promiscuous arrangement. Then the pupil was taught to pronounce short words of one. two and three letters.
This lacked interest also because the words were usually abstract and meant nothing to the child. Yet boys and girls learned to read by this unpedagogical system. Now the child begins to read by being introduced to a familiar word repre- senting an object as-apple, ball, etc .. or perhaps the word is used in a sentence, as "Roll the ball," and the child acts it out by actually rolling the ball on the floor or on the teacher's desk ; thus making the reading interesting and instructive from the start. The books for primary children, especially the readers. have been greatly improved and made more interesting for little folks. The old text books were written mostly on the question and answer plan, and if the pupils gave the answers, they were not usually asked to go into an explanation as to the meaning. There has been quite an improvement in text books as well as in the methods of teaching.
CLASSIFICATION BY GRADES.
Years ago the pupils' scholarship was determined largely by the number of the "Reader" that he read in, and if a boy was asked how far he was in school he would answer, "Third Reader" or "Fourth Reader," as the case might be. Later there was a course of study gotten out by the state which divided the work of the schools into three parts, called forms, and were known as the primary, middle and upper form.
This was quite an improvement on the old way and led to a more definite classification of pupils and better records of the work done by the individual popils and was also the means of having the pupils take up more of the branches in the course. In 1906 the graded system was introduced. This system divides the course into eight parts called grades, and it is supposed that
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an ordinary pupil, that is, a pupil of average ability, good health, that attends regularly and studies well, will be able to complete a grade in a year and finish the course in eight or nine years.
This is more definite than the three-form system, because it marks off the course into years instead of bunching it into three- year parts. This system is the same as is used in state graded schools and in the grades below the high school, and is nothing new. The graded system works nicely in the country schools of the county. It is especially helpful to the young and inex- perieneed teacher, and makes the work more definite for all, besides pupils moving from one district to another can readily find their place in the new school. The graded system is not yet generally adopted by the counties of the state. In fact, it is not known that any of them outside of Monroe county uses it. However, it is believed that it will be generally adopted before many years as the manual of the course of study outlines some of the work by years which is about the same thing. A year's work corresponding to a grade.
FREE TUITION FOR THE COMMON SCHOOL GRADUATE.
Some twenty years ago a law was passed which permits pupils holding common school diplomas to attend any high school in the state free of tuition. That is, the pupil did not have to pay it, but the town in which the pupil resides pays the tuition, which is $2 a month. This free tuition law stimulated many country people that would not have done so if they had to pay the tuition directly, to send their children to high school. Thus it may be seen that many a boy and girl get a high school educa- tion through the merits of this law.
HEATING AND VENTILATING SYSTEM.
About four years ago a law was passed offering each school $50 each year for three years on condition that the dis- triet would make certain improvements in apparatus, chief among them was to put in an approved heating and ventilating plant. It was elaimed for this system that it would heat the room uniformly and keep the air fresh.
Whether those plants will heat as quickly and as cheaply as the injacketed stove is a question that there is a difference of opinion on. However, it is certain that the ventilation is much improved and the room more healthful and conditions for study much better. Nearly every district in the county took advantage of the law which shows that board members
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were ready to make use of opportunities for the betterment of the physical and mental development of the children. While these plants are not doing all that was claimed for them and the usual unfair means and misrepresentations were practiced in many cases in order to make sales, the law has proven very helpful for it has been the means of supplying necessities to the school.
WRITING.
One of the most important subjects and the one that has received the least attention or no attention at all is penmanship. Neither the time nor the attention has been given to this sub- ject that it merits. There are several reasons for this but the chief one is that the teacher has received no special training in this subject and, of course, could not impart knowledge that she did not possess. Usually ten or fifteen minutes was devoted to writing each day but as there was no system to follow, it was turned into a go as you please exercise. Yet in spite of lack of method of system, many developed into fairly good writers. For a couple of years this subject has received its share of attention at teachers meetings and institutes which has paved the way for the free arm movement which is being introduced, and it is hoped that the school will turn out easy legible writers. To be a good writer is quite an accomplishment and any one that has proper control of his muscles, ean by careful practice under proper instruction come into possession of this art.
The school of today compared with the school of twenty years ago.
The school year has been lengthened at least one fourth. The building, apparatus, and general equipment are much im- proved.
