People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-06-11
Annual School RepOrt.

year just past, and contains some very
interesting facts:
The real progress Of a school car
be measured only in the progress of its
pupils, for the result Of the years
work is realized in the physical,
moral and mental development Of the
children of the community in which
the school stands and performs its
work. This result cannot be told 10
abstract figures, tabulated statements
or mathematical formula, hencefrOm
no report alone can We form a correct
opinion of the real work Of a school.
The best criterion is 10 be found
in the opinion Of the intelligent
patrons of the school. They ere the
cnes above all others who should
know whether their children are
making satisfactory progress under
the instruction and discipline Of their
teachers.
This report then, Of necessity
must treat only of the workings of
the school machinery. No mill can
make good -four unless it is equipped
with the proper machinery and unless
thiS machinery is in good running
order. Even then, much will depend
on the grain that is ground and the
skill of the miller. So it is certain
that no school can do good work
unless the school machinery is run
ming properly; and if the school ma
chinery is running as it should run,
we then may, with some reason for
our faith, believe that the work itself
as the final product, is good.
According to the school census of
1895, there were !, j33 persons of school
age ia this district, We have en-
rolled this year LOIS pupils, or IS per
cent of the school population. The
average monthly enrolment has been
$40, and the average daily attendance
has been SOL. Here it is interesting
10 note that in 1888 when we had our
largest school population, in number
1852 or 400 more than this year: when
the enrolment was ,4Sl. or 400 more
than this year, that the average daily
attendance was only 722, or 70 less
than cur average daily attendance
this year. The per cent Of attend
ance for this year has been So, which
S certainly remarkable record, con-
sldering our method of reckoning the
per cent. | know of no other school
III the state that can equal this
record. Our hardness, also, has been
less this year than in any previous
year. Although there has been a
constant decrease IN hardness for the
past few years, The decrease this year
has been from 1,062 cases last year to
344 cases this year. So that the per
cent Of our pupils not tardy has been
% or per cent greater than for any
year in the history OF our schools.
The per cent not absent has been s..
0r 10 per cent greater than for any
year in the history of our schools.
All OF these per cents are very high,
rs any one acquainted with school
statistics will recognize, and they
have been made only by the eternal
vigilance of our teachers, supple.
nented by the pardonable pride of
our pupils.
Although We have suspended a less
number of pupils than ever before,
she number Of cases of truancy and
corporal punishment while small, is
a slight increase over that of the past
Two years. This increase seems to be
due to the fact that this year We were
called upon to settle the race prob.
dem' in our schools, which, it is to be
hoped, will not require further settle.
ment.
The increase in the number OF
tuition pupils is particularly crafty.
ing, as the past year among the farm.
erS of Sumner county has not been
marked for its Prosperity. Last year
the average number of tuition pupils
each month was e; this year the
number is 81, an. increase of 5 in the
actual attendance each month As
'aU Oue BEGINNING OF the year the rate
OF tuition was reduced so cents per
month, the amount of tuition collected
does not show an increase, but it is
an increase of about 500 if the two
= Yeas are figured on the same basis.
With this increase, made under such
unfavOrable conditions, should our
county be favored with only fair
crops the increase of tuition pupils
for the coming year will be surpris.
. inGy large, For in every township
MY hear Of pupils, who having just
completed the common school cunrse
af study are anxious to enter our High
school, if only the crops of the coming
year permit
Here let me call your attention to
-. s.