Schools of  Sawyer County WI 

. (Transcribed from the book "History of Education In Sawyer County, Wisconsin, 1902,"
pages 10 - 21)

By J. G. Adams, Hayward, Wis.

(Read before the joint meeting of the Northwestern Wisconsin and the Northeastern Wisconsin Teachers' Associations at Wausau, Wisconsin, October 12, 1900.)

We are to consider for a few moments a system of school government, though of a somewhat different type, that has been in operation in several states for many years.  It is compulsory in the states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Iowa and Wisconsin.  Our own state has been the slowest to adopt the system and at the same time, we believe, that it has the best type of this form of school government.  The law providing for the township system in Wisconsin was passed (in 1869) more than thirty years ago.  Its general adoption has been urged by all of the state superintendents, except two, and by other leaders in educational work since the passage of the law.  It is in operation in only about 46 towns and these are confined exclusively to the northern part (the most progressive part) of the state.  I have been able to learn the location and get definite information from less than one-half of them.
 

COUNTY	PART UNDER  TOWNSHIP SYSTEM	NO. OF TOWNS	TOWNSHIPS OF LAND	SUB- DISTRICTS	SCHOOLS OR DEPARTMENTS
Bayfield	(all)	4	40	24	86
Chippewa	(one-third)	6	24	47	47
Douglas	(all)	3	22	19	43
Sawyer	(all)	1	34 ½	5	28
Vilas	(all)	3	31	9	30
Washburn	(one-half)	4	14	14	26
TOTALS		21	165 ½	118	260

Average number of sub-districts in each town - 6
Average area of each sub-district - 50 square miles
Average territory to each school or department - 23 square miles

In Washburn county the village of Shell Lake with its graded and high schools is included in a sub-district.  In Bayfield county the village of Washburn whose population is 6000 constitutes two sub-districts and employs 21 teachers.  The system has been in operation in this town for about eighteen years.

The town of Washburn, Bayfield county, which includes the village of Washburn, comprises seven and one-half townships of land - has 8 sub-districts, employs 34 teachers not including those in the village.  The parochial schools have an enrollment of 400 - village schools have an enrollment of 820.  The country school enrollment ranges between 20 and 25.

With one exception I have been unable to learn that the secretaries of the board of school directors supervise the schools as contemplated in the law.  I have the county superintendent as authority for the statement that the secretaries of different towns in Douglas county do visit the schools.

The town of Washburn, Bayfield county, seems to be the only town in which close supervision of all schools is attempted.  A person who is professionally well qualified supervises all the schools of the town including those of the village of Washburn.  Reference to this feature of the system will be made later in the discussion.

The method of changing from the district to the township system is very simple - all the details being provided for by law.

The electors of any town at any annual town meeting, or general election, may vote upon the adoption of the township system of school government.  If the proposition carries all the school districts and joint school districts whose school houses are in the town become sub-districts.  The offices of school director and school treasurer are abolished and the clerks of the several districts become clerks of the several sub-districts.  These clerks then meet and organize as a board of school directors by electing one of their number as president and another of their number as vice president.  They also elect a secretary who may, or may not, be a member of the board.  The president, vice president, and secretary constitute the executive committee.  The town treasurer becomes, ex officio, treasurer of the board of school directors but has no voice or vote in its meetings.

From this time the board of school directors has the absolute control of the school affairs of the town.  A vacancy in the office of sub-district clerk is filled by the executive committee.  A vacancy in the executive committee is filled by the board at any stated or special meeting.

Two stated meetings are held each year - 2nd Monday in July (now June) and third Monday in March.  The principal business of the July (now June) meeting is the election of officers to serve for one year, to determine the number of months of school in each sub-district, to fix the amount of repairs to be made and the number of new buildings to be erected.  The principal business of the March meeting is to pass upon the acts of the executive committee and to determine the necessary amount of money to be raised for school purposes for the school year beginning on the first day of the following July.  This estimate is submitted to the electors at the next town meeting.  If for any reason the electors fail to levy the amount estimated by the board the secretary certifies the amount to the town clerk in November and that amount must be included in the next tax roll.

Practically the management of the schools is in the hands of the executive committee.  It employs all the teachers of the town, looks after the repairs, purchases all the supplies, decides on the text books to be used, attends to the erection of new buildings, purchases school house sites and sells the old ones - in fact this committee possesses all the powers of the board with two exceptions - all its acts are subject to review by the board and it cannot fill a vacancy in the executive committee.

It may be asked n what way do the people have any control of the school affairs?  Simply in the election of the different sub-district clerks who become members of the board of school directors.

