Wichita eagle., 1889-03-05
SCHOOL BOARD
Figure ON Voting 500, 600 Bonds for Erecting
school Buldin2-Teacher's Examia.
alton Saturday Next.

| than a quorum present. After some add
tional rustling the necessary number
were on hand. The clerk found McBain
| CIapp. Tucker, Campbell, Pallett and
| Fegtley present with President Levy in the
chair.
The call for the report of Superintendent.
| Chidster resulted in the following being
read:
The statistical report which | submit
| herewith is for the school month ending
| February 8. 1889. The present month Will
! end with this week hence no report OF II
can be given at this time.
| No of pupils belonging at beginning
ofmonth Sch. No. of Jan. l.::...... 35o-
! No of new pupils admitted during -.
No. dropped out (dismissed) during
The month ia
M BELONGING at close of month -. 1884
Average No belonging during month 35.0
Average daily attendance ..-. o5z9
Average paily attendance. $1,000. Z0U
or about per cent of No. belonging.
Number of cases Of Hardness. -........ 9t9
Number of cases of truancy.; ....-:.;. "A
Number of cases OF corporal punish -
ment. ..........-:-. ..-.--.- ID
Number of pupils promoted at semi
annual examinations. .2,ool
Number set back to lower grade.--.-. 81
Number of visits made by superinten-
dent .---........-.. 81 ~
Number of visits from others. $40
As to the general management and re-
suits of the school | do not care TO say
much at this time The month is more
worthy of note for the absence OF anything
extraordinary or peculiar than for
their existence. The number of cases
of corporal punishment Is lit
tie in excess of the average,
and teachers noted it. Since the close OF
the month and lately there has been quite
an evident attempt to avoid this unpleas-
ant duty, and to have suspension take It's
place. As result there have been an I'M
usual number of pupils sent home Tor DIS
cipline within the last three weeks. rms
has occasioned more note and warmth OF
interest in many quarters than was &C.
casioned by the corporal punishment.
Penmanship under a special teacher mas
been gotten under way since last report. IT
has taken considerable OF arranging and
adjusting to get it started properly
but we nowi have it so that the special
teacher can visit each room-aboye second
grade-once every four days, and writing
comes every other-or alternate day-al-
ternating with drawing. The plan into
which our efforts have crystallized seems
to be almost universally satisfactory. 1t
has been complained from some quarters
that some teachers are not making
speciality Of penmanship IN conjunction
with the special teacher, but after hearing
their side | am convinced that they are
doing all they can, in justice
to the other branches, and that where
they have so many grades and classes
it is impossible to do more than they are
doing.
Drawing has been pushed also. In fact
we have almost lost sight OF the other
branches during the past few weeks IN try
ing to boom" these two studies. MISS
Weaver has given two sets OF lessons pc
ing with us in all about three weeks. In
case it is deemed necessary, she promises
to return and give still another course of
lessons. A change has been made In the
time Of holding the grade meetings. They
will be held for the rest of the year on Sat
urdays, in connection with the general
meeting. This plan is made possibly by
the fact that having carefully gone over
the work during the first term, teachers
are so well acquainted with it as to be
able to lay it off by months in much less
thon before. This will obviate all after
noon dismissions for that purpose IN the
future Except one meeting for first grade
vet which has been promised them. An
opportunity to contribute TO the luna TO
restore Mt. Vernon was given the pupils
recommending that no one contribute over
5 cents and making a penny equally ac-
ceptnble. This was done in response to
an appeal from the state manager,
Miss Jennie Ward, as published
in the columns OF the West
ern School Journal, the Daily EAGLE and
other papers. The amount contributed
was 5000. which is just aboutour proper
tion in accordance with an estimate OF the
state.
some questions have been asked in re-
gard to the promotions: how is it that we
had promotions and yet pupils as rule
did not change rooms nor teachers. ne
pupils are simply advanced IN their stud
les and the teacher is 10 go right along
with the advance work. he Tact Is, no
change of teachers was made except when
absolutely necessary. In my opinion, 100
fl. ouent change of teachers Is rather detrl-
mental than beneficial, and pu-
nils ought, when possible, TO 20
the entire wear TO the same teacher
Hence the formations did not mean
change OF teacher, but only an advance OF
work for the pupil.
Another small, but rather important
matter has received attention. For num-
her of wears we have not made any attempt
at sending home reports to parents show
ing monthly. weekly or bi-weekly stand
ing of pupils. Where this plan has been
in use a good while it is good thing to
be dropped for season, but where, as IN
oar case. ii has been a good while since Ii
has been in use, it is good thing 70 adopt
for a while. until people get tired OF 1t ana
grow careless. Acting on this view
of the subject, report card
has been prepared. and presented
to the teachers A small majority favor
its use. Those not specially favor1ng Its
use are not particularly opposed to IT, and
in tact offer no objection except that the
making out of this report every two or
four weeks will consume time which they
think might more probably be employed
i'll preparing other Work. Ihose iavorlug
say that the interest these reports will be
get will more than make up for the labor,
and that bv reason of this interest pupils
will need enough less work in other direc
tions 10 offset the work of making out the
cards. Ii was decided at last TO lay the
matter before the board and 10 request the
board:
lst. To provide the report cards for the
use of those who desired To use them, with
permission to do so.
I'd. To consider the matter OF making
the rule universal and advlse,-such teach
ers as do not care for them, promising TO
adopt them cheerfully and use them wisely
if the Board thought II would better be a
general rule, and
Sd. If the Board did not see its way
clear to furnish them, to permit such
teachers as desired 70 do 50 TO provide and
use them under the sanction and authority
of the Board.
In conclusion | will call the attention
of the Board 70 a matter that by
being nisrepresented is sometimes pro-
ductive OF wrong opinions and even
of innocent parties II Is
the matter Of having pupils
take part in literary or rhetorical exercises
once month The exercises consist of
or ESSAYS, select readings,
etc. Sometimes pupil Is al
lowed TO read short. selection, sometimes
he is set TO write composition on some
subject he has been taught, and sometimes