HISTORY OF WOOD COUNTY



civics and hygiene. The Continuation School is fostered by the Board of Educa-
tion, which also maintains a day and evening commercial school. This school
is
free to all residents of the city and has proven popular during the year
in which
it has been operated. All told, the Continuation Schools of the city are
accom-
modating about 150 young people this year. The expense for maintaining the
schools fostered by the Industrial Board is equally divided between the city
and
the state. The McKinley building is the home of the High School. During the
last year this building has been improved by an addition costing over $20,000,
so
that it is now up to date in every respect. The High School curriculum provides
a general course for those who wish to go to college, and a commercial course
for
pupils who wish to fit themselves for the business world. A domestic science
course is also offered, and the advisability of adding a four-year course
in agricul-
ture is now being considered. That the instruction in the High School is
of high
grade is indicated by the fact that a state inspector recently rated the
school as
up to the very highest standard in the state. Public speaking is emphasized
and
the school has been very successful in this line of work. Twice since 1909
the rep-
resentatives of the local school have won the state championship in oratory;
last
year they carried off the state championship in debate and this year in the
same
line of work the school has just won second place in the state in competition
with
27 of the best high schools. Ten teachers administer the work of the High
School,
which now has an enrollment of 200."
    The above review, printed six years ago, may be fitly supplemented by
the
following facts, furnished by Prof. Chester Newlun, the present superintendent:
    "Since 1916 the Marshfield schools have made rapid progress. In
1917, be-
cause of the over-crowded conditions, both in the grades and in the high
school,
the district voted to build a new Junior High School. The building was delayed
because of the war and was not completed until September, 1920. In the mean-
while the schools prepared for the new organization. They adopted a course
of
study which provided six years of high school work, instead of four. The
schools
are now organized on the 6-3-3 plan, which means that the first six grades
are in
the elementary schools, the seventh, eighth and ninth grades in the Junior
High
School, and the tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades in the Senior High School.
In
the course of study for the high schools are six years of Home Economics,
three
years of Manual Training, including both metal and wood working, four years
of
Commercial work, and four years of Agriculture, in addition to the regular
Aca-
demic course offered in high schools. The special course in the study of
Vocations
and Occupations is given throughout the six years of high school. The present
enrollment in the grades is about 800 and in the high schools-about 350 in
the
Junior High School and about 300 in the Senior High School, with 60 teachers
employed. In April, 1922, the Marshfield Board of Education and the Marsh-
field Industrial School Board mutually agreed to combine the Vocational School
with the public schools for administrative purposes, so that now the two
school
systems in Marshfield are consolidated and are running as one unit. The Junior
High School was named the William D. Purdy School in honor of William D.
Purdy, who lost his life July 4, 1918, in Alsace, in order to save the lives
of several
of his comrades in the army. The episode of his throwing himself upon the
sev-
eral exploding bombs to save the lives of his comrades is quite generally
known.



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