Law. Benefits. The violations of the law most frequently found and which appear to have been almost universal in the districts examined were Violations of the purchasing of school, building, and other supplies from the officers of the districts by the board and the hiring of school officers for miscellaneous work connected with the school for which they were paid by the day. Shortages were discovered in eighteen districts ranging from a few dollars to over $5,000 but in each case these amounts were replaced by either the treasurer or his bondsman without the loss of a cent to the district concerned. On the other hand district treasurers who have been charged with the unlawful use of school funds have asked to have their books audited and a thorough examination of their books and records has resulted in clearing them of the charges. In several cases interest received on school funds and misappropriated by the treasurer has been recovered and the beneficial effect of this fact upon the treasurers of one county was shown by the fact that other treasurers of the same county afterward went to the county commissioner and voluntarily acknowledged that they had misappropriated interest on schools funds, stated the amount, and immediately deposited the same to the credit of the district. Funds. Another violation of the law which was found in several districts was the loaning of school funds to private individuals on notes Loaning of and mortgages. This was done in some instances by the district at annual meetings, in others by the district board, and in still others by the treasurer himself. All such loans with accrued interest were immediately recalled and the funds replaced. Numerous disputes between districts have been settled and districts which have through improper use of the funds on hand been deprived of their apportionment of the primary school fund have had their books audited, their balance on hand properly divided into the several funds, and the reports corrected so that in the future they will receive their share of the primary apportionment. Investigation has shown that in too many cases the district treasurer depends upon the director to keep the accounts of the district and that he does not properly protect himself by keeping a correct and complete account of all moneys received and paid out by himself. The records of the treasurer should be uniform with those of the director so that they may be easily compared. Verifying of Accounts. The treasurer ought also, in self protection, to demand of the director and moderator, that, at the board meeting preceding the annual meeting, they actually compare the cash on hand with the amount on hand as shown by the director's annual report. Without the actual accounting of the funds on hand at least once a year, small differences are constantly occuring between the accounts of the treasurer and those of the director, which are almost impossible to explain after the close of the year and which usually result in a personal loss to the treasurer. In the great majority of the districts of the state a laudable effort on the part of the district officers to understand the laws governing their powers and duties and to comply with them strictly, is noticeable, and has resulted in a great change for the better in the manner of con ducting school affairs. This movement has been fostered by the county commissioners of the state and they together with the district officers are to be highly complimented for improvement shown in the district records of the state. SCHOOL OFFICERS' MEETINGS. The legislature of 1909 passed a law whereby it becomes the duty of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to call a meeting of the school officers in every county at least once each year. This law provides that the director, or some other member of the board, shall represent the board at this meeting, and that such officer shall receive $2.00 and his actual expenses for attendance at this meeting. Plan. A school officers' meeting was held in every county in the state except one this year. In many counties the board was represented not only by one member, but all the members were present. It is a means whereby the Department of Education can come in close contact with the school officers of the State. Numerous questions are asked by the officers, and many good things are brought out by these conferences of the school officers and the Department. It is the purpose of this Department to annually hold in each county of the state, generally at the county seat, a school officers' meeting. These meetings are held during the season of the year when the farmers are at liberty to attend, and the attendance ranges from fifty to six hundred. In every instance we found an intense interest on the part of the school officers. The following subjects were discussed: school sanitation, township unit system, truancy law, new legislation, and needed legislation. STATE NORMAL SCHOOL SYSTEM. The State Normal College at Ypsilanti, the Central Michigan Normal School at Mt. Pleasant, the Northern State Normal School at Marquette, and the Western State Normal School at Kalamazoo, constitute the normal school system of the State. By statute the State Board of Education is the legal body which controls the State Normal Schools, having power to regulate the work, prescribe courses of study, and issue certifi In 1901 the State Board organized the Normal Ex- Executive ecutive Council, the members of which are the presidents of Council. the four State Normals. They are as follows: President L. H. Jones of the Michigan State Normal College, President D. B. Waldo of the Western State Normal School. The function of this Council is to advise the State Board of Education in regard to courses of study, employment of instructors, and the particular needs of each institution, thus simplifying the work of the State Board. The total enrollment at the various normals for the year ending June 30, 1910, is as follows: Michigan State Normal College... Central Michigan Normal School... Western State Normal School... 