Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1874-04-22


ranged from 80 to 90 per cent.
Only ten of the candidates received
certificates, this being the first ex-
animation of the kind, | think,
during the last three years at which
any candidate has been refused
certificate. The result of that ex-
animation was that we obtained
teachers well qualified for their
work, as an examination of the
school will show. | have been thus
led to make this explanation be-
cause of the fact thatthe members
of the Board and myself, who con-
Quoted that examination have since
been frequently charged with ex-
treme favoritism. If .lfavoritism
consists in recommending and
urging the appointment of those
who pass the best examinations, l
most gladly plead guilty, for the
recompense found in having good
and faithful corps of teachers amply
repays for all the reproach attend
ant on the charge. And to the
same purpose let me further recon-
mend that hereafter written report
of the examination of each candid
ate be made and filed in the office
Of the Secretary of the Board.
The reasons for this are too obvious
to need any remark.
You are doubtless aware that we
are using course of study in our
schools that requirers for its COM
pletion ten. years of attendance.
| 1t divides the school into five
grades of two years each, namely !:
Primary, Secondary, intermediate,
Grammer and High School. This
course of study | arranged two
years'ago last August, and has been
used with certain slight modifica-
tons ever since. 1t fixes the
amount of work to be done each
term of the ten years by stating the
studies to be pursued each term,
the books to be used, the page at
which to begin each term, and also
the page at which to stop, and the
amount to be reviewed, thus re-
leaving the teacher of the response
bility of taking the class as far as
she cana method, the evils of
which are self evident.
In reference to the number of
pupils enrolled our report is very
fiattering. We find that though
there are three other schools in
town, German, Norwegian, and
Catholic, yet we have received,
after subtracting those who have
been enrolled twice, five hundred
and fifty seven different pupils, or
almost ~ per cent of the entire
school population of the city. l
presume / need not inform you
that this per centage is surprisingly
large when we compare it with the
per centage of enrolment in other
towns of our State, and also when
taken into consideration the large
number who attend the Catholic
School. The last annual report of
the Detroit public schools exhibited
an enrolment of but 81 per cent of
school population, or only one per
cent more for the whole year than
one half per centage we have en-
rolled in two terms. The small
number belonging at the date of
this report is due principally to the
fact that the whooping cough was
at its loudest hight in all the
schools at that time. Our per
centage of attendance on the num-
Der belon ging, is also much larger
than the average and nearly I per
cent greater than it was two and a
half years ago. The cases of tardi-
ness have also been reduced from
nearly 40 a day down to but little
over two. We have now in all the
schools only 1889 cases of hardness
for each half day. One half of last
term passed by without a single
case of hardness in the grammer
and High School departments. 1t
will be observed that the number
of half days lost by the teachers for
all causes is but fourteen. In
every case / either filled the place
myself OF appointed substitute SO
that the school went on as usual.
Besides the regular examinations
at the close of each term, we have
had during the last two years, reg
ular examinations at the close of
each month, these as far as posi-
BILE, being written. From these /
receive a written report every
month, of the standing of each
pupil, in each of the various stud
les. These constitute an excellent,
and in fact, the best basis for grad
/ ing and promotions. The examin-
.ations at the close of the term last
i past were more satisfactory, con-
sidering them as whole, than any
heretofore. Though they were
not in every respect entirely salts
factory, yet they evinced more
thorough, and more practical
knowledge of the subject passed
over, than has been exhibited al
any examination before during the
last three years.
/ presume i need hardly speak
of the discipline of the schools
This, to the casual visitor, will, in
any school, speak plainly for itself
Its importants is rarely overesti