On the first Monday in July (now June) all of the voters of the town meet in their respective sub-districts and elect a clerk to serve one year and make such recommendations to the board of school directors as they may see fit.  We might add in this connection that these meetings in the town of Hayward, Sawyer county, are usually well attended.  For the last two years there has been only one candidate for clerk in sub-district No. 1 and only a few voters attended the meeting either year.  In each of the other four sub-districts there were two or more candidates for clerk and practically all of the voters - both men and women - attended the meetings.

But we must pass to the practical administration of the system.

The town of Hayward which comprises all the territory included in Sawyer county adopted the township system in 1884.  There are 38 townships of land in the town including 3½ townships belonging to the Indian reservation which are not under the jurisdiction of our town officials.  The county of Sawyer and the town of Hayward were created one year previous to this (March 9, 1883) and the town board formed four school districts.  Three of these had the usual number of school officers and had schools in operation for one year or until the adoption of the township system.  Thus the township system began with four sub-districts.  The number of sub-districts has varied from 4 to 7 - average number 5 - present number 5.

No. 1 - Includes the village schools which enroll over 550 pupils and employ 14 teachers and also six country schools having an enrollment ranging from 7 to 20 each.

No. 2 - One school - 20 pupils - 3 abandoned log school houses.

No. 3 - Two schools - enrollment 3 and 16 - one new building to be opened next spring.

No. 4 - Three schools - enrollment 6, 14, 20 - the one having the largest enrollment being a new school opened in September, 1900.

No. 5 - Three schools - enrollment 5, 16, 22 - one log school house not used any longer.

The three schools having the smallest enrollment are patronized by one family each - these families having 4, 8, and 10 children respectively.

The reason that some of the school houses referred to are no longer used is due to the fact that there are at present no children of school age in these localities.

FREE TEXT BOOKS AND FREE SUPPLIES

Text books are free and, with two exceptions, uniform.  Two series of arithmetics - one series for the country and one series for the village schools are in use.  Two series of the readers are used - one series is used by one-half of the country schools and the other series is used by the other half of the country schools - the village schools using both series.

In this connection I might add that a strong box (2 ft. 8 in., 1 ft. 6 in., 1 ft. 4 in.) with a good lock is sent to each country school with the text books for that school and the books are kept in this box unless charged to some pupil or teacher.  Of course, when these schools become larger additional storage room for text books will be needed.  At the opening and at the close of each term of school the teacher is required to send an inventory of these books to the secretary.  From this inventory the secretary knows whether there is a surplus or a shortage and can make his estimates accordingly.

Free supplies of all kinds bought at wholesale prices are also furnished.  Estimates of the amount of supplies for a year are made in July and submitted to different supply houses.  Taking the quality of the goods into consideration the house giving the lowest estimate receives the order.

These supplies and text books are kept in the office of the secretary in the village of Hayward and are sent to the different schools upon orders from the different teachers.

In connection with the inventory of the text books sent in at the beginning of each term there is sent in on the same sheet an inventory of the supplies on hand and an estimate of what will be needed during the term.  Those needed are sent out at the first opportunity but in a majority of cases the teachers take them themselves.  In connection with the inventory at the close of the term the teacher is required to make an estimate of the new supplies and text books needed at the opening of the following term.  When the next term opens these supplies are sent out - usually with the teacher.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

It is unnecessary for me to enumerate all the advantages and the disadvantages of the township system as there is considerable literature on this subject.  I will name only those points that have been called to my attention during my six years connection with the system and those who are working under the same system.

I will first state some of the objections to the system and then name some of its advantages.

(1) Too much red tape in regard to securing supplies and in the payment of teachers' wages.  If supplies are handled as indicated above this objection will largely disappear.  In regard to paying the teachers, that could be carried on through the mails, and at present there are comparatively few people who have not at least fair postal facilities.  The old method of requiring the teacher to sign the pay roll and to go to the different members of the board for their signatures should be followed no longer even in the remotest parts of Wisconsin.  The teacher should receive her pay without expense and without any loss of time.

(2) It is almost impossible to elect members of the board who are competent.  This is equivalent to saying that it is easier to get three men to serve than it is to secure one good man.

(3) Village schools would suffer when managed by a board a majority of whom are from the country.  Our own experience and our correspondence do not furnish any facts to support this statement.  In fact all the evidence goes to show that the country schools are materially strengthened and that the village schools do not suffer in the least.

(4) Schools cost more under the township system.  This may, or may not, be true.  Figures may be marshaled to prove the statement or to disprove it.  However, one thing must not be lost sight of and that is that all these schools, so far as our own state is concerned, are in the northern part - the newer and sparsely settled portion - where expenses are on a larger scale and where extravagance is not unknown.  Let it be granted that the expenses in some cases may be increased the more than doubled efficiency of the schools will more than compensate for the increased amount.  Referring to the statistics given at the beginning of this paper it will be seen that there is an average of only one and one-half schools or department to each township of land.  In the town of Hayward the distance from the only village and the only railroad station in the county to the different schools varies from one and one-half miles to fifty-five miles - the average distance being 21 miles.

