Barron County, Wisconsin - Chapter 14: Educational Development, 1922

The educational development of Barron county has about kept pace with its agricultural progress. The county is new. When older portions of the state were prosperous communities, Barron county was still a forest. Later, when older portions of the state were reaping a wealth of crops from welltilled acres, the lumber barons were devastating Barron county, draining its wealth of forest and leaving it a waste.. Therefore, when Barron county was organized in 1869, its few schools started about where the older commu¬ nities had started more than two decades before. But with the quickened strides in agriculture in Barron county, public school progress also quickened, and the school system of the county, as a whole, is now well abreast of the other counties of the state in the splendid opportunities given its youth.

Most of the early schools were of a most primitive variety, as were the conditions under which most of the pupils were living at home. Some of the early schools were log houses built for the purpose, some were held in settlers' abandoned shacks. Sometimes the seats and writing benches were logs split in two, and smoothed down with an axe. Sometimes a fireplace furnished heat, sometimes a stove. Janitor service was done by the teacher or one of the older boys. Text-books were of a non-descript variety, usually handed down from an older child.

None of the teachers had special training, many were without experience. Some were extremely young. To have "gone through the book" one's self, sup¬ posedly made one qualified to teach the subjects of which the book treated. Usually the teacher was the relative of some prominent man in the district. Some were young men "working their way" toward a higher education. Some were married women.

Certificates were issued by the county superintendent, usually after a most superficial questioning. Fortunate indeed was the community which secured a teacher who had brought teaching experience from an older commu¬ nity, or even an unexperienced teacher who took a real interest in the work, and directed the studies with real intelligence. The memory of several such gracious ladies and enthusiastic young men still lingers in the hearts of mid¬ dle aged men and women who attended school in those days.

The first school in Barron county was probably the private school taught at Prairie Farm village in 1862, when Knapp, Stout & Co. designated one of its cabins for the purpose and provided instruction for the children of its employes there.

Possibly the settlers along the line in the southern part of Prairie Farm were included in some district created in Dunn county to the southward.

There is, however, no record of any districts created in the county until March 30, 1869, although Oliver Demers, appointed county superintendent of schools by the Governor in 1868, had taken office Jan. 1, 1869. On March 30, 1869, the first district was created by the town board of Barron. It consisted of township 32, range 13 (now Prairie Farm), except sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12. The records of May 28, 1869, mention a schoolhouse in section 26, in the southern part of Prairie Farm township, in this district.

Two more districts were created the same day, March 30, 1869. District 2 consisted of township 33, range 10 (now east Chetek). District 3 consisted of sections 1 to 12, township 33, range 12 (west Maple Grove), and sections 13 to 36, township 34, range 12 (Barron).

No record appears of the creation of District 4. District 5 was the Young district, in which the old Young schoolhouse in section 2, Prairie Farm, early became a landmark. It embraced all of township 38, range 13 (Arland), except sections 6, 7, 18, 19, 30 and 31. It also embraced sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12 in township 32, range 13 (Prairie Farm), and sections 18, 19, 30 and 31, in township 33, range 12 (west Maple Grove).

When the census of 1870 was taken, six persons gave their occupations as teachers: Hannah Newhall, aged 56, from Connecticut; Alfred Finley, aged 28, from Pennsylvania; Charles Finley, aged 21, from Pennsylvania; William Van Waters, aged 21, from Ohio ; Bertha Kelsie, aged 19, from Wisconsin ; and Martha Plato, aged 19, from Vermont.

"As a matter of course, the regions first settled, were the first to have schools. When the writer was elected to the office of superintendent of schools, he found schools in towns of Chetek, Dallas, Prairie Farm, Sumner, Barron, Rice Lake and Stanfold. Other towns were organized as they were settled up, and this went on for a number of years, the town of Maple Plain being created comparatively recently.

"The town system of school government was in operation in the town of Prairie Farm. In a few years, however, it was abandoned for the district system. The town of Stanfold was, for a short time, under the town system. The State Superintendent at that time labored to make the town system uni¬ versal throughout the state, claiming for it great superiority over the district system. However, he failed to convince a majority of the people, hence the town system went out of use, and the towns which had dropped it returned to the district system. It seems to have been a matter of "home rule."

