The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1896-06-12
KIneLNY SCHOOLS.


discussion of school affairs that will
help familiarize those concerned, with
the work.
The subject of promotion will give
lzse to more discussion among pupils
and parents than any other one thing.
Very few promotions have been made
from any Of the grades. This is par
TALLY due to raising the standard Of
work, and also to the fact that nearly
all the grades are somewhat behind
with the work for reasons that
have been mentioned heretofore. Par
erts should take no alarm II their
children have not been advanced to a
higher grade. It is certainly much
better for child to stay in the fourth
grade for Instance, and ct more ttlaH
the usual amount Of drill and supple
mentary work than it is to be advanc-
ed to the fifth before fully completing
the fourth grade work. Parents should
remember that teachers are much
more anxious to push pupils forward
than they are to hold them back, and
if child has not been promoted there
are the best reasons for not doing so.
Closely associated with promotion Is
"denOtiOn, that is, If a pupil falls
much below the required standard for
''passing" that he he. placed in the
next lower. Instead of remaining in the
same grade. This is done upon con-
sideration that he has not acquired
sufficient skill in the lower grade to
enable him to do satisfactory work in
the next higher, in which he has just
failed and therefore is set back. 1t
seems very necessary to employ some
such device to stimulate some of the
pupils to greater effort. There are
few in nearly every department. who
have'been in the grade for two and
even three years. This is evil and
like All epidemic is sure to spread.
Something must be done to make this
disgrace of failing to complete work
undertaken. more keenly felt. What
a dismal failure the business man,
who begins some enterprise at the op-
ening Of every year only to fail at the
close! With tile habit Of failure es--
tablished in the work of youth. what
else can be looked for in the work of
manbood2 To regulate this condition
we should denote A sentiment
will then sooii spring mp against stag.
nation and retrogradation, and iu
favor of progress.
Another point upon which we must
place special stress is the ''dropping
out'' near the close of the term. The
pupil who Is interested in his work
could sarcely be induced to stay away
at such times as the review rarely fails
to throw upon subjects, sidelight that
brings new features to the surface.
1T is we'll recognized fact of course,
that the first canvass of u subject is
comparatively superficial one.) Those
who need the review. most are quite
invariably the ones who miss it.
The examination question We must
also touch. If we felt that it could
safety be-: dispensed with, teachers
above all others would be the first,
to throw it over. But the feeling
is that it must be made the basis of
promotion. This feeling is re-enfor ced
by the fact that rigid examination is
made the test of qualification in so
many of the vocations. For instance,
the doctor, the'lawyer, the dentist, the
dru ggist, the civil-service employee are
all subject to these tests. Our school
work should IN a degree prepare for
these. Besides they are great stl-
mulus to pupil to do more thorough
every day work, to keep up that con-
slant reviewing that is 50 necessary to
make the material of a text his own.
The examination gives an opportunity
for controlling the faculties while un-
der strain which can be found no
where else in the school curriculum.
Is not this an accomplishment for
which it is worth stTivingP But if the
examination is held before the pupil
in the right light it will not become u
bug-bear. 1t is only the act of deter
mining how thoroughly he has done
his every day work. II it is we'll done
he will soon have confidence in his
I ability to make permanent record.
If he has been irregular in attendance,
and has sighted lessons, then examin.
stion day will be rather unpleasant.
A special feature of the work this
year he's been an increased amount of
rhetoricals in all grades. with debates
from the third and fourth grades up.
The debating in the junior and sem
ior grades has been almost weekly.
A sufficient number of essays has been
interspersed to give variety. The OBJ