Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-12-29

Average membership ............. 27S
Per ceut. of attendance ........... 95
The report for the same period of last
year shows:
Total enrolment. 275
Present enrolment. 23O
Attendance in days 1892
Absence III dayS.:................. l,15l
NON.membership in days .......... 1882
Hardness in hours. 40
Average daily attendance. 200
Average membership .............. 2l3
Per cent. OF attendance. 9Y
The comparison is certainly crafty
ing; though 1 think there is still too
much hardness and non-membership.
The last mentioned item is made up
from the number of days that elapse be-
tween the beginning of the school year
and each scholars date Of enrolment. II
every pupil we're present the first morn
ing of the opening of school and thic item
eliminated from our report, there
would be a corresponding gain in grada.
ton and scholarship.
L am pleased to report that we are
gaining steadily on the difficult, though
important question of graduation. There
has been less complaint in respect to this
from the patrons than there wal last
year. This welcome and wholesome
change is due largely to a closer and
better relation between parents and
teachers, and a consequent better under
standing and appreciation of the motives
of the latter in matters pertaining to the
welfare of the pupils.
Our school is at present a part of the
nigh school system of the state. There
is more than mere words in this state
ment.
The meaning is this. Previous to this
year, the requirements for graduation or
promotion were left entirely to the prin-
cipal OF the school. At present, no
scholar is permitted to enter the high
school until he has passed a satisfactory
examination under the direction of the
state university. OF course tits impos-
sible to anticipate any Of this, as one of
it's conditions requires the examiner to
cut the envelope containing the ques.
tons in the presence Of the class seated
to begin writing upon it. This plan ie
the most efectual one possible to adopt
in checkipg superficial teaching. Mounte'
bank and parade won't do. Students
must be made to know the contents OF
their books, or fail. The conditions i'm
posed up,n pupils by this arrangement
compel teachers to adopt more rigid
rules regarding recitation and attendance
In this particular connection, parents
can be of the greatest assistance to Ut
and to their children by watching
closely the forthcoming monthly
reports OF each scholar. By making
careful notes OF the statements they con
tain, each parent will be partly respons
IDLE for the possible failure of the pupil
The most important duty that parents
can exercise in the education Of theil
children, is that of conducting theil
studies at home. With rare exceptions
scholars are permitted to pursue bu1
three studies each at a time. This seeml
like a small task, but it is more than tn
average boy or girl a do and do per
fectly. Not one in a hundred can do i
creditably without devoting a portion o
his home time to it's accomplishment
And parents who neglect this neces
sary supervision, cannot reasonabl!
charge us with the failure of their chill
,dren any more than we could or would
claim all the credit due to a successful
termination of the students career a
school.
We are still waiting patiently for
much needed increase in visitation
There is a decided lack In this respect
and while its influence is not felt direct
ly, yet the manifestation Of a little keen
err appreciation of our efforts would YER
materially benefit us. Parents are I'LL
consciously encouraging snowy, super
fetal work by visiting school only o
special days. The time to judge tn
school properly is during the ordinar
every day work. The principle of select
wife in her kitchen dress, applies her
with still greater force. We are glad t
be able to give public notice of the up
pointment of Il committee Of visitation
by the board of education. We hop
soon to see their good example follows
by others who have a decidedly create
personal interest in the school than til
board have official.
One item more. There are u 10,
students, happily but two or three. VIII
are still struggling along in grades tw
or three years beyond them. They ar
those who entered late in the year an
have since been making a desperate bu
noble effort to hold their ground an