"The new settlers everywhere showed a lively interest in schools. As a consequence, as soon as a few families had settled in a part outside of an organized district, they would insist upon being organized into a district, so they could have a school. Schools in some of these early districts were very small. In some less than a dozen were enrolled. During his incumbency of the office, six years, 50 new school districts were organized.

"I do not know of any better way to convey an idea of the condition of the schools of the county than by copying, in part at least, my notes when I visited the schools in the years 1876-77. A few explanatory remarks are occa¬ sionally added:

"Visited, January 7, subdistrict No. 3, Sumner. Number enrolled, 14; present, 10. Miss Lelia M. Gee, teacher. Books not uniform, but, considering the conditions, pretty fair work being done.

"January 10, visited district No. 4, Sumner. Miss Mattie Youmans, teacher. Number enrolled, 11; present, 3. Most advanced pupils in fourth reader.

"January 12, visited subdistrict No. 1, town of Barron. Miss Eva Roberts, teacher. Number enrolled, 17; present, 10. A log house about 16 by 20. A tier of seats and desks projecting from the wall, capable of seating about 24. Provided with a small blackboard, which, with teacher's desk, is opposite the door.

"January 12, visited subdistrict No. 2, Prairie Farm. Miss Ames, teacher. Number enrolled, 17 ; present, 10. Log house about 16 by 26. A tier of seats and desks on each side, capable of seating about 30 pupils. Map of United States, of World, and of Europe. Blackboard and teacher's desk opposite . the

"Subdistrict No. 1, Stanfold. Mrs. Cabino, teacher. Number enrolled, 25; present, 20. Log house about 16 by 20, seated in various ways to accommo¬ date about 30.

"The foregoing will indicate the kind of school houses to be found in the county at that time and their provision in the way of seats, desks and books.

"As has been mentioned, Prairie Farm was the only town that had uni¬ form and free text-books. Such being the case, the superintendent labored to remedy the condition. He urged school boards to adopt a uniform series of books, then have the district purchase them and either have them free or sell to pupils at cost, 'the plan of district purchase and free distribution to pupils being preferred, but by all means let the district purchase them.'

"At the time he retired from the office he had the satisfaction of knowing that nearly all the districts had adopted the plan of district purchase, and in most of them they were free.

"As to the teachers, it must be said, in justice to them, they were all qualified for the work they were expected to do, and exhibited an intelligent interest therein. There were a number of married persons teaching, and it was no detriment to the schools that such was the case."

The first county report, now preserved in the county superintendent's office, is that of Mr. White's, for the year ending Aug. 31, 1876. At that time there were 42 school houses, of which 38 were reported in good condition. None had enclosed grounds. Free text-books were furnished in Prairie Farm and Rice Lake townships. In Sumner township the town purchased the books and sold to pupils, at cost, thus securing uniformity. The best school house was in Prairie Farm township, valued at $700. School apparatus in Prairie Farm township was valued at $390, in Rice Lake township at $110, and in Sumner at $43.

Ninety-one teachers taught during the year, several were as young as 16 years. Of the 69 women teachers, one was given a second grade certificate by the superintendent and 68 were given third grade ones. The 22 men teachers each were given a third grade certificate.

There were 706 boys and 639 girls of between 4 and 20 years in the county, a total of 1,345, of whom 825 were reported as attending school. One child under four, and five young people over twenty, also attended. There was no school of over one department.

The statistics given do not include Lakeland, which township then em¬ braced all the northwestern part of the county, and from which no report was received.

Value was placed on school furniture, registers, and the like, in only four townships: Prairie Farm, $122.50; Rice Lake, $76.45; Dallas, $7.38; and Sum¬ ner, $1.15.

The superintendent maintained his office at his home in what was then Sumner township, and received $3 a day for actual time spent in school service.

