The School Laws and their Interpretation
School Boards and their Problems
The State Department of Education

A SAD LESSION IN THE ERECTION OF CHEAP SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

Milwaukee and Oshkosh ought to teach the rest of the state a lesson in school house building. In both cities the movement to establish civic centers in the various public schools was finally brought to a head and preparations made for evening meetings in the buildings, when the building inspector stepped in and politely called a halt. In Milwaukee he pronounces all except three buildings unsafe for large audiences, while the Oshkosh official made no exception. Here's the way an Oshkosh paper puts it:

An important decision of statewide importance, was made here, by the city building inspector, against the use of school houses by civic center clubs. A good deal of excitement resulted, as the organization of civic centers is well under way here. But most of the school assembly rooms are not only not designed for public meetings, but they are on the upper floors of inflamable buildings. The laws governing public halls are not complied with, and the city would be liable if loss of life or limb should be the result of a panic. The prospect of possible damage suits made the school board take conservative action, and civic center plans are at quite a standstill for the present. The pertinent question has been asked, "Why are our school buildings so built that they are unsafe?" The only possible answer is rather a melancholy commentary upon our civilization. It would cost money to build them fire proof, and we hold life cheaply, in most of our public works.

Wise is he who profits by his own experience but wiser is he who profits by the exeperience of others. May the school officers of Wisconin constitute the wiser class and profit by the sad experience of Milwaukee and Oshkosh whose civic center plans have been so ruthlessly spoiled by the man charged with the responsibility of saving life!

THE PROGRESS OF MUTUAL SCHOOL INSURANCE IN WISCONSIN.

It will be recalled that some two years ago an earnest effort was made to organize a mutual school insurance company in this state, but the project fell through owing to the lack of a suffi

cient number of applications for policies. However, the old company on November 3, at a meeting of the stockholders decided to change the name and to re-organize its work under the title of "The Wisconsin Home and School Mutual Insurance Company." That is to say, it is now organizing on the basis of insuring schoolhouses. homes, libraries, and contents. The articles of organization have been thoroughly revised and the company is now ready to do business through its secretary, John A. Hazelwood of Jefferson, Wis.

It would seem as if this movement ought to be most heartily indorsed by the school boards of the state. According to the Insurance Commissioners report there were paid last year for Fire Insurance premiums over $12,000,000. On the risks in Wisconsin, and according to the Fire Marshall report the fire insurance paid for losses amounted to less than $4,000,000. There were but seven schoolhouse fires in the state, and the insurance actually paid on the losses amounted to just $3,360. There were paid out of the school funds of the state at least fifty times the amount paid back in the school funds for losses sustained.

There were paid on the homes and the contents last year in Wisconsin over $3,000,000 in premiums, and the fire losses on 700 homes and contents paid by insurance companies amounted to less than $400,000. It is evident that residences and schools are being taxed too heavily to pay for hazardous risks and excessive expenses connected with insurance companies.

The Town Mutuals of Wisconsin last year on the old line rates saved the policy holders over $2,000,000, and the city and village mutuals saved over $50,000 on the same basis for policy holders. The Hardware Mutual saved over $25,000 to policy holders. The Church Mutuals, Druggist Mutuals, Lumberman Mutuals, saved their policy holders two-thirds of the premiums on the old line

basis. Study the Insurance Commissioners report relative to the wisdom of the state carrying its own insurance if you have any doubt about same.

We have built up a reserve of over $100,000 in the last six years with a loss of less than $3,000. Think of that!

A BUBBLE FOUNTAIN FOR RURAL SCHOOLS AT SMALL COST.

Rural districts and villages having no water supply system are confronted by a serious problem in trying to comply with the ruling of the

state board of health which abolished the public drinking cup Sept. 1, 1910. The children may provide themselves with private cups but these become dusty and collect germs unless great care is taken. The board may secure a covered water tank but this, unless washed with hot water every few days becomes stale. To overcome these difficulties, Prin. W. E. Smith of the Waushara county training school had a well driven in the basement and brought the pipe up to the main floor. To this a small force pump was attached including a bubble fountain as shown in the accompanying cut.

The cost of driving the well and installing pump and fountain complete was less than $20.00. It works fully as well as though attached to a system of water works, except in the case of small children when it takes two to get a drink as one must pump while the other drinks. This plan will work wherever it is possible to drive a well and bring the pump inside where it will not freeze.