Under these conditions it would not be surprising to find the cost per pupil to be greater than in the older and more densely populated portions of the state.  It costs just as much for fuel and teacher's wages to maintain a school for five pupils as for forty pupils and the cost per capita in the smaller school is necessarily eight times as great.  This would be true under any system of school management.

We feel confident, however, that the cost under the township system, taking efficiency into consideration, is much less, on the whole, than under the district system.  The testimony from other states where the system has been tried is almost invariably to the effect that the township system is more economical.  This is especially true where the system of transportation of pupils and the consolidation of schools is carried into effect.

(5) People of the community do not control their own school affairs.  This is perhaps one of the most effective arguments against the system and at the same time one of the strong points in its favor.  As a general rule people are very conservative.  Many are worshippers of "has beens" and oppose all methods of advancement with the one statement, "Let well enough alone."  The isolated school in the small community, with the ill-ventilated, wretchedly heated and poorly furnished school house with all of its accompaniments should at once be relegated to the past and in its stead there should be the larger school with its more commodious well heated, well ventilated, and completely furnished school house.  All this is possible and at the same time the expense to the community in general would be no greater.

To accomplish this the district must be enlarged.  With this expansion will come broader views on educational matters. As a result the small neighborhood quarrels will not enter so largely into school affairs.  Few are in position to "appreciate the bitterness, the vindictiveness, the injustice, the incalculable and irreparable injury resulting from neighborhood strife.  The successful faction locates the school house where it will be the least convenient for the opposite faction, perhaps where it will be inaccessible to many pupils, refuses adequate accommodations for a majority of the patrons, hires the most incompetent person obtainable - particularly if such person is related to their party or is especially obnoxious to the defeated party...and through the children works the trouble into the school and destroys its usefulness.  With the town board, (consisting on an average of about five members) the majority of whose members would be remote from the scene of contention, the single possible representative of a faction would have little influence.  He would generally be told that the board could not be a party to local contests and that the schools must be protected from them."

(6) Too much power is given to a few men.  Do we really object to that?  The average board of school directors is probably composed of about five members.  Our other town affairs are entrusted to three members and, on the whole, we are well satisfied with the system.  A few men control the educational affairs of the city of Milwaukee and yet they employ about one-twelfth of the teachers of the state and there are enrolled in the public schools of that city about one-ninth of the entire number of pupils enrolled in public schools of the state.  The president of the United States may appoint and may remove more than a hundred thousand office holders and yet we would not change the system.

(7) Teachers' wages would become uniform.  This no doubt would be the tendency although it is not necessarily a feature of it.  In Sawyer county the wages are uniform so far as the rural schools are concerned.  This is perhaps due to the fact that none of the schools up to this time have had a large enrollment.  In the town of Washburn to which reference has often been made the rate of wages paid to the country teachers is not the same.  The experience and qualification of the teacher is taken into consideration and to a certain extent the size of the school.  I have no definite information on this point from other towns.  Perhaps the danger from this tendency is over estimated.  In many of our graded schools different rates of wages are paid with no apparent reason for the difference.  In the good old days when any one could teach a chart, or first reader class and better educational qualifications were required for the higher grade work there was a very good reason for making the distinction.  But in these days when equal qualifications are demanded - when people realize that it is just as important to have good teaching in the lower as well as in the higher grades - there is no good reason why a sixth grade teacher with thirty pupils enrolled should receive greater compensation than one equally well qualified who teaches a first grade room having fifty pupils.  I do not mean to advocate uniformity of wages but I do believe that less flexibility in some cases would be better.

To those who are familiar with the management of school affairs some of the arguments in favor of the township system need only be mentioned.

(1) Gives opportunity to use the town library to the best advantage - the smaller schools being placed on an equality with the larger schools.

(2) Pupils may attend any school in the town without any reference to the sub-districts in which they may reside.

(3) Economy in the purchase and distribution of text books and supplies.  However, free text books and free supplies are not essential features of the township system, but they can be handled to the best advantage under this system.

(4) Members of the board become better acquainted with all the schools and all the teachers of the town and on this account are better able to place the teachers.

(5) Is equally well adapted to densely populated and sparsely settled districts as shown by its satisfactory working in the village of Washburn with its population of 6000 and in these portions of Sawyer county having a scattered population.

(6) Better teachers are demanded for the rural schools.  For illustration I will name one instance.  A few years ago the board decided that all new applicants for positions in the Hayward village schools should have at least a first grade county certificate - preference to be given those who had had professional training.  The members representing the rural schools demanded as high qualifications for the teachers of their schools, but for various reasons the resolution was never carried out so far as the rural schools were concerned.

