in June. The subdistrict clerk becomes a member of the town board of school directors. This board has two regular meetings in each year, the first for the purpose of organization occurs on the second Monday in June, and the semiannual meeting on the third Monday in March. At the first meeting an executive committee, consisting of a president, vice-president, and secretary, is chosen. The secretary is not of necessity a subdistrict clerk. This executive committee is made responsible for the transaction of all business relating to school matters.

Incorporated cities have, as a rule, a board of education, the members of which are appointed by the mayor. This board transacts all the business relating to the school affairs of the city, subject to review of the common council. Any city under the district system of school government having a high school within its boundaries and expending a sum annually for maintenance of the school exceeding $4,000 may elect a school board of seven members. The laws of 1901 granted State aid to rural districts that established graded schools. These schools are divided into first class (those having three or more departments) and second class (those having but two departments). Special aid is granted to such schools when maintained according to law in the sum of $300 to first class and $100 to second-class schools. Two inspectors are appointed by the State superintendent. It is their duty to visit these schools each year and make report upon the condition of the grounds, outbuildings, building, and the organization of the school and the adoption and pursuit of the courses of study. These courses are recommended by the State superintendent. The inspectors receive an annual salary of $1,600 a year and their traveling expenses. The principal of a State graded school of the first class must hold some form of State certificate. One assistant, holding a third-grade certificate, may be employed. Such person must, however, have had one year's successful experience as an additional qualification. One other teacher may be employed, having at least a second-grade certificate, and all other assistants must hold at least firstgrade county certificates. The principal of a graded school of the second class must hold at least a first-grade county certificate, and the assistant may be qualified with a third-grade county certificate. One year's successful experience as a teacher is also required in this case.

The electors of a school district may authorize the board to suspend the school and provide for free transportation and tuition, or for tuition only, in some adjoining district or districts. Under the township system of school government the secretary of the town board of directors is required to inspect each school in his town at least twice during each term, and he must keep the records of the board. His compensation for his services must not exceed $75 in any one school year. If the electors at the annual town meeting vote a compensation to the president and vice-president of the executive committee of the town board of directors, the amount may be $2 a day for not to exceed fifteen days in any one year. Any school district or subdistrict under the township system of school government may maintain several schools in separate schoolhouses located in different parts of the district. A course of study for common or rural schools printed and commented upon in a pamphlet of some 150 pages is published and distributed under the direction of the State superintendent. The branches which the statute requires shall be taught in the public schools are: Orthography, orthoepy, reading, writing, grammar, geography, arithmetic, history of the United States, Constitutions of the United States and Wisconsin, and physiology and hygiene, with special reference to the effect of stimulants and narcotics upon the human system. All instruction shall be in the English language, except that the board may cause any foreign language to be taught by a competent teacher in each school not to exceed one hour each day. Every teacher in a public school must hold some form of a certificate, otherwise no money can be lawfully paid from the public treasury for services rendered.

Kindergartens.-District boards, town boards of school directors, and boards of education may provide for kindergarten departments in connection with the public schools. In districts under the district system the electors must provide for the levy of a tax for the maintenance of kindergarten departments before they can be established by the board, and but 40 pupils are permitted to each kindergarten department. The school year begins July 1, and all persons between the ages of 4 and 20 years are privileged to attend the public schools in the district in which they reside free of tuition. These schools must be maintained for at least seven months in each year before the district is entitled to share in the annual apportionment made by the State superintendent from the school-fund income, or the apportionment made by the county board of super

visors, which is raised by a tax upon the property of the town. Attendance on some private or parochial school is compulsory between the ages of 7 and 14, or if the child is not employed until the age of 16, unless such child shall reside more than 2 miles from the public school by nearest traveled highway. The child is required to attend in country or village districts for at least twenty weeks in each year and in cities for at least thirty-two weeks of each year. If a child is not employed the compulsory age is extended until he is 16 years of age.

When a school district is newly organized the board may make the first selection of text-books. No second selection can, however, be made by the board unless first authorized by a majority vote of the electors at an annual meeting, unless the district has voted to furnish text-books free. In such cases the district board is empowered to adopt new text-books at any time. Under other circumstances no change of text-books can be made until at least three years have expired after adoption.

The total amount of tax which may be levied and raised for school purposes in ordinary school districts shall not exceed in any one year 2 per cent of the total assessed valuation of taxable property in the district, and in districts under the township system of school government the tax shall not exceed 1 per cent for school purposes.

The power of contracting with teachers and fixing the wages per month, term, or year is vested in the board and is limited only by the amount of money which may be used for teachers' wages. The electors may determine whether the teacher shall be a male or female, and the board in making a contract is bound by the vote of the electors. Every school district board is presumed to purchase a United States flag for every schoolhouse and such apparatus as may be necessary for its display or preservation. The district board has the care and keeping of the schoolhouse, books, apparatus, and other property of the district. They also have power to make all rules needful for the government of the school and to suspend and expel pupils for noncompliance with such rules when the interest of the school demands.