Did you make an inventory of your stock on hand on the last day of December?

Do not make it possible for your pupils to carry home the sad humor that lies in a statement like this: "Teacher laughed today. She laughed in spite of herself."

Don't be a stick but a teacher.

SCHOOL LAW

Arrangement of Seats in Schoolroom:

Is it the law that the seats in the schoolhouse must be placed so all the large seats are on one side of the school room and the small ones in a row at the opposite side, or can the seating be left with the large seats at the back and smaller ones at the front?

There is no law relating to this matter. It is simply a suggestion of the state department to the effect that seats and desks of the same size should be placed as nearly as possible in the same range. You will readily recognize that unless this is done the heights of the seats and desks will be out of proportion and consequently not well suited to the pupils occupying them, no matter what the grade of the pupils may be. It will be found of large advantage to the discipline of the school and comfort of the pupils to have the seats and desks arranged so that those of the same size occupy the same range or row.

A Necessary Precaution in Renting a Room for School Purposes:

Our schoolhouse burned. A farmer living near the schoolhouse site has a large residence two and a half stories high. The half story is not divided off into rooms, and affords ample accommodation for the thirty pupils enrolled in our school. Can the district authorize the school board to rent this room for the time being, and fit it up so that the children will be accommodated?

Yes, under certain conditions. If the room is used for school purpose it will be necessary to provide some means of egress in case of fire. For this purpose suitable ladders could be fastened to the side of the building under the windows, or some patented form of fire escape might be provided. If the schoolroom occupied the second floor instead of the third, then no fire escape would. be required under the statute, although it would be a wise precaution to have short ladders ready for immediate use. Call a special meeting and have the electors taken action at once.

A Bad Proposition in Building:

We are building a three room schoolhouse, all rooms on the ground floor. It is proposed to heat this building with a large furnace placed in the basement. The builder claims that all that is necessary to secure ventilation is to have registers in the floor and pipes running from these registers over to the jacket surrounding the furnace stove. It seems to be his idea that heating this air makes it fit for rebreathing. Is he right?

Most certainly not. Heating air does not restore the necessary oxygen. The builder's plan might save fuel, but it would be at the expense of health and at the expense of good work in the schoolroom. A plan no more useless or abominable could be suggested. Fresh air must be brought into the jacket about the furnace stove from outside the building, and suitable means must be provided for carrying the foul air entirely out of the schoolroom through suitable ways and arranged chimneys or flues extending through and above the roof.

How to Have Your Well Water Examined for Bacteria:

We would like to have the water in our well examined by some competent person in order to determine whether or not it is fit for drinking purposes. How may this be brought about?

Address the Secretary of the State Board of Health, Madison, Wis., asking him for a flask that is especially prepared to prevent any foreign substance from getting into the water after the flask has once been filled. Samples of water sent in ordinary bottles will not be accepted. Directions for collecting and sending the samples will be sent with the flask.

This Years Apportionment of the State School Funds:

About what will be the amount of the apportionment from the state school funds this year for each person between four and twenty years of age?

The state superintendent made the apportionment December 15. The amount for each pupil was $2.423.

School Officers Can Not Vote in the Organization of New Districts:

We have tried to organize a new school district. Part of the territory of this district lies in the town of A, part in the town of B, and part in the village of C. A majority of each board of supervisors and a majority of the board of trustees voted in favor of forming a new school district. The members of the school boards of the districts which would be affected were, however, present at the meeting and

insisted that they had a right to vote. They were allowed to vote and they voted against the formation of the new district. Under this statement of facts what is the situation?

As the proceedings of the supervisors and trustees have been regular, the order forming the school district is valid. The fact that school officers voted does not affect the situation in the least. They are not named by the statutes as officers having any lawful authority whatever in the matter of forming a new school district, or changTheir votes, no ing school district boundaries. matter which way they are cast, should not count.

When the Teacher Must Resign:

Our school is a state graded school of the second class. The principal fails utterly in the matter of preserving order in and about the schoolhouse and grounds. She has a contract for nine months of school. We as members of the school board have done everything we can to support her, but it is useless. She is a most estimable lady in every way, but seemingly possesses no executive ability. What are we to do? We feel that if she is allowed to continue, we will lose our state aid. Furthermore we do not feel that we can afford the loss of time to the pupils enrolled in her room. What can you sug gest?

