Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-11-11
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BISMAR(K'SsSCHO0LI
Prof. p. J. Wheaton Presents a Con-
else Statement of Our Insti-.
tut on of Learning
In Which He Advances Sound
R easons fos Abolishing!An-
cient Methods,
And Ask Parents to Cooperate With
Him in Furtherance of the
Desired End.
Second Months Report.
Below is the report of Bismarck
! chools for the second month:

Average daily attendance. 1876
Average scholarship 80
A large amount of the hardness is
excusable; but aver at that it is alto.
gether too much.
Considering the fine weather that has
prevailed during the past month, the
absence, GA days, is quite inexcusable.
Do not come to us with complaints of
unjust graduation or neglectful instruc-
ton concerning scholars that are maxi
ing such a record of attendance. There
are those who almost never miss a day
or even a minute. .. s,sEn @
There are others who never attend a
month or even a week without culpable
loss of time.
Parents have q duty to perform in this
matter of prompt and regular attend
ance; and if they neglect it, they cannot
consistently complain of poor results in
their children.
Again, some are already entering pro-
tests against the graduation. Their OBJ
j~ections have, SO far, been entertained.
This has been done becauseEI was not
sure about the deficiency of the doubt
full pupils, and because I was not quite
certain as to the efficiency or ACCESSIBILITY
OF making any changes in the grades as
already established. I have carefully
examined the work done in each grade;
and on comparing the grades, one with
another, and all with those of other
settles, by the help of their reports, L find
that the grades are too nearly alike.
The lines separating n from another
are very nearly obliterated. Last years
report has been mislaid. AS a result,
many have crept through into grades
beyond their ability, on their own
simple say so. OF course, they dislike
to go back. In many instances it would
be gross injustice aver to let them re-
main where they are, to say nothing
about pushing them on ahead. Happily
there are but few Of these; but they
must be placed where they belong.
Teachers have complained, and very
justly too, that the exact amount to be
accomplished in each room has never
been definitely settled. I think that
every parent in the city should be in
possession of a course of study, arranged
so infinitely and definitely that he could
test, for himself, the progress of his
children while going through the sew
eral rooms. If some such arrangement
had been practiced I fancy that an ex-
ample in subtraction of simple numbers
would not need to be carried to the
sixth room before being solved by the
entire grade. And yet, that is exactly
what I did with an example in simple
subtraction last week.
I find the multiplication table. being
taught in five rooms, covering a space of
seven or eight years. OF course, this is
wrong. Instead, then, of trying to do a
little Of everything and accomplishing
the above results-I propose to have the
work divided up. and have a certain
definite part learned in each room before
the scholar is permitted to leave that
room. AS it is now, a little of this and
that will answer the test of final exami-
nation for promotion. To illustrate,
every boy and girkshould be able to give,
rapidly y accurately, the sum and
difference of every two numbers, from
n to ten, before leaving the second
room.
He should be able to retain this and
learn the products and quotients in
volved in those combinations in the
third room, and so on.
Every student must know q pro.
portional amount of other branches be.
fore he can be promoted.
We often hear that q certain scholar
is all right in everything but one or two
branches. Some ask me if that ought
to stand in the way of promotion. In
general, ! say, yes, most emphatically.
The reason is very plain to any teacher.
The cause of the deficiency is, in most
cases, dislike of the branch, and a con
sequent sighting of it on the part Of the
pupil. No matter how important it may
be, il he doesn't like it, he let's it go.
Right there is the trouble.
Well, I am going to try to remedy
this condition Of things, and I ask the
earnest support and cooperation Of all
parents in the move.
would be glad to see visitors
oftener.
There are many ways that the limits
Of time and space prevent my mention.
ing, in which scholars might be benefited
by frequent visits from parents. @
Don't take children's word for things;
because friends will augment the teach.
er's good qualities, and the unfriendly
exaggerate her bad ones.
+ you want TO know whether or no,