Spe

Free high schools were provided for by an act of the legislature of 1875. cial State aid to the amount of $100,000 is now apportioned each year. Courses of study for these high schools are formulated by the State superintendent, and must be followed and adopted by the free high school boards. Two hundred and six of these schools have adopted a four-year course of study, requiring four years for its completion and 32 a course of study requiring three years for its completion. The statute also provides for town high schools, in which the entire town is considered the high school district, and all persons residing in the town prepared to take up the course of study for such schools are permitted to attend free of tuition. The legislature provides that any person of school age prepared to enter a free high school and who may reside in any town or incorporated village, but not within a free high school district, and who shall have completed the course of study in the district in which he resides, or one equivalent thereto, may be admitted to a free high school, his tuition not to exceed $2 per month, to be paid by a tax levied upon the town or village where he resides.

A high school inspector is appointed by the State superintendent with an annual salary of $1,800 and traveling expenses. It is his duty to visit the high schools and to inspect the courses of study as carried on in them. The statute also requires that the principal of a free high school shall hold some form of a State certificate and that the qualifications of the free high school assistants be approved by the State superintendent. It is rare that any qualifications not earned by an examination before the State board of examiners or by graduation from some State normal school, some college of high standing or some State university, are accepted. The annual apportionment to district high schools is made pro rata, while that to the town free schools is always one-half of the amount actually expended for instruction in said schools. The apportionment for the year ending June 30, 1903, was $434.50 to each district free high school expending $1,000 or more in its instructional force. High schools are, upon application to the State university, inspected with a view to being placed upon the university accredited list. When so placed graduates from these high schools are admitted to the courses of study in the State university without further examination.

Day schools for the deaf may be established in cities and villages on approval of the State superintendent. Eighteen such schools were maintained in this State for the year 1904, with an enrollment of 221. A special appropriation of

$150 per capita for each 180 days of attendance is provided by the State. Instruction is by the oral method. These schools, as well as the State school at Delavan, are under the supervision of an inspector, appointed by the State superintendent at a salary of $1,500 a year, with traveling expenses.

County training school for teachers.-The statute provides for county training schools for teachers. The county board of any county in which no State normal school is located is authorized to appropriate money for the organization, equipment, and maintenance of such a school. The State superintendent shall prescribe the courses of study to be pursued and shall determine the qualifications of all teachers employed in such schools. Any school established and whose courses of study and the qualifications of whose teachers have been approved by the State superintendent, may receive special aid from the State of the sum of one-half the amount actually expended for maintaining each school during the year, provided that the total amount apportioned to any one school shall not exceed $2,500 in any year. The chief objects of these schools

are to instruct the teachers in methods of organization, teaching, and management of public schools.

Academic instruction is also given, and any person who completes in a satisfactory manner the course of study prescribed for any county training school shall receive a certificate signed by the principal of the school and by the members of the training school board to the effect that such person has satisfactorily completed the course of study prescribed for the school and is of good moral character. This certificate shall have the force and effect of a third-grade county certificate for the period of three years after graduation. Joint training schools may be established between counties if necessary, and tuition may be charged to persons who may attend and who live outside the county boundaries. Seven such schools have been established in this State, and the reports shown that these institutions are strong factors in educational work and that the statute making provision for them was unquestionably wise.

Normal schools.--Seven State normal schools are in active operation in various parts of the State. The first one was established in 1865. These schools are incorporated under a board of seven local regents and three at large, at least one of whom shall be a woman. These regents are appointed by the governor for a term of five years. The State superintendent is a member ex officio. This board of regents of normal schools has the government and control of all the normal schools. The board shall hold an annual meeting at the capitol on the second Wednesday of July in each year. This meeting is for the purpose of closing up the business for the year just closed and of arranging for the work of the current year. A semiannual meeting is held during the month of February in each year. An executive committee of three members selected by the board meets the last Wednesday in each month for the purpose of auditing accounts. The State superintendent annually appoints a board of three visitors to each normal school. It is the duty of these visitors to examine into the conditions, organization, and management of the school and make a report to the State superintendent. The traveling expenses of these committees are paid from a normal school fund. More than 2,000 persons have graduated from the elementary courses of study and 4,000 from the advanced or four-year courses. It is probable that more than 95 per cent of these graduates have taught a greater or less period in the public schools of this State. The courses of study provided for these schools, while giving due attention to academic and domestic branches, consist of large instruction along lines of pedagogy, school organization, and management.

Institutes.-Institutes for the instruction of teachers shall be held in each year in such counties as may be designated by the State superintendent, with the advice and concurrence of the institute committee of the board of regents of normal schools. The work is outlined uniformly each year by the State superintendent; systematic records of work done are kept by each institute conductor and are sent to the State superintendent at the close of every institute. One and sometimes two institutes are usually provided for each county during the year. Several conductors are usually appointed, and the work is sectioned in order that the best results may be obtained. A school of instruction for institute conductors is held in the latter part of March each year. The number of persons usually attending this school is more than 200. Fourteen thousand dollars are appropriated from the normal school fund for the maintenance of county institutes, and a fee of $1, collected by each county superintendent from each applicant for a county certificate, is also made a part of the fund. Agriculture.-Schools of agriculture and domestic economy are provided for

