ings but made of wood. The building at Sloan is in good repair, but not of sufficient size to accommodate the pupils. The same is also true of Salix; but at both these places new buildings will probably be built during the present year. It is also designed to add a full high school course to the course of study at Sloan.

The town of Oto has a large building of two rooms, but at present only one is used. Several new towns in the county will be obliged to build new houses in the near future.

WORTH COUNTY.

BY A. O. BAKKEN.

In reply to your request I will endeavor to picture briefly the condition and progress of education in our county. I believe the advancement of education within our boundaries during the last few years has kept a fair pace with the industrial improvements, and these have been very marked. Much credit is due to my predecessor, Mr. H. T. Toye, whose untiring in dustry and superior fitness as an educator, enabled him to accomplish a great deal for the good of the schools.

NORMAL INSTITUTE.

One of the chief instruments for the gradual raising of the standard of education in our county have been the normal institutes. These form at present a very important factor in our educational system; and whatever is done by the State or county for their encouragement and support is, I believe, time well spent and capital well invested. The greatest essential, by far, of a good school, is a good practical teacher, and it is to the preparation and employment of such that the influence of every lover of education should especially be brought to bear. Many of our teachers have, at their outset received but little professional training, and to these a well-organized and ably-conducted institute is of inestimable worth. Another of the many good results of county institutes is the counteraction of the evils arising from a continual change of teachers, by helping to make plans and methods uniform. Our county has had reason to look up to the normal institute system with pride and hope. At our last fall's session of three weeks, not less than one hundred names were on the roll from beginning to close. The institute was divided into three grades, and four instructors were employed. We find some difficulty in the selection of time for holding the institute, having access to the public school building only during vacations. This compels us to hold the fall institute in the latter part of

August, which time, to many of our teachers who all work for a low salary in school, must be spent in farm work.

SCHOOL-HOUSES.

A healthy body is essential to a healthy development of the mind. A school-house should afford as many of the favorable conditions dictated by the laws of hygiene, as possible; and I think the people of this county must have realized this fact. The school-houses erected of late are not only larger than former buildings of the kind, but superior to these in respect to heating, lighting, ventilation, seating, black-board and comfort and convenience in general. The old time prison school-houses have been converted into model houses; and pleasing are the effects.

GROUNDS.

I have but little to say on this topic, as less attention has been given to it, practically, among us. Nor has this been of prime importance in most cases, as our county is largely a prairie district, and each school-house commands the best acre of some of the finest and most favorably located land on this continent. Only in a few cases have any fences been built around the school-house lot. Less importance than desirable has been attached to the proper construction and location of out-houses, and still less to keeping the same in good repair. This often is a sad neglect, and it is difficult to know what the most effective remedy would be. The law in regard to the planting of trees on school grounds has been complied with in most districts, and in no case has the neglect been intentional. What has not been accomplished, will be at the first opportunity.

SCHOOLS.

Our county has eighty-seven schools. Most townships have from six to seven months of school during the year. The winter term is almost invariably one month longer than the summer term. Two or three townships will have eight months of school this year. We have but two terms, with the exception of the independent schools, where the school year occupies from thirty-six to thirty-eight weeks. Our teachers, I am sorry to say, are not well paid; compensation ranging from $20 to $35 in winter, and from $20 to $30 in summer. A few first grade teachers will at the end of a term of three months only draw $78. This is miserable, considering that a teacher, besides giving all her time to the work, has also a capital invested therein. Our best teachers frequently step out of the ranks. What can be done?

The eight branches covered by a teacher's examination are taken up in all our schools. Often I think too many books are studied at one time. School-life in a great 'many instances is too short for the mastering of a great multitude of sciences, and in every case reading, writing and spelling should cccupy the most prominent place on the daily programme until well

194 REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.

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mastered. These branches should include language training. Penmanship is receiving more and more attention. We should teach position, penholding, spacing, height of letters, slant, neatness, etc., at the very beginning. We believe the ability to write a good and fluent hand is a great help in all future school-work.

Drawing and vocal music, though not extensively taught in our schools, are receiving some attention, especially in the graded schools of Northwood.

I am proud of being able to report a general compliance with S. L. of 1886 in regard to the teaching of physiology and hygiene. We have adopted text-books, and where books are lacking the teaching is taken up orally. The law is very popular in our locality, and on its merits we build much hope for the future. Long live the good people in whose philanthropic minds the law was conceived.

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