enty-four men teachers an average of $40 per month. The average enrolment for each country teacher being fifty-four plus.

All country schools are organized under the course of study, and the county board authorizes the superintendent to employ ten assistants in conducting examinations, marking papers and issuing diplomas in said course. Last year the country schools presented 282 applicants at said examinations, 204 of whom received diplomas.

Manitowoc county had sixty students at the state normal schools last year, nearly all from her rural schools, and 25 per cent. of the successful applicants for state certificates at Madison last December were from the country schools of Manitowoc county. She has twentyfive students at the state university, and is well represented at Lawrence, at MilwaukeeDowner, at Chicago, at Wellesley and at Berlin.

Surely, if conditions so different as those existing in Green and Manitowoc can develop under our present independent district system, have we not a right to claim that the system is not responsible for the local conditions to which our attention has been directed?

The District System not Responsible.

I cannot believe that our district system is responsible for the evils indicated-like its New England predecessor it grows out of natural conditions. Just as the Massachusetts town developed into north, south, east, west and middle communities, so have school districts. naturally arisen. Artificial boundaries like town lines do not control as the large number of joint school districts shows. Locations of buildings and boundaries are continually changing as conditions change. Town boards ought not to, and up our way at least, do not hesitate to change district boundaries when needed, our eighteen towns containing 104 districts, the average school population being ninetynine.

In New York the school commissioner, corresponding to our county superintendent, has the power to annul weak districts, yet State Superintendent Skinner reports 3,090 schools each with an average attendance of less than ten pupils. Ohio and Illinois have the township system in some form, yet they experience similar conditions. Iowa early adopted the township plan, but soon permitted local option and the greater part of the state is back to the independent district. Minnesota with a township law from the first permits the independent district. Michigan has always had the township system, and Indiana has had it for forty years together with the township

graded school. Are the country schools in these states greatly superior to those of Wisconsin? The latest tables at my command put Wisconsin near the head of the column so far as statistics can show excellence.

Is Consolidation Desirable?

cases

I

Consolidation of districts in most means a system of country graded schools. I am not ready to believe that to be desired. am convinced that a graded system has certain inherent weaknesses that make it at its best but an imperfect system, and I certainly do not want to see it fastened upon the country school. Nor do I want to see rural school conditions transformed to city school conditions through transportation of pupils to central schools. For I believe that these changes will tend to separate the home and school.

The country school is, as it ought to be, the center of culture for its little community. Distant be the day when the local control shall be displaced by a centralized system managed by the few. The cure for the ills of democracy is more democracy." I do not believe that reforms can be handed down from above. Better the temporary misrule of Tammany or the Chicago aldermen, than a local government administered from Albany or Springfield.

Helps in the Report of the Committee of Twelve.

If township organization with consolidation of schools and public transportation of pupils be not adopted, what does the report of the Committee of Twelve do for the rural schools may be asked?

Fortunately, I think, the Committee of Twelve called to their aid at their Chicago meeting such men as Orville T. Bright, W. H. Chandler, F. W. Parker, T. C. Chamberlain, W. S. Jackman and F. H. King. To a committee made up of three of these gentlemen well known to us all, was entrusted the task of reporting a plan for the enrichment and vitalization of the work of rural schools by means of subjects drawn from rural life and surroundings. Appendix C. is the result. To Col. Parker was given the task of discussing the farm as the center of interest, resulting in Appendix H.

After a somewhat careful study of the work and conclusions of the committee as outlined in their report, I am convinced that in these appendices we find the remedies for nearly all existing evils in the rural school. A careful study of these valuable contributions to the practical side of the country school problem, will prove helpful to every teacher. Nowhere is enrichment of school courses so possible

without expense or great trouble as in the rural school. The surroundings make the work suggested in Appendix G the most natural possible. The material lies all about the school. Landscape with all its feature, streams, surfaces, soils, atmospheric phenomena, plant life, animal life, a wealth of material without money and without price,-inexhaustible, ever present in almost bewildering profusions. Not what to study but what to omit. How we country-bred boys are stirred by Col. Parker's retrospect. How infinitely broader had been our view had the district school of our youth lived up to its possibilities along these lines.

Advantages of the Rural Teacher.

I believe that the country teacher is in a position to do a different, and in many respects a better, work than his fellow teacher in the grades. His surroundings, when properly understood, are much more favorable. He is left more to his own resources, is compelled to give his whole thought to his school; he is the recognized culture center of the community. He is free from pernicious and nagging supervision, and has fewer temptations to fritter away his strength and that of his pupils on things of minor importance. The questions of food, clothing, amusements, claims of society, the attractions of street and town do not complicate his work. His children are accustomed to work, and know no higher social pleasure than daily association with teacher and fellow pupils at the schoolhouse. Give us better teachers rather than fewer teachers. richer courses rather than graded courses, and all shall admit as many of us do now believe, that the best country school is the best school on earth. E. R. SMITH.