The teachers on the whole are better prepared academically and professionally, although many of our teachers are too young to shoulder the great responsibility that they undertake; in fact some of them do not realize the enormity of the undertaking. Years ago it was common to find young men and young women attending school especially in the winter months.
Now if you would travel the county over, you would not find any full grown boys and girls in attendance. The average pupil of 12 and 13 years of age today is as far advanced as the 18 and 20 year old pupil was 20 years ago. But where are those boys and girls 14 years of age and upwards? They are
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not in the country school; some of them are in the high school but most of them are out of school altogether. It is to be regretted that the boys and girls leave the country school so early. Our whole school system has been severely criticized lately and the common schools came in for their share and no doubt it was coming to them. Yet the country teacher with her multiplicity of duties has more to do than any one person can do well. She must be janitor. nurse, disciplinarian, and mediator, besides teaching all the branches.
The teacher that can do this fairly well is the best of teachers. and it may be said without successful contradiction that the country school gets better returns for the amount of money invested in education than any other school in the state.
CHAPTER XXIV. INSANE ASYLUM AND HOME FOR THE POOR.
The caring for the poor and insane of any county is a problem to which should be brought to bear level headed business ability in addition to the mere fact of providing for the needs of such unfortunates; that this department of municipal affairs in this county has been managed with business acumen having in view the best interests, not only of the poor and insane people, but the welfare of the community at large ; and a policy inaugurated which acernes to the benefit of the taxpayers is very apparent. In 1871 the condition with regard to the support of the poor had beeome so hard to handle without a central home or place where some of these people could be cared for, that the then county board was compelled to consider the purchase of a farm to be used as a home for the poor, and as has been stated in a former chapter the farm of David Cole of two hundred acres, situated in the town of Adrian, was purchased in that year for the sum of $5,000, but as the county grew older and the popula- tion more dense the natural increase of the burden of caring for the poor, so developed the fact that this farm was in a poor location, being quite a distance from the county seat. and the buildings were too small for the accommodation of those requiring assistance; the county board finally authorized the sale of the farm and purchased one lying just north of the city of Sparta and in the town of Sparta, a very advantageous location with a beautiful building site, upon which was erected in 1900 a large brick home for the poor with modern con- voniences at a cost of about $11.000. It became evident at this time, as the matter had been discussed considerably before. that the number of insane with which this county was charge- able, being cared for in other institutions including several county asylums, was rapidly increasing and the burden of expenses was growing quite rapidly: a committee had been previously ap- pointed to investigate the subject of a county asylum and its report created quite a strong sentiment in the county that it would be advisable for this county, having the approval of the
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MONROE COUNTY INSANE ASYLUM AND ALMSHOUSE
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INSANE ASYLUM AND HOME FOR POOR
State Board of Control, to build a county asylum for chronic insane. The proposal was made to change the poorhouse then erected, to an insane asylum, and to subsequently erect another home for the poor upon the same farm. After considerable agitation in which the two sides of the county were arraved against each other the proposition finally was carried out and in 1902 another home for the poor was erected on another part of the farm near the asylum. The farm had been enlarged and improved since then by the purchase of an additional 120 acres of land and by the erection of a separate heating plant and also of a complete water works system which was put in in 1907 ; this system consists of a steel tower ninety feet high with an eighteen foot tank on the top with a capacity of 50,000 gallons, standing on a solid concrete foundation, and from it run six-inch pipes for the asylum and for the poorhouse and and barns and out-buildings, and in connection with it is a power house having a large Gould pump of ten horse power and the Westinghouse electric motor. The barns are all of the most modern construction and a herd of dairy cattle is maintained upon the farm which is kept in the highest state of cultivation and now produces a good income. Before the adoption of this system the county was compelled to pay $3 a week for the main- tenanee of each person charged to it in any of the institutions to which they were committed, but, of course, a portion of this was returned by the state; almost from the very outset it be- came apparent that the establishing of a county asylum was a good business venture, for not only were the patients coming from this county gradually sent here, but patients from other counties are committed to this asylum for which the county receives the regular amount chargeable by the law for the main- tenance of such patients. The income of the institution from the farm and from other sources has gradually increased, outside of the appropriation made by the county board, so that the receipts of the sale of produce from $794.71 in 1904 increased to $2,615.58 in 1911 and at the last report of the trustees for the year 1910-1911 made in November, 1911, it is shown that the permanent investment in and about the asylum is as fol- lows: Farm, $23,000; buildings less 2%. $29,472.52 : live stock, $5,715.50; tools and implements less 10%, $1,449.86: furniture and furnishings less 10%, $1,775.88 ; making a total of $61,415.76.
