The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-07-04

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No. OF pupils between and years of age
registered during year. l22
No. between and II wears of ace, PSI
No. between Is and - years of age. 10
Total number registered during year. 4as
Total average daily attendance, 2S9
In my last years report dwelt at some
length on the topic of irregular attendance
end attempted TO show some of its evil
effects upon the school. The figures given
above show that the attendance this year
is no more regular than it was last year.
Take a class of pupils with whom re,u
lar attendance is tho r~io, and, even then,
individual results vary greatly; how much
more must those results vary when several
OF the class put in an appearance at
scarcely three -fourths of the class recita-
tlonsS How is it possible, Task, for teach.
ers to achieve satisfactory results under
such circumstances, and how is it possible
for pupils, whose attendance is character
lied chiefly by irregularitv, to obtain a
knowledge of subjects the acquisition of
which calls for the closest attention and
the keenest diligence?
A majority of the pupils Of this scohool
are children Of foreign born parents, and
large percentage of those children never
hear word of English spoken at their
homes, their acquaintance with that lam
guage dating from the time their school
life begins; and great deal of time is
spent in impartiug to those pupils that
knowledge of the language which they
should have acquired before entering
school. Given two pupils in our public
schools, one speaking the English language
as his mother tongue, the other foreigner
just entering upon study of that Ian
guage, and it will be readily conceded that
the latter il obliged at the outset to labor
under great disadvantage. This state of
affairs is to be regretted, but the parents
themselves are in large measure respons-
ible for it, as many of them possess a fair
knowledge Of English but never use it in
the home circle. Daring the past year
two of the teachers have given the pupils
instruction n the German language. Ow-
ing to the limited time set apart for this
work none but pupils in attendance at
some one of the three higher der artments
secured instruction in this study, those of
the two lower departments bein excluded
AS this arrangement has been the subject
Of considerable criticism, and no small
amount of annoyance to the teachers, it is
suggested, in order to avoid future con
troversy in the matter, that the School
Board settle 1t by deciding what pupils
shall or shall not be admitted to the priv
lego of receiving instruction in the Ger.
man language.
Ii instruction 10 German 10 open to any
and every pupil III the school, then let the
teachers know it; if some are to be admit
ted and others excluded, let :: DC so I'm,
derstood. The teaching of German has
heretofore been confined to imparting a
knowledge of reading and writing that
language. and in my opinion this instruc
ton should be carried no further
than this. | would suggest, how
ever, that in the future, more
| attention be paid to the woc!. OF TRANSMIT
ing English into German, and vice versa.
our school is sadly deficient in philo.
sopkical apparatus and works of reference.
Though do not expect hat the school
| will be readily furnished with q complete
| and varied assortment Of those articles.
still am confident that the next year will
! End the school in possession of a mart. Of
least, of the works of which it stands so
much IN need. Among these are a couple
OF dictionaries, and Chambers Cyclopedia.
This last'named work should find place
in our school at as early day as possible,
| and Venture the statement that one wears
use of 1t will more than repay the cost of
the work, 4 couple Of clocks are needed
! also, and thermometer should be placed
| il each of the TO oms.
| At present, the accommodations for
seating pupils are very limited, and as the
daily attendance of pupils is rapidly in,
crensing, it will soon be necessary to in.
crease the seating capacity OF the school.
AT the beginning of the last school year
a course of study for each room was draft.
ed by me and copy furnished to each of
my associate teachers, to which they ad
| hered from the time ii was submitted -
| Should the administration of the school
| for the coming year fall into other hands
than mine, copy of the course of study
pursued during the past year, together
with synopsis of the work actually ac
complishea, will be placed in the Clerk :
hands. j. A. HUssEY, Pr;noipa!.
LIFEE Is KING.