Under your statement of facts, there is nothing for the board to do but to demand the resignation of the teacher. She contracted to teach school, not to keep school or to stay about the schoolhouse and grounds during the ordinary school hours. If she can not preserve a reasonable amount of discipline, it is clear that she can not teach. The statute demands that the teaching in a school shall be efficient. If it is not, the district loses its right to share in any special state aid. The law constitutes the school board an agent for the district. If the school board at a regular board meeting are compelled to the conclusion that the welfare of the school demands the dismissal of the teacher, they are certainly priviliged to annul the contract. It is best, however, to lay the matter before the teacher and ask for her resignation. Any consistent teacher will recognize the situation and act accordingly. Sensible teachers will recognize the justness of such a request. No teacher would wish to run the risk of having her certificate (state or county) annulled upon complaint made to the county superintendent, or to the state superintendent, as the case may be. The statute provides that a teacher's certificate may be

annulled because of inability to teach. If the teacher holds a county certificate, the charges must be made in writing and placed in the hands of the county superintendent. If the teacher possesses a state certificate, then the matter is to be brought to the state superintendent. Our supreme court has held as follows: "A teacher is responsible for the discipline of his school and for the progress, conduct, and deportment of his pupils. It is his imperative duty to maintain good order and to require of his pupils a faithful performance of their duties. If he fails to do so, he is unfit for his position." It would seem that the situation presented demands immediate action on the part of the school board as a board.

Instruction Must Be Provided for Children Under 16, at Least:

There are two pupils in our school who hold common school diplomas. A number of the people in the district have requested the school board to prevent them from attending school. The parents of the children insist that since they are residents and taxpayers in the district, and the children are but fourteen years of age, the school must provide for their instruction. The board agrees with the parents of these children. What is right?

The statute names certain branches that shall be taught in the public school, and provides. further: "That such other branches as the board may determine shall be taught." The constitution of the state provides that a system of district schools shall be established and, "such schools shall be free and without charge for tuition to all children between the ages of four and twenty years." It seems clear that the contention of the board and parents must be sustained.

The New District Helps Pay the Debt:

A new district was created from two other districts, one of which was indebted to the state trust fund. The amount of indebtedness on this district which remains to be paid is $250. Is the new district legally created?

The answer to this must be "yes," since the regularity of the proceedings of the supervisors has not been questioned. The state requires that the consent of the commissioners shall be obtained before territory may be taken from one school district to another. The fact that the consent was not obtained before the supervisors acted does not invalidate the act of the supervisors. The commissioners will be able to prescribe satisfactory terms governing the payment of this indebtedness to the state. If, however, the indebtedness was

Friday Morning, February 10.

G. E. JOHNSTON, National Playground Association. "Health and Education."

PRES. J. A. H. KEITH, Oshkosh Normal School. "The Educative Values of Industrial and Commercial Subjects."

Saturday Morning, February 11. SUPT. O. J. KERN, Rockford, Ill. "The Front Line of Country School Improvement." PROF. PAUL H. HANUS, Harvard University. "The Problem of Vocational Education Restated." Friday Evening, February 10.

DR. P. P. CLAXTON, University of Tennessee. "The Relation of Education to Individual and National Wealth."

MODERN SCRIPTURE.

Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after the knowledge of how to direct instead of suppress the spontaneous activities of childhood, seeking to transmute what is evil into good, for they shall make happy and competent and well-behaved children. M. V. O'Shea.

A sunny face-wear it. It is your privilege. It has the quality of mercy; it is twice blessed. It blesses its possessor and all who come under its benign influence. It is a daily boon to him who wears it, and a constant, ever-flowing benediction to all his friends. Men and women, youth and children, seek the friendship of the sunny faced. All doors are open to those who smile.

Virginia Journal of Education.

FOR WESTERN POSITIONS.

Remember our two offices at Madison, Wisconsin, and Spokane, Washington, are ready now to enroll teachers for the school year 1911-12. Special offer this month before the rush season begins. Write for it at once and also for the new 1911 Booklet. Both free.

THE PARKER TEACHERS' AGENCY,

Madison and Spokane.