The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-25
OUR PUBLIc

81. During the year there have been
1850 pupils enrolled in the schools,
which exceeds the enrolment Of last
year by $50. These pupils have been
distributed in thirty-five rooms and
have been instructed and managed by
thirty-eight teachers, not including the
teachers of special branches. OF the
t~hirty-fve rooms referred to, twenty
five are in buildings belonging to the
district and ten of them are rented.
With the completion of the buildings
now commenced, all the schools of the
city can be accommodated without the
necessity Of paying rent, an item which
during the present year has amounted
to fully $500 per month.
Inasmuch as there has been no
special increase in the city's population
during the present year from immlgra-
ton, the increase of $50 in the daily at
tendance in schools may justly be
regarded as the legitimate increase in
the school population, and may safely
be counted upon for another year and,
in fact, as a constant yearly'growth. Any
material increase Of population from
without would serve to overcrowd the
schools and necessitate the renting of
temporary rooms until such time as
buildings o contemplated could be
erected and made ready for use.
In most respects the work of the year
has been very satisfactory. The teach
ers have been devoted to their work,
have labored intelligently, and with
pupils, studious, we'll disposed, and
eager for the most part to learn, they
have succeeded in securing results that
are gratifying.
The attendance and punctuality while
greatly improved over last years record
is far from being what it should be, and
what, with a little care on the part of
the parents, it might be. There have
been during the present year about 1900
cases OF hardness as against over 1000
last year. The days of absence for the
present year is about $4,000, which is
300 less than for the preceding year.
When we consider that the average
daily attendance is greater by $50 than
that of last year, it is readily seen that
there is a marked improvement, and yet
it is by no mean what it ought to be.
There Is an utter failure on the part of
many of the patrons to realize the i'm
p~oftance of regular and prompt atten-
dance on the part of their children. An
absence Of five or six days per month
tends to destroy a pupils interest in his
work and make thoroughness absolutely
out of the question.
Not only this, but it retards the pro
gress Of the class by necessitating a re-
view for the benefit of him who has
been absent. 1t is safe to say that &C
per cent Of the failures is owing to ir-
regularity of attendance, and that as
large a per cent of the cases of indiffer-
emit scholarship of pupils may be traced
to the same cause. When parents come
to appreciate the Importance of consenu.
tive attendance, to realize that {
thorough education in the common
branches is of vastly greater value tt
the child than the few paltry dollars he
may earn, and when they become i'm.
pressed with the fact that it is essential
to good citizenship and the highest type
of true manhood, then and not till her
may we hope to see a decided change
for the better in these things.
The outlook for the schools is indeed
promising. In addition to the fact that
the trustees have secured a very efic-
lent corps Of teachers for next year, the
completion and occupancy of the new
Rodney street and high school build
ings, will add materially to the comfor
and convenience of both teachers ant
pupils and thus add to the efficiency O
the work in all It's departments.
In the first and second grades the
Synthetic system of teaching reading
will be introduced, while geography, in
all grades where that branch is studied
will be taught by the progressiv.
method. Teachers will receive instrud
ton in these methods at the summer
school which will open IN Helena June
18th.
1t is the fixed purpose of the superin-
tendent and teachers to keep full ,
abreast Of the times and employ the
the most effective methods known to
the profession.
With a constantly growing sentiment
In the city in favor of prompt and regu
lar attendance, with a l"ivelier interes
on the part of tho parents in the pro
gress and general welfare of their chill
dren, and with the elegant and comfort
able buildings which the generosity an'
public spirit of the community has pro
vided, it is safe to assume that tn
schools will not only maintain that de
gree of excellence already attained, bu
will enter upon an era of greater pros
perity and usefulness.
1t has been the aim of the superir
tendent aad trustees to SO arrange til
course of study in the high school tina
pupils who complete it may be qualiiie
to enter freshman classes in the bes
colleges in the east; Furthermore to d
work in such a thorough manner tina
the graduates Of our schools shall, upo
. presenting certificates of graduation, b
accepted without examination. To thi