2,652 1,051 575 1,417 Upon the completion of prescribed courses the following grades of certificates are issued: The number of certificates of these classes granted during the past Thus the product of our State Normal Schools for the current year is 1,097 graduates added to the available teaching force of the State. The majority of these are prepared for the work of the graded and city schools. COUNTY NORMAL TRAINING CLASSES. The greatest problem that the Department of Public Instruction has is the rural school problem. It is the foremost question before the State. Nearly one-half the children in Michigan are being School taught in the country schools. Probably less than 10% of Problem. Rural these children will ever attend other schools. We feel that they are entitled to better school advantages, and we think this is being brought about by the county normal training classes. The establishment of a rural department in the Central Normal School did not solve this problem, because this school never graduated more than eight students in this course during the year, and this would not mean more than one normal trained teacher in a county. Previous to the establishment of the county normal schools less than two per cent of the rural school teachers in our State had any normal training. At the time of the last report in 1909, Graduates. this amount had been increased to thirty per cent. In June, 1910, 618 students were granted certificates in the following forty-two counties: We are becoming more and more impressed with the wisdom of the measure for the establishment of the county normal schools and the maintenance and control of the same, as passed by our legislature. The commissioners and county examiners are a unit in saying that the county normal training school teachers are the best in the county. A great improvement has been made in the methods used, the increase of professional spirit among teachers, and an increase in the power of the teacher because she knows how to prepare a lesson, how to teach it, and what results should be obtained. It is the mission of the county normal school to prepare teachers for the country schools, and to keep some from teaching. At the annual State Teachers' Association a meeting of the county normal teachers, the superintendents, and the commissioners is held, and at Aim. this meeting many subjects pertaining to the training class and rural school problems are discussed. Two-Teach er Plan. The Department favors the two-teacher plan. It is in operation in seventeen of the schools at the present time. The critic room where the county normal students do their practice teaching is nearly an ideal rural school. This room is in charge of an excellent teacher, and is where these young people observe and teach, and much good is derived from their experience. It is our aim each year to raise the standard of the work and exercise great care in admission to classes, and to insist that graduation therefrom shall depend no less upon capability and fitness to teach than upon scholarship. Organization. MICHIGAN TEACHERS' READING CIRCLE. One of the most important agencies for improving the efficiency of the teaching corps of the State, is the course of reading selected each year by the State Reading Circle Board. The State Teachers' Reading Circle was organized in 1889. The supervision of the work and the selection of the books to be studied devolves upon a Board which is composed of five members selected from the County Commissioners of the State, and the State Superintendent. It is gratifying to the Department of Public Instruction to know that an increased interest is being shown by the County Commissioners in this agency which has proven to be salutary and productive of great good, and it is the intention of the Department to aid in building up the membership of the Reading Circle in Michigan, and enlarging its scope of usefulness. Value of It is an axiom that needs no proof, that every teacher in our public schools needs to follow a well-directed course in reading each year, if he desires to keep his mind alive to the importance of his profession, and it is hoped that in the near future, every teacher, not already engaged in carrying out a course of study or plan of reading, will enroll as a reader of the Reading Circle Course. No teacher can afford to neglect pursuing work of this nature. Much time and great care is exercised by the Board in selecting proper reading material, and it is the hope and desire of every member of the Board to choose only such books as will enlarge the horizon of the teacher, deepen his hold on his profession, quicken his interest in public school work, to the end that our commonwealth may rejoice in its intelligent and better citizenship.、 List of The following is a list of the books that have been presented to our teachers during the period of the organization of the State Teachers' Reading Circle: 1890-1891-Page's "Theory and Practice". Barnes' "General History". 1891-1892-White's "Elements of Pedagogy". Hale's "Lights of Two Centuries". |