Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-07-16

The growth OF the school during the past yea
has been very marked, as will be shown by thu
/ following comparison with the statistics Of TIT
previous year:
i q
, 1929 1851 &c : c
School census-....."..... 1927 1853 l26 :!
, No. OF new entries-....:.. I,ilI 1918 III Il
Greatest number belong -,
Average rag J" S SSe Belonging SIS s SIS 10
A brief inspection OF the above comparison
will show that the increase in tho number be
longing, over 1925 was twenty per cent, while
the Increase in the enrolment was fifteen pei
cent We were thus called upon to provide
daily instruction for ii0 more pupils than IN
1923, while the increase in the number oil
teachers employed was only one. The result OF
this was over-crowding, especially in the prim'
ary departments. The bad effects OF this were
felt In each ward TO some extent, but more es-
pecially In the Lockwood school, where the en-
} cheney Of the work In the first and second prim-
aries was greatly impaired. In the first prim-
airy. during the spring term, there were not
seats enough TO accommodate the children, and
the majority of them were admitted only on
half time. The steps which have already been
taken for the erection OF new building Of two
rooms In the First Ward, and the opening of a
new room In each Of the other wards, Will II
Is reasonable to expect, give ample accommo-
dations for the ensuing year. The three extra
primary teachers already provided for will be
sufficient to take charge Of a somewhat larger
number than has heretofore regularly attended (;
but, should this number be increased 20 per
cent, as was the case last year, more teachers
will be needed. Fortunately the Board will
have sufficient accommodations to provide for
any increase which Is likely to occur.
In May, 1893, a resolution was adopted by the
Board, rendering TO the old force OF teachers
positions In the city schools Again, in June,
| 1884, u resolution was passed, instructing the
committee OH examinations TO employ as many
of the old teachers as desired positions. These
resolutions will, II seems to me, serve as valu-
able precedents TO guide the Board in its future
acts. II is not TO be supposed that In force Of
twenty-five teachers, all will be equally salts
factory In every respect, but where a teacher is
satisfactory in the main, II Is the worst possible
policy TO make any change. There is no one
thing which, In this country works 80 much
harm TO oun educational system, as this con.
slant change in teachers. In no one depart
ment Of human labor. whether OF brain or of
teaching, and yet, strange to say, no business is
so much ut the mercy OF mere expcrmcnters.
Girls with limited educations, and no expert.
ence, confidently apply for positions in our pub.
lie schools, where they expect to remain not
for series of years, when experience. study
and instruction, have rendered them Mt for
their calling, but only for a year, or perhaps
two at the most In the meantime the children
have TO suffer They suffer alike from lack Of
discipline, and from unreasonable discipline;
they suffer from wretchcd explanations, from
no explanations, and from too many cXpana-
tions At an early age they contract habits Of
thought from teachers who themselves have no
idea how to think. much less OF how TO teach
others to think; they become superficial be-
cause their teachers are not thorough enough
These and a dozen other faults are common to
almost all inexperienced teachers. and even
experienced teachers are not always free from
them. The remedy for this Is found in asking
for higher scholarship from our teachers, adj
ded to successful experience. either in the &c.
tual work OF teaching. or in helping others TO
teach. II seems to me that, In the near future,
the Board might we'll require even OF our own
graduates. an experience OF at least three terms,
or that they should have spent the major part of
a year in assisting our best teachers and in
observing their methods.
At the last session OF the legislature. law
was passed, providing for the establishment OF
tYuant schools. Early In the year, the Board
determined to avail itself Of the provisions Of
this act, and. at its request. Thomas C. stevens
was, by order Of the City Council, detailed from
the police force TO act as truant officer. AS n
direct result OF Mr.. Stevens efficient service,
sixteen truants have been returned to the
al nfx hnp hean IN
attendance during a large portion of the year
remaining after their return ono was correct
ed by the courts Of q misdcmeanor one was
sent TO the Reform School for an assault; a
third proved to he over age; fourth was re-
moved because Of sickness, and the remaining
one was unreformed. No doubt the failure in
this case would not have occurred had the
justice been Of the opinion that the Board had
taken all the steps necessary to secure a legal
conviction. The benefits OF this act arc not 10
he estimated by the results in the sixteen eases
mentioned, but the certainty OF arrest, and the
disgrace attending Il, have, no doubt deferred
many others from playing truant. In addition
the ofiiccr has visited many families and warn
ed them OF the consequences that were likely
to attend truancy, or a failure on their part to
send their unemployed children To school. IN
general, the experiment has worked well. aud
as Chief Gibbons has signhed his intention 10
enforce the law TO the letter, If the Board
should so order, ] would recommend its contln-
uance. with such additional action on the part
OF the Board rs may be necessary TO make tho
execution Of the law an entire success.
An examination Of the records shows the
names OF thirteen scholars who have not been
absent during the past year, five Of whom have
not lost any time In two years. Present every
day for two years; Louise Mcdonald, Isabella
McRac, George Paxton, Carrie Creighton, Har-
ry Burton. Not absent during the past year:
Laville Prince, Angus Gordon, Bert Gordon,
Albert Gardiner, Charles kimball, Frank Kim
ball, Julian Bruno, Robert Tough.
Your attention Is respectfully called TO the
desirability of pro, iding some means by which
the older scholars Of our Grammar grades and
our High school may become better acquainted
with the news OF the day, and with our best
current literature. The time has gone by when
knowledge OF reading, writing and arithmetic
can be considered sufficient for the needs OF
our public schools. This nursery of our future
citizens should, where practicable, place within
the reach OF every boy and girl that information,
without which intelligent citizenship can not
exist Something is done In this line by the
the teaching OF Civil Government IN our High
School, hut much more could be accomplished
even in this department, II copies OF our best
daily and weekly papers, irrespective Of parties,
could he placed where they could be convcn
iently consulted by those of our pupils who
could probably use them Such papers ms the
Golden Days. Youths Companion, and such
magazines Ms the Century IIarpcrs. and The
Atlantic, would find many constant and intelli-
gent readers among those Of our pupils whose
limited means will not allow them the advant-
ages OF such reading. Fully convinced that a
reading room in connection with the Central