Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-02-13
THE HALEY SCHOOLS.
Professor Miners Statement of th.ir
Present and Prospective Working or
Plan Of Operation.


In your issue of the 18th instant
appears the following:
AT the last examination several
pupils in the higher grades failed to
pass and were SENT BACK to lower
grade. In consequence thereof they
left school. ~This is unprecedented.
In graded schools pupils are not ad-
vanced until they have thoroughly
mastered their grade; and if they
fail to pass all examination for
higher grade they at least HOLD THEIR
GRADE. They never-retrograde.
Your informant Oh this subject has
misrepresented the facts. Only four
pupils failed to pass examination;
they were GA" Grammar pupils. Two
quit school and the other two are con-
tinuing along in their work. Ac-
cording to our rules, if pupils fail
they must continue in the grade in
which they failed until they pass sat
isfactory examinations. Pupils DO
not retrosrade, they hold their grade.
Pupils never can pass grades by
quitting school. Examination papers
are school property and are kept in
the building; if any parent is dis
satisfied with the examination stand.
ing, come to the building and look
over the papers. Last September l
encouraged these four pupils by adj
vacing them from the "B" Grammar
to the Ca" l did so on account of
their age, not on account of their
knowing the "B" work. told them
I was willing to advance them to the
"a" work and l thought by diligent
labor they would be able to pass into
the High School. When pupils quit
school because they fail in examina-
ton, they are doing themselves injus-
tice---no one else. | much prefer to
see all grades advance as unit, but
when pupils fail to do the required
work, each pupil will be held i'll the
grade until they can do it; there will
be no exception to this rule. l pre-
pare the grade work of the school.
last fall | made the classification and
| intended the teachers to bring the
work up to the required grades. The
plan is to promote twice this school
year, so as to have for next years
work Grammar School Of at least
80 and High School of about So.
BY this plan it will be seen that the
older pupils and others who have the
ability, will be rapidly advanced.
Graded Schools AMI High Schools
cannot be established in months OF
year. 1t requires diligent, persist.
ent effort of teachers and patrons
When l took charge of the school.
work in Oct, 1856, unfortunately for
the schools there had been no system
IN the work. l had 20 or so pupils
in my grade, making five arithmetic
classes, several geography classes,
several readiNg classes, and about
one half dozen had studied grammar
and instead of having two classes tc
the grade | had at least a half dozen
The other two departments were
equally as poorly graded. l saw
there Was a large amount Of worl
ahead to establish graded work.
mapped out the years work, which
teachers followed. This brought thi
wears classifcation--the foundation
for graded wo,k-this classification
5 will result in THOROUGHLY ESTABLISH
ED GRADES by the end of this schoo
year.
| told the Board, when | CANE
here, that it would take me two year
to establish graded work. SO, if tn
. patrons and friends of popular educa
ton will have patience, at the end O
this session they will have credit
\ able school. The district has invest
ed great deal of money in an excel
: lent school building, and certainly
the people expect more than country
school work to be done from countr
S school text. books.
:, | will call your attention to anothe
state ment, which your informant is il
y error. 1t is relative to Miss Va
Hoesen having % pupils eligible TO
+. promotion. The fact is Miss Va
4 Hoe sen has not single pupil e!igib!
d for promotion to the lntermedlat
" grade; not one of her pupils ha
y finished the 2nd Primary grade worl