Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, March 27, 1909, Page 59

— S N N J— —— BEMIDJI, BELTRAMI COUNTY AND NORTHERN MINNESOTA. PROF. A. P. RITCHIE. City Superintendent of Schools and a Widely Known Educator. Minnesota is known throughout the land for the large number of educators who are to be found within her borders, and among those eminent in this field is Prof. A. P. Ritchie, superintendent of the city schools of Bemidji. Mr. Ritchie is now serving his fifth year as the head of our schools, and that he is capable, intellec- tual and an executive of no mean calibre may be gleaned from the appended illus- tration of his rise to recognition in the educational ‘world. Born on a farm in the State of North Carolina, Mr. Ritchie at an early age was brought to the State of Minnesota by his parents, who settled in Wright County. Plodding along as a farmer boy until he had attained his majority, Mr. Ritchie, having mastered the three R’s through a country school attendance, after a fash- ion phenomenal to general training, con- cluded to hew out a reputation in the world of learning. Beginning as a school teacher, his ability. as a tutor soon at- tracted the attention of the school boards within the vicinity, and he was proffered the position of superintendent of schools at Cokato, a post he filled for four years. At the expiration of that time he was called to Milaca, where he labored in the same -capacity for two years, at the ter- mination of which he was tendered the superintendency of Bemidji’s schools, a position which, as we have heretofore stated, he has held for five consecutive years, and one in which he can remain for an indefinite time if he so desires. Since his incumbency as superintendent of Bemidji’s schools, Mr. Ritchie has not only inaugurated new and up-to-date meth- ods of training, but has -been the means CENTRAL SCHOOL BUILDING A. P. RITCHIE of introducing new and further advanced studies and installing comfortable and more healthful surroundings for pupils. Through his efforts and solicitation an adequate ‘heating and ventilating plant, costing $3,500 has been installed, a new high school building to cost $35,000 to $40,000 is now assured, and the school system generally has ‘been greatly strengthened by virtue of Mr. Ritchie’s conscientious and tireless work. In the event of the erection of the proposed High school building, the present quarters will be devoted to a grade school, thus adding another seat of learning to Bemidji. Prof. Ritchie has also been the means of in- troducing the Storms’ Business Course in the high school curriculum, a training invaluable to qualified students, and econ- omical in cost as well as valuable. Next yvear Prof. Ritchie proposes to establish a2 manual training school, the which would#® long since have been a reality had con-% ditions been propituous. r Prof. Ritchie is one of those astute men whose presence is impressive by reason of both his strength of character and his§ known achievements in the interests ofg education. To indicate his executive and! impelling force as supervisor and director! of school affairs it is but necessary to re-| late that when he became superinten-| dent of Bemidji’s schools, there were but| eleven girls and one boy in the High| school. Now there are 103 pupils in daily| attendance. Quite a showing, to say the] least, and one commendatory to the fore- sight and study of Prof. Ritchie relative to cause and eifect. Again, the increase of pupils in all the schools, graded and ‘high, since Prof. Ritchie’s assumption of the reins, amounts to 400. No further words need be add- ed. TIncrease in enrollment of schools, while natural as it may be by virtue of increase in population, cannot be main- tained unless the proper influences and methods of learning prevail, so it is plain that Prof. Ritchie has, by his knowledge of school children and curriculi, greatly benefited botn the city and the pupils of the schools by the application of practical teaching and tolerable conditions. Competent educators constitute the bulwark of our vicilization. They are to be highly rated among the genius of the nation. The Pioneer is free to confess that it discerns in Prof. Ritchie an exem- plary and able educator, a man of ideal precepts, and a gentleman who can be trusted to creditably dispose of any re- sponsibility pertaining to education which may be thrust upon him.