The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-01-04
Address to the Patrons of the Public
Schools of Mankato by Superin-
tendent q. F. kenaStOn.

SCHOOLS OF Mankato by Superin=
tendent q. F. kenaston.
The work of four months of the
school year of 1894 has been done, and
records of attendance, study, recita-
ton, conduct and progress have been
made, and those which have not
been sent home for signature will
be sent on the first Monday of
the new year. The enrolment
is 1910, an increase of 178 over
the corresponding time last year, and
of 3l9 over two years ago.
Great progress has been made in
the work of all grades in more skill
and natural methods of teaching:
more useful, practical materials for
development of child mind more sub
jects for stimulating and enriching
child life and character. The teachers
meetings, held every week, have been
devoted to the study of the best
means, methods and course of study
to use in each grade. McClellen's
"Applied Psychology has bee adopted
for study by all the teachers. Much
study and care have been put on a
new course of study for all the grades
of the schools. This course embraces
as much of the modern subjects,
methods and suggestions as seems
wise to incorporate at once in our
plans, and at the same time leave out
nothing practical, approved and valu-
able in the old.
The aim of the work under my
supervision has been tending toward
the practice and suggestions of the
best schools and educators of the coun-s
try. A teacher of experience, broad
observation and ability visited us re-
Gently and remarked to the superin-
tendent that he had not seen more
practical. pedagogical, modern teach
ing than he saw in some of our grades.
Just what things need most to be done
in each grade, how it should be done
and what will help us to do it, are
questions on the lips of all the
teachers.
While the board of education has
done most generously and thought
fully for us, still many grades are
crowded, and children have to submit
to be transferred to distant buildings.
We suffer from irregular attendance
of children from some homes, from
lack of proper study given to their
work by some of our young people
who devote themselves more to the
pleasures of the season than to their
studies. Some difficulties of govern
ment come from certain boys and
girls who may be called truants, in
corrigibles and Indifferent to study,
who seem to have no control at home.
stay out of school when they please
and spend most of their time on the
street. A truant school should be
opened for these and our city should
see to it that it's dozens of street
urchins are kept in their places at
study. The Public schools should
never send a child from it's doors to
the streets. The teachers should con-
troll to the child's good every boy and
girl from six to fifteen years of age.
The schools of Mankato have been
and are good schools, but like all
things human, they must continually
improve, and this is especially true at
this time when more rapid changes
and improvements are coming into
the great work of education than ever
before. While the board of education
has it's part in improvements, the
great work of real enrichment in gov
eminent, methods and real school
room work must come from the body
of teachers. GAS is the teacher SO is
the school," The spirit, energy and
scholarship must come from them,
But the men and women of the future
are being made quite large during
1856 days of the year, and the nineteen
hours of the day when they are not In
school. There are some things OF
prime importance in which the par
ents may help the teachers to do more
and better work.
1st. There should be more mutual
acquaintance and understanding between
parents and teachers. At the tirst
lapse from full duty in school the par
ents should be informed. Parents
should not only see and sign the re-
ports when brought home, but should
visit the school and see their children
at work. More sympathy and deeper in
terest of all parties concerned would
help on the best education OF the
child. We should all realize more the
value of the time, opportunities and
daily studies of the children.