Rock Island Argus., 1897-02-10
ILLNESS OF PUPILS.
Unprecedented lrregularity in
School Attendance.
JANUARY A RECORD BREAKER.

JANUARY A RECORD BREAKER.
apt. Young says This VIII Result In
Many Childrea Failing to succe ssfally
Pass Their Grades-Cuatom Of Gsaduat-
Ing 1t the Opera House DlscouraGed.
The attendance for the month of
January in the Rock Island public
schools has been notably irregular,
says Supt. B. G. Young. Sickness
in the form Of bad colds, la grippe
and kindred ailments has made ser
ious inroads on the attendance, re-
sultiDg in the unprecedented absence
af $500 days. a thousand days more
OF absence than during the precedi in z
month. While N uch Of THE IRE gulsr-
ity il caused by sickness. and is
therefore unavoidable, continues Mr.
Young, in his monthly report sub
mitted to the meeting of the board
Of education last night. a large por.
tion of it may be attributed to other
causes, most of which could be pre-
vented il parents were brought to
realize the serious hindrance this
irregularity is TO the progress of
their children. In many cases this
will result in pupils failing to make
their grade and consequently pre-
vent them from being promoted at
the end of the year. Parents should
not look on this possibility as q mat
ter of little consequence, thinking
their children may be promoted on
trial" This custom is pernicious in
the extreme and should not be
allowed. When . reasonable stand
ard for promotion has been fixed by
the board. pupils should be required
to reach it or review the work of the
grade. 1t is vastly more important
that children be made thorough in
the common branches than that they
be rushed through the lower grades
to struggle hopelessly with the diff
culties they will meet in the High
school.
The board appointed Miss Maude
White, Julia M. Channon and Edith
Noftsker substitute teachers, and
raised the salaries Of Misses Lillian
Fitzpatrick and Minnie Brindle $5
per month. The insurance commit
tee reported the renewal of q, 500 in
srrance on the High school.
A Petition.
The following petition bearing
the attached signatures was submit
ted to the board and placed on file:
ITO the Board of Education OF the
Independent School District OF Rock
Island: We. the undersigned, fifty
or more citizens of the Independent
school district of the city OF Rock
Island and state of Illinois, respect.
fully petition your honorable body to
cause to be submitted to the voters
at the next ensuing elt ction to be
held in such city, town. township or
district on the first Tuesday in
April. A. D., 1897, the ques-
ton of electing board OF
education having the powers con-
ferred upon such boards and districts
organized under the free school law. I"
+. c. Denkmann, H. Clemann, Sew
oil Dodge, A. F. Barber. E. j. Meek,
G. NJ. Loosely. 0. c. Pantall, f. B.
Sterling, w. Fl. Thoms, R. H. Dart,
William Roth. Ira Karr, E. L. Goff,
W. H. Dart. G. W. B,akesley, j. W.
Welch. Frank Mixter. L. A Schmidt,
A. NJ. Blaseslev. L. Vemere, c X.
Mixter. Ii. E. Haley, Phil Mitchell,
H. A. Fischer, c. A. Rose, j. C.
Jacobs, C. Z. Cham berlin. w. P.
Quayle, Paul Hamilton. w. J. Ran
son, d. T. Robinson, E. Wilcher,
Jonas Bear, A. Bladel, w. A. Ehleb,
w. A. Norris. Louis Kohn, c. B.
Knox, S. A. Kerns, j. H. Beselin, s.
K. Wright. Alex Stewart, A. H. Nc.
Csndless. A Judson, j. A. johnson.
j. w. Stewart. j. r. Johnston, G. l.
Qaist, j. S. Gilmore. N. Sargent, T..
b. Davis.
SuEt Young speaks in his report
OF the prevalent custom of gradual
ing pupils from the grammar grades
with formal exercises at the opera
house. He says the custom is ex.
pensive to parents, destructive to
good school work in the eighth
grades during the last month and is
not in his judgement wise or fit.
ting manner in which to terminate
the work OF the grammar grades.
He suggests the propriety of having
appi opriate exercises in the form Of
declamations, etc, in the various
rooms where the eighth grades are
loc tied, at the close Of which there
shall be presented to each une COM
pleting the years work q diploma of
promotion to the High school.
More Room Needed.
The superintendent says that with
the increased enrolment 1--WE NAV
reasonably look for at the beginning
OF next year. the present facilities
will. in my judgment. be wholly in
adequate. and l would therefore sug-
gest that the board give this matter
early and careful consideration.
may add in this nnectioo that the
two rooms of the No. s school are
filed and that the teacher Of the
fest grade has been compelled from
the want of room to refuse to recei, .
new pupils"
ThA o~a~- ~R