Manitowoc.

ARBOR AND BIRD DAY OBSERVANCE.

Give us

For many years a law has been in force on paper fixing a penalty for the wanton killing of song birds and other birds useful in protecting farm crops, and trees from insect pests. A great many birds have been killed or their nests robbed every year by thoughtless boys, and yet it is doubtful if a single conviction for the offense has ever been secured in this state. Within recent years fashion has demanded its multitudes of bird victims where boys slew comparatively few. It was felt by those who admire birds for their song and beauty, as well as by others who know of their value as preservers of the balance between insect and plant life, that some new means for bird protection must be tried. The success of arbor day in promoting tree

planting by the schools and the general public indicated that the children could be reached through the reading of bird literature, and appeals to humane sentiment and for recognition of the rights of the feathered benefactors. Through the children, it was believed the public opinion of the communities could be aroused. For this reason, Bird Day was established and incorporated with Arbor Day. Wisconsin was the first state to give legislative recognition to this movement. In the annual published by the department last year, considerable space was devoted to poems, songs, and articles contributed by persons who are enthusiastic bird students. Simple directions were given relative to the organization of little societies for bird study and protection. To convey a reasonably satisfactory idea of the extent of the interest aroused would require the publication of all of the special reports reeceived from county and city superintendents. That is impracticable in the limits of this article. These reports show that Arbor and Bird Day was observed in practically every school in session on the day appointed; that in nearly all cases school grounds were cleaned of rubbish and schoolrooms decorated and brightened; that bird societies were formed in about three-fourths of the counties, and that in ten counties every school became the center of such a society; that scores of bird houses were put up and hundreds of trees planted.

The enthusiasm and energy with which the teachers and children have entered into this work indicates that any purpose falling within their capacity will be cheerfully undertaken if only a little practical suggestion and leadership are afforded them. Children are naturally thoughtless, but they are not naturally cruel and destructive. The children of the city of Madison are probable not, as a whole, different from other children in the state, yet hundreds of squirrels live happily in the public parks and dooryards without fear of danger. Visitors to this city generally express great surprise that the boys do not kill these squirrels. It is simply because of popular sentiment among the children and grown people. A similar spirit of thoughtfulness and tolerance towards the birds will surely come with Bird Day, and the study and observation that precedes and follow it in the schools.

A few extracts from the many reports may better indicate the nature of this work than a general discussion can.

Principal Wiswall, of Kenosha, says: “Arbor and Bird Day was observed in all departments of our schools. The bird feature was

made prominent. To interest teachers in birds I gave a series of exercises during the winter and spring in our general teachers' meetings.".

Supt Roeseler, of Sauk: "The school yards were nicely raked, trees were planted, flower beds made, and literary programs carried out. In many cases, patrons of the schools were present."

Supt. Hardy, of La Crosse: "Drawings by pupils and teachers were largely used to illustrate the talks and other exercises, some of the drawings beautifully done in colors. In a few cases, bird houses were set up on the school grounds. The preparation for Arbor and Bird Day extended over about two weeks of time previous to the day, and was done by 'correlating' with the regular studies, i. er, the exercises were made part of the reading, language, science and geography lessons."

Supt. Karl Mathie, Wausau: "About four hundred visitors. Tree planting. The Board instructed us to take field lessons on birds and trees, a feature we have adopted with great success."

Supt. Elvira Brickley sent in a number of reports from her teachers, among which is this from Mrs. Addie George:

"I never saw children more enthusiastic in preparation or happier in rendering a program. They decorated the room with flowers, the blackboards with drawings of trees, birds and birds' nests. They planted an elm tree and called it Washington. They appointed a committee to look after their tree. Each pupil had something to do."

Viola Bolman, teacher in a district school: "As there is no fence around the school ground to prevent cattle and sheep from entering, neither flowers or trees were planted. The children brought scythes and rakes and cleaned the yard. All the scholars helped decorate the schoolroom with flowers, evergreens and pine boughs. Two of the little girls brought their canary birds to help furnish the music during the day."

Supt. John P. Lewis, Adams county: "About fifty teachers have reported to me that they cleaned the school grounds in the forenoon and trimmed the school room and had literary exercises in the afternoon. The general improvement in the order and cleanliness about school grounds and homes since the inauguration of Arbor and Bird Day is plainly to be seen and is gratifying in the extreme." Supt. R. L. Barton, Chippewa Falls: "The significance of the day was made very emphatic. Parents turned out in droves to witness what the children were doing and saying,

29

Supt. Brindley, of Crawford county, reports that every school ground was cleaned and a bird society formed in every school. The letter of a little girl, Emily Pokorny, from Lynxville, Crawford county, is characteristic of others received from children. She writes:

"We commenced sometime before Arbor Day to study about birds and flowers, and we piled the wood nicely behind the schoolhouse. Friday morning we had school until 10:30.