by an act of the legislature of 1901. This act was amended by the legislature of 1903, providing for at least four such schools and providing that the amount of State aid received by each shall equal two-thirds the amount actually expended for maintaining the school during the year, provided that no more than $4,000 shall be apportioned to any one school in any one year. The course of study covers two years, and includes the elements of agriculture, domestic science, political and domestic economy, with the work in composition, literature, United States history, and civics and commercial arithmetic, with farm accounts. Before these schools are entitled to State aid their work must be approved by the State superintendent and the dean of the agricultural college maintained in connection with the State' university. Two schools of this class have been organized and maintained under the law. Their creation seems to be fully justified. The instructors of the school improve every opportunity to talk to the citizens of the county on all suitable occasions. An increased interest in agriculture has arisen as a result. A few acres of land for farming purposes is appropriated for the use of each agricultural school.

University of Wisconsin.-The government of the State university is vested in a board of regents, consisting of one member of each Congressional district and two from the State at large (thirteen in all). At least one of these regents shall be a woman, and all are appointed by the governor for a term of three years. The State superintendent and president of the State university are ex officio members of this board. The faculty consists of 228 professors and instructors for the year ending June 30, 1904, and the enrollment of students in each department was over 3,000. The school buildings are of the most commodious character and are constantly being added to. The establishment of the short course for agricultural and dairy students has been of incalculable benefit to the State. Two years of fourteen weeks each are required in order to complete these short courses, and they are open to those who have completed the course of study in the common schools or an equivalent course.

ADMINISTRATION.

State superintendent.—Wisconsin has no State board of education with general power. The State superintendent has general supervision of all public schools. The law until 1903 was to the effect that the term of office should be two years and that he should be nominated at convention and elected at the general election, as other State officers are elected. For many years an effort has been made to have the election of the State superintendent removed as far as possible from politics. For this purpose various amendments to the constitution have been attempted, but not until the fall of 1902 was one passed by a majority vote of the electors of the State. Under an amendment to the constitution women as well as men were authorized to vote on this amendment, which proposes that the State superintendent shall possess educational qualifications as high at least as any required by any certificate which he is authorized to grant, that he must have taught at least five years, and that his term of office shall hereafter be four years. He is to be elected the first Tuesday in April, at the same time the supreme court, circuit, and county judges are elected. The salary is fixed at $5,000 per year. He has general supervision over the common schools of the State, over establishment and management of county schools of agriculture and domestic science, manual training schools, county training schools for teachers, and day schools for the deaf. He must formulate courses of study for schools of all grades and appoint one high school inspector, an inspector of day schools for the deaf, and two graded school inspectors, whose duties are to visit the different schools, examine into their management, organization, courses of study, and equipment, and report to the State superintendent. He also apportions school funds, decides appeals, holds at least one convention of county superintendents each year, and is required by law to make a report to the governor in each even-numbered year containing a statement of the condition of all schools, including the normal schools and the State university. He is also required to appoint a State board of examiners on the last Wednesday in August of each year. This board conducts the examinations for State teachers' certificates. These certificates are of two classes, limited and unlimited. The limited certificate is good for five years, and the unlimited for life, unless revoked by competent authority.

County.superintendents.-Each county is under the supervision of a county superintendent. Two counties in the State are divided into two superintendent districts each. The county superintendent will hereafter be elected at the

same time and in the same manner as the State superintendent is elected. He must hold some form of State certificate as an educational qualification and must have had at least eight months experience in a public school. It is his duty to examine and license teachers, visit all schools annually or oftener and report their condition to the board of supervisors of his county and also the State superintendent. Women as well as men may hold this office. The county superintendent may grant certificates of the first, second, and third grade. The branches required for a certificate of the third grade are: Orthoepy, orthography, reading, penmanship, arithmetic, English grammar, geography, history of the United States, Constitution of the United States, constitution of the State of Wisconsin, physiology and hygiene, with special reference to the effect of stimulants and narcotics on the human system, the theory and art of teaching. manual of the elementary course of study for the common schools of Wisconsin, and the elements of agriculture. This certificate legally qualifies the holder for one year. For the second-grade certificate the applicant must pass an examination in all the foregoing branches and also in algebra, physical geography, American literature, and English composition. This certificate is good for three years. For the first-grade certificate the applicant must pass an examination in all the branches above named and also in physics, plane geometry, English literature, and English history. A certificate of the first grade is a legal qualification for five years. The law also provides that certificates may be secured in counties other than the one in which the applicant was examined by transfer of the papers written at the examination to the superintendent of the county in which a school has been engaged.

District board. The district board consists of three members-a clerk, director, and treasurer-each elected for a term of three years. This board has full power to contract with teachers, select text-books on their own motion when a new district is created, and by a majority vote of the electors in case a change is desired in an old district. The members exercise general supervision over the schools of the district. In township districts all the subdistricts constitute the township board.

City superintendents.-There are 50 cities in the State under city superintendents. These officers are chosen by the board of education for one year. The law requires that no persons shall be eligible to the office of city superintendent who does not possess the legal qualifications required for the principalship of a four-year course free high school.