The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-08-20
A YEARS REVIEW
Supt. Quigley Makes q Full Statement Of
What Was Done by the Schools
During the Past Year.
The Report Offers Some Suggestions as
to the Course Of Study and the
Need Of New Apparatus.
THE BOOKS SELECTED
School Board Made the Tax Lew and
Selected the New Text Books for
the High School.
THE BOOKS SELECTED
THE SUPERINTENDENT's REPORT
supt. Quigley Reviews the Work of the
Schools and Offers Some Suggestions.

supt. Quigley Reviews the Work of the
Schools and Offers Some Suggestions,
AT the recent meeting of the school
board Supt, Quigley', report of the
school year ending June III, was read
and as it contains number of valuable
suggestions and information concerning
school matters a portion of it is pub
lished for the benefit of the public.
The total number registered is 619,
foreign scholars 40; number of days alb
sence, 3,433: number of cases of tardi-
ness. 1859.
In reference to the course of study
and other matters Supt. Quigley says:
The course of study now in use for
the high school, is as good as can be
made for three years course OF thirty
six weeks each year. A copy of the
course is hel elm submitted 1t pro-
vides fer three studies for each pupil
throughout the course besides two les
sons week in literature. This is all
the average pupil can do. The winter
and spring terms are 80 short-tnera
being but ten weeks of study in each
we find it impossible to complete many
OF the branches. The absurdity of COM
pleting such studies as physical geo.
graphy, physiology, botany, geology,
and astronomy in ten weeks, is appar-
ent None OF these can be- omitted be-
cause they are all useful branches-and
they are now part of teachers quail
i6cations. 1t is easy to suggest rem
edy, but none can be found that will
not increase the expense of the school.
We're it not for the increased expense,
the proper thing to do would be to
transfer the word analysis from the
"a" Gram mer to the high school
and with that exception leave the high
school course much the same as it now
is. This would simply allow the sub
jects to be properly finished. Those
taking the course in regular order
would be graduated at eighteen years
of age. This would require another
high school teacher.
It should never be forgotten that the
public school is for all the children
who care to use it. In my judgmen,
the course of study, methods of In
struction, and extent of examinations
should be adapted to the capacity Of
the average pupil; and if any variation
is made from the standard, it should be
to those who are naturally dull in
learning.
have no support for any practice
that drives the dull and stupid boys
and girls into the streets, for it is they
who are most benefited by even alittle
education.
Far too many teachers lose sight o
this fact and act as if they thought tina
the dull pupils should be gotten rid o
in some way. My policy in schoo
work has always been, is, and 1 now SCI
no cause for changing it, that OF en-
couragement, especially to those VIII
need it most, and am glad to be abl,
to call your attention to the fact tina
nearly all of our boys and girls VIII
were of suitable age have been il
school. This has made our high schoo
nearly twice as large as this depart
ment has been in some cities as larg
as ours. The policy of encouraging tn
dull to persevere often brings to gradu
alton some who are not all that coul,
be desired, but on the whole the great
est good is done and the true function
of the public school secured by thi
course.
General Remarks.
In my opinion the work OF the school
has been reasonably satisfactory
There has been some friction resultin
from the change of teachers. It require
some time for pupils and teachers t
understand each other. The teacher
have been faithful, earnest and per
sistent, and with but few exceptions
the pupils have been studious an,
obedient.
The school is the transitional perio
between the home and the business lif
and it Is at school that the child take
his first lession of obedience to publi
, law which often must be given at th