The average monthly wages of female teachers ranged from $22.60 in Dallas township to $32.50 in Cedar Lake ; for men teachers, from $27 in Prairie

Farm township to $40 in Maple Grove township. The highest monthly wages paid in Dallas township was $40; in Dallas and Stanfold, $35; in Cedar Lake, $32.00; in Clinton, Prairie Farm, Rice Lake, Chetek and Sumner, $30.

In 1897, twenty-one years after Mr. White's first report, the old logging days were passing, and the dawn of the modern agricultural era was already on the horizon. In that year, Charles H. Museus makes the following encourag¬ ing report:

"At no time has our educational system been in better shape than at pres¬ ent. At no time has the supervision of our schools been so well under control and the organization so complete. We have thriving summer schools, enthusi¬ astic teachers' institutes and meetings, and the report of the schools is re¬ quired of each teacher each term.

"Our teaching force at present, not including Rice Lake, numbers 103 teachers. Of these, five hold State or Normal school certificates, eleven hold first grade certificates, forty hold second grade certificates, and seventy-eight are teaching on third grade certificates. The teachers are distributed as fol¬ lows: Cumberland city, 9; Barron city, 6; Chetek city, 4; Cameron village, 2; Turtle Lake village, 2; district 3, Cumberland, 2; district 4, Cumberland, 2; district 4, Maple Grove, 2; joint district 2, Oak Grove, 2; and one each in the 103 rural districts.

"The average wages paid to male teachers (including high school prin¬ cipals) is $42.60 a month, and to female teachers, $28 a month. The teachers were for the most part employed for the entire year in the same school.

"Our schoolhouses with some exceptions are good, comfortable buildings. There are a few places in the county used for school purposes, notably 5, that do not deserve the name of schoolhouse, and where it is not only a waste of time and money to attempt teaching school, but where the health of both teacher and pupils is threatened during the winter months. In such miserable hovels we find little if any supply of material to work with, and only thumb worn and possibly dog eared text books.

"Three new buildings have been added during the year; one in the town of Maple Grove, costing $539 ; another in the town of Cumberland, costing $660 ; and a third in the town of Turtle Lake, costing $767.95.

"There are now in the county 110 districts, the number of departments being 132. There are 133 teachers, the extra one being the assistant principal at Cumberland.

"The number of children in the county of school age, that is, between four and twenty, is 3,671 boys and 3,477 girls, a total of 7,148. Of this number, 5,273 have attended our public schools for twelve or more weeks during the past year. Of the children between 7 and 13 there are 3,238. Of these, only 2,556 attended our schools, leaving a large number of children of this important school age who are not being educated.

"Fifty-nine districts now furnish the use of free text books free to pupils. And the schools now have a library, ranging from 8 to 150 volumes. There are about 3,000 volumes altogether in the school libraries, some 800 having been added in the past year.

"Eighty-nine schools observed Bird and Arbor day, and Memorial day. I found in my visits in many places afterward, that fences had been fixed up, rubbish removed, trees planted, flower beds made, and the school grounds beautified in other ways."

Mr. Museus rendered another interesting report in 1901. The modern period of agriculture and dairying was getting under way, and the schools were reflecting the coming prosperity of the county. In 1900 there were eight log schoolhouses in the county, but five were replaced with more modern structures so that when the report was rendered in 1901 there were but three log schoolhouses left in the county.

A total of $9,681.42 was reported as the cost of new buildings during the year, and in addition there were at least two whose cost was not reported. District 6, Rice Lake, cost, $312.24; District 3, Maple Grove, cost, $742.63; District 8, Maple Grove, cost, $360.95; District 7, Chetek, cost with equip¬ ment, $600; and District 9, Chetek, cost with equipment. $460, were the buildings which replaced log structures. Joint District 6, Cumberland town¬ ship, erected a large two-story building at a cost of $1,480.65, and had used it but two terms when it was burned. Another building was at once put up. A new district, No. 17, in Cumberland, also put up a good building. At the time of the report, District 6, Dallas had a four-room building under con¬ struction, and the city of Barron, Joint District 1, a large brick building of four rooms, now the Ward school, so called, at a cost of $6,271.30.