(7) Gives opportunity for a more equitable distribution of the burdens of taxation.

(8) Local feuds have less effect upon the schools.

(9) As a rule the best men are elected members of the school board and consultation with men from other parts of the town tends to broaden their views on educational affairs.

(10) Gives excellent opportunity to use the plan for transporting the children to school and for the consolidation of schools.  Transportation has not, as yet, been tried in the town of Hayward.  Up to the present time and for a few years to come farmers' teams have been and will be profitably employed in the woods during the winter and transportation costs more than it will in the near future.

Free transportation has been tried in Chippewa county with satisfactory results.

The work of transporting certain pupils to and from school at certain hours of the day is usually let to the lowest responsible bidder.  A good team and a covered vehicle are necessary.  If there are only a few children on the route to be transported a wagonette may be used.  The vehicle should be so arranged that it may be inclosed during stormy or cold weather and, when necessary, heated.  It is generally better for the town to own the outfit, except the team, as that has the effect of making the competitors for the work more numerous.

To show what may be done in the town of Hayward let us glance for a moment at the map of Sawyer County.

In sub-district No. 1, the pupils who attend the Munger, Smith Lake, Phipps and Preston schools could be transported to the village schools by three teams and the present teaching force of the village could take care of them.

In sub-district No. 2, those attending the Bass Lake school and those living around and near Sand Lake could be transported to the Jordan school or some other nearly central place.  Soon the attendance would be large enough to justify the employment of two teachers and this community would have the advantages of a two department school.  At present one team could do the work of transportation.

In sub-district No. 3, the pupils of the Crawford and the Buckwheat schools would be transported to a central school - the Bishop.  This arrangement would soon result in a two department school and two teams could transport the children.

In sub-district No. 4, a central school could be established which would accommodate all the children now attending the Wallace, Villiard and Windfall Lake schools.  It might take two teams to transport the children but if a bridge were to be built across the Chippewa river near the southeast corner of section 14-37-7 one team could do the work.

In sub-district No. 5, no consolidation can be made at present but the proper use of one team might double the attendance at the Round Lake school.  Thus 13 of our rural schools could be disposed of - four sending to the village schools and nine being consolidated into three with the possible result of a two department school in each case.

The probable increase of settlers in the neighborhood of the Round Lake and Pahquayahwang schools would, no doubt, soon lead to the introduction of the transportation system in these localities.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Earlier Election of School Officials

The election of sub-district clerks and the organization of the board of school directors should be at least one month earlier than the time now fixed by statute.  [Since the reading of this paper the legislature has changed the time of the election of sub-district clerks from the first Monday of July to the first Monday in June and the time of the annual meeting of the board of school directors from the second Monday in July to the second Monday in June.]

Extension of Time Unnecessary

Theoretically we would be in favor of extending the term of service of sub-district clerks to two or three years but our own personal experience does not furnish any thing to favor the extension of the time.

Better Supervision Necessary

The law contemplates that the secretary shall visit the schools - we presume in a professional way.  From the testimony of others and from our own personal experience this provision is practically a dead letter. Above all else the person in this position should be a good business man and the law should provide for professional visitation of these schools.

One of the greatest needs of our rural schools and many of our village and city schools is closer supervision.  Our county superintendents cannot do this properly because it is impossible for them in most cases to visit each school more than once or twice a year.  In towns having a village or small city within its limits the supervising principal might be made the supervisor of the rural schools.  In other towns provision should be made for a town superintendent.

As stated at the beginning of this paper the town of Washburn, Bayfield Co., is the only town so far as we are able to learn that employs a person professionally well qualified to visit the schools.  The system of supervision in this town is somewhat unusual.  The authority of the board of school directors extends over the rural schools and the village graded schools up to, but not including, the high school and this board employs a person to supervise these schools.  The high school board has jurisdiction over the high school department only, and the high school principal has nothing to do with the supervision of the grades.  From our point of view we would say that this is not a very desirable arrangement.  The board of school directors should be made the high school board also, and one person should do the work of supervision.  [The legislature of 1901 abolished the high school boards in towns having the township system and the board of school directors now has supervision over the high school department.  Our other recommendation has been carried out in the town of Washburn and part of the duties of the high school principal is to supervise the rural schools as well as those of the grades below the high school department.]

Conclusion

To my mind the two most practical movements for the betterment of our schools is the consolidation of our schools and the closer supervision of them.  The former would lead to the discontinuance of two-thirds of our rural schools and the latter would more than double the efficiency of our teaching force.  With an experience of several years under each system I do not hesitate to express the belief that these can best be accomplished under the township system.