"Then some of the children went for flowers and others helped teacher to carry all the rocks off the school grounds and rake up the yard. Even the babies helped.

Miss

"After dinner we had our exercises. Welsh talked to us about birds, and told us we could help save them. All the boys signed a pledge promising not to kill any birds this year or rob their nests. The girls promised that they would not wear birds and bird wings on their hats."

The results of such movements through the schools cannot easily be measured by reports. It is a simple matter to learn of the number of trees planted, bird houses put up and school exercises held, but these are only valuable in so far as they are an approximate index of the inspiration, humane education and comradeship with nature that are the outgrowths of the Arbor and Bird Day observances. The encouraging thing is, too, that the interest in the work is not ephemeral. After eight years of annual Arbor Day celebrations the enthusiasm in the objects of the day has constantly grown and bids fair to continue.

L. E. GETTLE, Library Clerk.

-Mr. Edison oncc gave as his definition of genius: "Two per cent. is genius and ninetyeight per cent. is hard work."

SEMI-CENTENNIAL HISTORY.-FOR SUPPLEMENTARY READING.

How the Great River was Discovered.

A new governor came to Canada, Count Frontenac, who was really a great man. The king, Louis XIV, the greatest and most powerful monarch France had till Napoleon, now took much interest in the colony, and sent over settlers and soldiers, and they fought the Iroquois so that they were glad to make peace for awhile.

In 1673 Frontenac sent two Frenchmen to explore the Great River, of which some news had now come to Quebec. Three years before La Salle, one of Frontenac's officers, had heard of the Great River from the Senecas, a tribe of the Iroquois, and he had tried to find it, and had discovered the Ohio. It is even claimed that he went as far down the Ohio as where Louisville now is, but this is not certain. La Salle and Frontenac both believed that the Great River flowed into the Gulf of California, and thus gave a passage to the South Sea, for which passage so many English and French explorers had searched.

So Fontenac sent Joliet and Marquette on this errand. Joliet was a fur trader and a Canadian by birth, and had just been exploring the copper mines of Lake Superior. Marquette was a Jesuit missionary of French birth and was in charge of a mission near Mackinaw. He had been on the upper lakes five years and spoke several Indian languages.

The explorers took five white men with them, two birch bark canoes, and a supply of smoked meat and Indian corn. They had got from the Indians at Mackinaw all they could tell of the route, and had drawn a sketch map of the river as they guessed at it from this information. On the seventeenth of May they started from Mackinaw, thus giving themselves all the summer for the trip. They paddled all day and landed every night and slept on shore, while they were in the known country among peaceful Indians.

When they reached the Menomonie river they paddled up it to visit those Indians. Here they heard that there were fierce tribes on the Great river who killed all strangers. They were told too that there was a devil in one place who roared frightfully and drowned travelers in a whirlpool which he owned. There were also monsters who would swallow them and their canoe. And then it grew so hot as they went toward the sun that they would be burnt up. The Menomonies begged of them not to go, but they were not easily scared and would not turn back.

Next they visited Father Allouez at Green Bay who had now been there five yearsr. Fom there they worked their way up the Fox river through the rapids and Lake Winnebago, to the town where Nicollet forty years before had ended his voyage. Here they held a

council with the three tribes who for a little time were united there, the Mascoutins, who were the original settlers, and the Miamis and Kickapoos who had been driven from what is now Ohio and Michigan by the fierce Iroquois.

Marquette was delighted to see a cross set up in the middle of the village. The Indians. had hung on it a number of offerings of deer skins and bows and arrows. They saw the French were very powerful, and so it was necessary to keep the French god in good humor by some gifts. The Indians supposed the cross was the Frenchmen's god, and treated it accordingly. Marquette was wise enough to see that this was at least a step in the right direction, and he neither laughed at them for their ignorance nor scolded them for their idolatry. This was on the seventh of June. They had been three weeks coming from Mackinaw.

They asked for guides to show the intricate channel of the upper Fox among the marshes to the portage, where the city of Portage now stands. The Indians gave them the guides but warned them of the dangers they were going into, just as the Menomonies had done.

At the portage they carried their goods and their light canoes a mile and a half to the Wisconsin river. This was a wide stream with shifting sandy shores and bars instead of marshes like the Fox. June 17, 1673 they found the Mississippi at the mouth of the Wisconsin where Prairie du Chien is now built. Even here the river is very wide and it grows larger as you go south.

Once a

They paddled down the river for a long ways without seeing a trace of man. huge catfish blundered against Marquette's canoe and almost upset it. The buffalo became numerous along the banks, and still no sign of man. But Joliet well knew the cunning of Indian warriors. By his order they landed every night to cook their supper, and then put out their fire and paddled down stream. Then they anchored their canoes and slept in them, keeping a man on watch all night.

June 25th, they saw footprints on the west bank and found a path leading back from the river. Joliet and Marquette left their men in charge of the canoes and walked six miles till they found three Indian villages. They crept