The home for the poor is a comfortable brick building capable of housing thirty inmates; heated by steam and lighted by electricity, with modern convenienees, surely a home better
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
fitted, by far, than the great mass of people of the county are able to afford ; the asylum at the last report had a total popula- tion of forty-five male and twenty-eight female patients. Mr. F. J. Mooney, present superintendent, and his wife the matron have conducted this institution very successfully for the last nine years, and under Mr. Mooney's management the farm bas been brought to a high state of cultivation and is a model institu- tion : some of the patients assist in carrying on the farm opera- tions and it is considered a good thing to have them busily employed when they are able, under the proper supervision. During the years of the existence of this institution for the insane the amount of the appropriation which the county board makes has gradually decreased from $5,000 to about $2,500 and below is given a little list of the receipts and expenditures, beginning with 1902, showing simply the gross amounts.
1903.
Year ending October 1st: Receipts from the county board appropriation, $4,500; produce from farm to April 1, 1903, $108.69; error in invoice. $42.19: balance on hand in county treasury November 1. 1902, $165.63. Total, $6,301.51. Expendi- tures, total of $4,632.81; leaving a balance on hand October 1. $1,668.70.
1904.
Earnings from the state to July. 1903, $810: receipts from produce. $794.71: receipts from other sources, $1,869.67; total, $3.474.38 : appropriations from county board, $5.000; balance in asylum fund, $85.34; making a total of $8.559.72: total of ex- penditures, $7,128.25; leaving a balance of $1,431.47.
1905.
Receipts-Balance of last report, $1,431.47 : earnings from state, $4.233.31 ; sales of produce. $548.25: collection from other sources. $575.01 : balance in the poor fund for maintenance of the home for the poor, $1.434.41: making a total of $8,248.45; total expenditures. $6.850.90: leaving a balance on hand of $1.397.55. This report shows that the cost per capita of the inmates is $1.9918 a week.
1906.
Receipts-Balance on hand from last report. $1,397.55; earn- ings from the state. $4.587.05: collection for district attorney. $244; sales of produce, $599.28: maintenance of poor home,
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INSANE ASYLUM AND HOME FOR POOR
$1,497.94; expenditures, $7,550.42; balanee on hand, $775.40. This report shows a cost per capita of the inmates of $2.011/3 a week.
1907.
Receipts-Balance on hand from last report, $775.40; earn- ings from the state, $5,794.16; collection from district attorney, $278.14; Citizens Insurance Company, $26; sales of produce, $1,207.69; maintenance of poor home. $1,712.77; total receipts, $9,794.16 ; total expenditures, $9,459.63; balance on hand, $334.53. Cost of maintenance per capita $2.22 per week.
1908.
Balanee on hand last report, $334.53; earnings from the state, $5,469.40; collection from district attorney, $3.483.60; sales of produce, $1,092.27 ; maintenance of poor home, $2.122.98; total receipts, $12,502.78; total expenditures, $11,456.96; balance on hand, $1.045.82. Cost per capita per week, $2.72.
1909.
Balance on hand last report, $1,045.82; earnings from state, $5,424.20; collection from district attorney, $764.75; sales of produce, $1,526.40; maintenance of poor home, $1,978.22; total, $10,339.59: total disbursements, $11.758.04; balance overdrawn, $1,418.45.
1910.
Receipts-Cash received from state, $6,498.94; cash received from farm produce, $2,392.96; appropriation by the county board, $3,000; special appropriation, $300; cash for maintenance of poor, $2,576.09; cash miscellaneous, $461; total, $15,228.99; total disbursements, $15,617.17; balance overdrawn, $338.18.
1911.
Receipts-Cash received from state, $5.663.76; received from sale of farm produce, $2,615.58; appropriation by the county board, $2,500; special appropriation, $1,715; cash for main- tenance of poor, $2,777.27; cash miscellaneous, $867.54; total, $16,136.15; amount of total disbursements, $13,798.46; balance on hand, $2,337.69.
CHAPTER XXV. THE CITY OF SPARTA.