There were 120 districts in the county and 129 buildings, having a total seating capacity of 6,565 pupils. This furnished accommodation for 2,000 pupils less than the number in the county, but as the enrollment was but 6,188, the schools furnished seating capacity for some 400 more pupils more than were enrolled.

The estimated value of school property on June 30, 1901, was $98,545.52. For this the bonded and general indebtedness is subtracted, leaving a net valua¬ tion of $90,630.52.

During the year 1900-01, 52 male and 152 female teachers were employed. Of these 24 held state or normal qualifications; 28 held first grade county cer¬ tificates; 47 held second grade county certificates; and 103 held third grade qualifications.

Teachers' wages amounted to $36,689.19, of which $11,459.75 was paid to male teachers, and $25,129.44 to female teachers, giving an average monthly salary to male teachers, including high school principals, of $42.25 and to female teachers, $30.63.

Examinations were given at the completion of the fall (1900) and spring (1901) term to pupils completing the grades. Of the 66 who tried the examinations, 36 pupils were given diplomas.

Four graded schools in villages not having high schools qualified for state aid under the Act of 1901: First class (three departments), Cameron and Turtle Lake; second class (two departments), Dallas and Prairie Farm. Bar¬ ron, Rice Lake, Cumberland and Chetek were doing high school work.

A teachers' institute was held with a total enrollment of 120 and an average daily attendance of 99. During the year 996 volumes had been added to the school libraries. Complaint is made that in some districts no provision was made for keeping the libraries at the school, and that they were kept in many instances in the home of the clerk or other official where they were not easily available.

The following statistics are given in this 1901 report: Number of male children over 4 and under 20 years of age, 4,418; number of female children over 4 and under 20 years of age, 4,205; total between 4 and 20 years, 8,623. Whole number between 4 and 20 enrolled in public schools, 6,188. Number of children between 7 and 14 years of age, 4,352. Number between 7 and 14 who attended school twelve weeks or more during the year, 3,460.

The first class graded schools of three departments each are at Prairie Farm, Dallas and Canton. Haugen has a first class graded school with four departments. Each of these four schools also do some high school work.

There are nine second class graded schools of two rooms each: Almena village (Joint 2, Almena and Clinton), Comstock (District 4, Crystal Lake), Baronett (Joint District 8, Lakeland and Washburn county), Hillsdale (District 3, Maple Grove), District 7, Crystal Lake; District 1, Prairie Farm; District 3, Turtle Lake; District 2, Vance Creek; District 3, Vance Creek.

Number of children of school age, 10,652; total number of children enrolled, 7,587 ; number of one-room schools, 126 ; number of one-room schools disbanded, 4; number of two-room schools, 10; number of first class state graded schools, 4; number of high schools, 5; number of teachers employed, 221 ; number of teachers holding permits, 7 ; number of common school diplomas issued, 209; number of pupils having completed reading circle work, 3,221; number of teachers having completed reading circle work, 110; number of school societies organized, 135; number of schools serving warm lunches, 69; number of schools observing good school week, 89; number of schools taking part in Junior Red Cross, 76; number of library books ordered from township library fund, 1,521; cost of these books, $1,108.90; total amount received for school purposes, $559,538.47; total expenditures, $480,830.66; balance on hand June 30, 1921, $78,707.91.

"During the year eight teachers' meetings beside the institute were held at various points in the county to which nearly every teacher in the county came. Following this was given the Monroe Form 2 Standardized Silent Reading Tests twice to every school in the county and the arithmetic test in the four fundamentals once. The first reading tests showed that all children were below standard, especially the third, fourth and fifth grades, this being true of the city children as well as of the rural children. The second test showed all grades coming very nearly up to standard and in cases of the eighth grade, above. This test concerns itself with the rate of reading as well as with com¬ prehension. It has been conclusively shown that in almost every case the children who read rapidily, understand more readily what they read. Barron county is the only one in which a test of this kind was given in every school."

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.

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.

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.

domestic science room, separate teacher's and pupils' cloak rooms, a play room, inside toilets, and line 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 t.He 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 t&e 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 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 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 68 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 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 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.