Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-04-15
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
Edited by the Teachers OF the Public Schools
of Los Angeles county.l
Form OF Monthly Reports.

{, HERALD: / have for some time medi-
tated contribution to your column,
and now attempt to comply. On the
last day of the last Teachers Institute
call was made, without previous no..
tice, for opinions and suggestions on
the subject Of monthly reports OH the
standing of pupils in the schools. Ac-
cording to my recollection, specimen,
cards of two different kinds were ex-
planned. had then in use in my
school, a system differing entirely
from those, which I did not bring for
ward for the reason that l was the
only teacher, as far as 1 knew, who
used it, and 1 had exhibited it to one
teacher, who did not approve of it.
However,, l should have exhibited it,
if l had had one of my cards with
me.
Without further preface, l will pro-
ceed to explain my system, which,
however,I do not claim as entirely
original. 1t is, in fact, a leaf from
Bancroft's Pupils Diary adapted
to the purpose of monthly report.
had used Bancroft's s'Pupils' Diary"
with good results and with these OBJ
jections: it was put up in pamphlet
form with pages for ten months, which
necessitated such long continued
handling that, with the majority of
pupils, they became disgustingly
soiied and in many cases came to
pieces. aue
My system is diary for one month,
com bined with report of attendance,
department and scholarship in each
separate branch pursued. 1t is SO
ruled In vertical columns as to give a
column for each school day in the
month, with column for totals and
one for per cents at the right hand,
and one for the branches pursued on
the left hand margin. In the vertical
columns the pupil places, after each
recitation, the number of credits au-
thorized by the teacher, the standard
OF fperfection being five. 1t will be
seen that if the pupil is in attendance.
without loss of time and has perfect
lessons, his total will be 100 in each
branch; as, also, in attendance, and
his percentage will correspond with
his total. In short, every teacher or
other person who will look at the diary
with interest can easily understand
the standing of pupil in every point
of which it is important to be in
formed UcDH#
n At the bottom of the diary the
teacher Informs the parent the num-
Der of days school was kept open dur
ing the month reported, the number
OF days the pupil attended, and the
number of days the pupil was late.
This diary, after the totals and per
cents are made up and other blanks
filed, is sent to the parents for their
instruction and signature, the sigma
ture of the parents being Simply an
evidence that the parents have looked
at it. The teacher is thus enabled to
lay before the parents each month an
accnrate aoooant of oach day s work
of his child, kept by his child's own
hand, which adds very materially to
the usefulness of this system.
For what if at first, it is soiled, and
the figures are large and awkardly
made, My child did this work with
with its own child's hand;'c 80 and it
is signed by its teacher; it. is faith
f0l exponent of what lie is doing every
day when he is away from me-" How
anxiously the loving mother will look
for marks of improvement in the
Monthly Report! How carefully the
child or youth will keep his diary and
guard it from dust and drops of ink
that will sometimes sunaccountably
run down of the pen! iAJtBg
While using this diary keep no
class book, except one in the form of
diary. have q stone book slate of
suitable size; and, cutting the list of
studies printed on the left hand mar
gin of blank diary in proper shape,
i stick it on the top ola page of the
slate, leaving sufficient margin on the
left for the names of the members of
the class whose diary l keep on that
page. Thus, after recitation lis fin
ished and the credits awarded ! open
to the diary OF the class, and, in the
column for the branch in hand, enter
the credits awarded to each pupil.
The use of this, class diary is, to cor
rect any errors the pupils may make,
and to keep account of department
tardiness. Before dismissing school L
open my diary and call the roll of the
roll of classes, and each pupil answers
by giving report of the credits en-
tered in his diary for his lesson; at
which time l give him his credits in
department and he enters them on
his diary. oa,.a sraa. a.,a
In the morning the class diary of
the previous day is rubbed out and
you begin with class slate.
+" I claim that this is a much handler
system than the class-book system,
requiring less work, and bringing the
whole into more compact form. 1t
secures emulation in a greater degree,
the pupils are at all times perfectly
Informed how they stand; and proper
ly used, must secure habits of neat
ness in the use Of the pen. m ,....5.iGa, & e.
The parents appreciate it, as bring
ing them into an intimate relation
with the school, and as giving them
positive information of the work of
their children in school.
But its use Is necessarily limited to
the class of the first and second grades.
Indeed, have found 1t quiet imprac-
ticable to grade the recitatiOns of the
lower classes; and content myselfwith
good department and attention. hs
I send you inclosed some copies of
my Diary and Report that you may
pass your judgment upon its merits.
and, il you consider. it worth your
while, Iwould be glad to have your
opinion on it. w. s. REAvIs,
Los Nietos, Cal, April 9th, 1885.
At the last Teachers Examination in
San Francisco there were forty nine
applicants for certificates, of whom
twenty-four failed entirely. Only
seven. first grade certificates were
granted. Sofar as heard from there