Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1879-07-16

SHERWOOD passed. satisfactory cNamina'
tion for teachers certificate. Report ac-
cepted aud committee instructed to is
sue certificates on payment OF the usual
fee.
REPORTS OF OFFICERS.
From Superintendent, summary OF at
tendance and enrolment. Ordered plac-
ell on illc
From the superintendent, the follow
ing report which was received and ON
motion OF Mr.. Maltz, ordered spread at
length on the Journal;
To DE Board Of Education Of he city Of
ApcRd:
GENTLEMEN Il have the honor to pre-
sent herewith my twenty-iourth quarter
I ~ report, containing the general statiS-
! ties of the public schools Tor the school
! year just closed. a few of the more inn
/ portant items might be recapitu,atod
aud deductions and comparisons made
/ The total amount paid for salaries OF
I teachers was $4,000. The whole
number of pupils enrolled, not counting
any names twice, was ego. The cost OF
instruction is, therefore, found to be
S1S2 each per year. The actual num-
Der of days attendance was 69,205,
whence we find that the cost of tuition |
per day was fraction under seven cents |
and half for each scholar In actual at /
tendance. The total number cnro.led /
was greater than for any previous year,
as was also the average number belong
lug. in spite of the very frequent and
malignant outbreak of contagious dis
eases. These causes have several times
more than deCimated our number, and
in one case reduced the whole number
almost one-half These facts suggest
the necessity OF some system by which
teachers may be informed where such
diseases exist, instead of being left, as
now, TO find out the best way they can.
II some simple system was adopted re-
luiring the proper authorities to prompt
~ report TO the school superintendent ,
any cases OF contagious diseases, the
schools, with their constant restraint, a.,
should be the safest place for the pupils.
The per cent. of attendance Is also some
what lower than usual. or each hun
bred considered belonging, only eighty
nine were in actual attendance, and for
zach hundred who came TO school. Just
lne came late. 2j7 pupils were promot-
III from grade, and 40 were taken from
heir classes aud placed i'm higher ones.
This is AZ per cent of the average mum
Der bclonging-5l were placed in lower :
classes.
Careful attention has always been
'aid to the fact that pupils should be =,
promoted at any time they may be pre- ci
JARED, whether il be in the midst of the il
work of the term, or at the end |!
The total number of halt days lost by
eachers, for all causes, was III. Good d.
substitutes were appointed in every case .,
nj the schools were continued without q,
The total number OF Wis z,
Is recorded from the Board of Educa- pi
ion was 80. As fve-SiXths of the mem tr
crs are credited with only about one
alf OF these visits, it is to be feared that 10
DO much reliance, by some, is placed on II,
econd hand remarks or walking adver- an
Opinions concerning matters ar
such vast Importance rs those center ~,
j IN our public schools, can hardly be IN
llely borrowed from the children, and, sh
ct, it is fact, and | say it with all due .n
,Spcct to the honesty of the children, ~
nat very large number of parents of
rm their opinions, favorable or I'M w
vorable, concerning this or that siv
achCr, on just this kind of authority.
would earnestly urge that your visits
the schools be more frequent. Go, if
'ssible, at the beginning of the term,
Id again at the close. Observe careful
IN order To note results. To deter
inc the character of instruction, long
SITS are by no means necessary. For
Is purpose, two minutes OF actual OBJ
rVatlon are worth more than two
)nths of hcrcsay, just as a good pho.
graph will give Il better idea than
yes of description. DO not, let me
sc, pass Judgment on a teachers deed
work from simple rumor. We al
iys finally learn that school questions
We TWO SIDES, and IL often takes III
lSer to listen to IA rumor than to fluid
[ Facts. If teachers are liable to err. Co
must be borne in mind that they are
less liable to Misrepresentation, and
S Is very fleet of foot. If much is
ne in the education of the youth i'm RcT
lie OF some of these facts, how much 10
ght be done If all parents fully under =
'Od that their hearty, cheerful, prompt -
operation is as essential to the pros II
'lty OF IA school as are the rain and 10y
lShlne to the growth of the vegetable Us q
rid. IL Is an easy matter to gather Enc
pills together within the walls of a INN
IN 1t Is comparatively easy to inter use
them for time, but TO keep alive for Stoc
z months, and even years, a uniform Full
crest, and inspire with true spirit fuli'
acquiring knowledge, call for the best ~
dom and cooperation of parents and
chers. We can all of us remember
EN- we were children, but our memo
Will hardly serve TO recall single
ri that our parents said against the
Cher and yet we have all in more ~
1crn times seen false criticism sown 20
adcast In every household, and seen
oicrated from year TO year. Does it
Troy the character of the teacher, or
him even personal harm? BY no
ms. 1t is plain to see that its infu-
in this quarter would be exactly me me
reverse. The harm lies in the fact thew
IL polsons the very heart and soul bein
innocent childhood and youth. 1t tuck ,hc
rates upon the pure tablets of the your
III like acids on polished steel which a ere
amount of furnishing can efface.
'ut III is not my purpose to enter into
lsscrtation on this very important IL
ject, however wide the field may be ; -
need j seek for illustration. The
need not be pointed out that herein
no small amount of the expana-
! FOR the small amount of difference
esuits obtained in the simple schools
twenty-five years ago, and those of
present, with all their modern i'm.
trust that in these suggestions | may
hn tel. 4