Situated in a fertile valley, surrounded by great advantages. on nearly all sides farming lands as good as are to be found anywhere, is Sparta, the county seat of this county.
Ever since it became a village of any appreciable size the beauty of the location and surroundings have always impressed itself upon visitors and at the outset in this chapter. perhaps, no better description of the beauties of the place can be found than is contained in the following extract which was written in August, 1867, by a special correspondent of the Chicago Tri- bune. Parts of the article are here quoted and certainly the description is beautifully. worded and will apply as well today as it did forty-four years ago:
"Imagine a beautiful fertile valley through which flows a river fed by numerous trout brooks whose soft, clear waters babble of the spring in the highlands where they were born. Surrounded with a chain of bluffs, some near, other remote, among which winds the river and its tributaries through smaller valleys which are here lost in the greater one. Near at hand, scarcely more than one mile away. are bluff's. forest covered, whose well divided proportions are clearly eut against the blue sky. On each side of the retreating valleys the bluffs appearing on the opposite side are confounded in the distance by misty and dim looking shadows as though the valley was entirely surrounded by a coronal of hills.
"The flat land, smooth, clear and grassy, dotted with clusters of graceful trees : thus nature planned and fashioned it and now from this elevated spot where I stand the setting sun of a long August day illuminates the beautiful village with its din and bustle, and tasty residences and farmhouses which everywhere dot the landscape." After the opening of the state roads between Hudson and Prairie du Chien, and by way of Sparta to Black River Falls, and subsequently from Portage to LaCrosse in 1849 settlers began to come towards the western part of the state. partienlarly in what was then LaCrosse county. As has been
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THE CITY OF SPARTA
written, Monroe county was at one time a part of LaCrosse and was detached from it in 1854. It is undoubtedly authentic that Frank Petit must have settled here in 1849. Mr. Searle, who was clerk of the court at Black River Falls at that time, made the statement that he and a man in his employ visited Black River Falls in September of that year. In the evening of the first day they encamped where Tomah now stands, pro- eeeding on their way in the morning, and owing to a terrific storm they had lost their way and had nothing to guide them except the range of bluffs. Their only chance of getting out of the situation was to follow these bluffs and by them reaching the Mississippi. They had no provisions, but killed game to supply their needs ; they traveled south, as they thought, until they came to a small stream and some small timber, where they encamped for the night as best they could in a drenching rain and without food, as their ammunition being wet they could not obtain any game. The next day, towards night, they struck a trail near the stream where the marks of shod horses evidenced that some white man had crossed there. They followed this trail hoping to find a human being somewhere. That night they encamped near Castle Rock and the following day, in a storm which had continued all that night. the party struck Robinson's mills, where they obtained the first food they had had since their own supplies gave out.
Here the travelers took a rest for two days and began their return homeward. At the point where the two crossed the river they determined to ascertain what description the land bore and they marked the southwest quarter of section twenty- four in township seventeen, range four west, which is now ineluded in the site of the city of Sparta.
Having discovered a chance for a water power at this point. Mr. Searle at onee went to Baraboo and applied for a warrant for the land. On his return he took teams loaded with lumber and a few men to help him and came to a road over a big ridge on his land, but on his way hither he discovered that the real mill site was above that point, and leaving his humber he im- mediately set out for Baraboo, and applied for another warrant. but one of his men had betrayed his intention to Dr. Angle at Baraboo who promised the man a half interest for the deserip- tion of the land having on it the mill site. These two immediately set out for Mineral Point in order to go through the usual form necessary to make an entry and to entitle them to full possession of the land. Searle took the stage and Angle went on horseback
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and thus had the advantage of speed and beat Searle by one hour, thus becoming the owner of the land. So had the question been settled otherwise, "Angelo" would probably have been called "Searlo" or something of the kind. Mr. Searle having lost the middle site and not knowing that a city was to spring up on that forty aeres took no farther interest in this claim and sold it for $30.00. Ile also states that upon looking for his lumber he found that Petit had followed the rule that necessity knows of no law, and had used it in building a house for himself near Castle Rock. William Petit bought a claim of 160 acres of land near the crossing of these two state roads. and where the site of the city now is: he built a log cabin on the bank of Beaver creek at the point about where the library is located : when his cabin was completed on the 5th day of July. 1851, it was the first building of any kind creeted in Sparta.
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