Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-11-15
SCHOOL VACATIONS,
Board of Education Provides for
Thanksgiving and Christ
mas Holidays.
MONTHLY MEETING LAST NIGHT

and PunctuaIity-Ssys Parents Should
Cooperate With Teachers.
1t was decided by the board of edu-
cation at its monthly meeting last
night that the schools have two days
for the Thanksgiving vacation-Nov.
so and Dec. land the Christmas va
cation TO begin Dec. % and end Jan. 2.
The board authorized the introduce
ton OF water colors in drawing for
pupils above the fourth grade. Prin-
cipals were instructed to enforce the
rule of collection in advance of
tuition of nonresident pupils.
communication was received from
Chief Hastings, of the fire department,
in which he recommended such alter
ations at different school buildings as
will, in his opinion, better guard them
against the flames.
Supt. r. G. Young says in his
monthly report:
Since the completion of the new
Hawthorne school, the schools of the
west end have been located in the
building, in all Is rooms. This ar
rangement has served not only to
give the Hawthorne schools most ex-
cellent accommodations, but to re-
lieve the schools in several other
buildings of the Embarrassment ais
ing from halliday sessions. The schools
in all parts of the city are now thor
oughly adjusted to normal conditions,
and are now doing earnest, thoughtful
work. The attendance for the month
has been exceptionally good, the alb
sence amounting to but tritle over B
per cent. Good weather and the alb
sence of epidemics together with the
earnest efforts of teachers are respon-
sible for this commendable showing.
The statistical report for the NJ onth is
as follows: Number of days taught
20 enrolment for the month 3,174,
belonging the last day of the month
3 045, enrolled for the year 3,213.
average number belonging 3 039 $50.
average daily attendance 2,940. 100,
er cent of attendance 96.722, per
cent of punctuality 80 95S. days of
absence l 993. cases of hardness 4S,
cases of truaucy so, number of visit
ors 41S, hardness of teachers 2, num-
Der of pupils neither absent nor tardy
2,251. half DAYS lost by teachers IS,
special promotions during the month
II, placed in lower class during the
the month II.
- Parents cannot reasona-
bly, expect their children to make sat
isfactory progress when they are alb
sent from school frequently or when
they are absorbed in society affairs.
School is real business, and must be
attended to as faithfully as any other
business if adequate results are to be
realized.
Cooperation of Parents.
The teachers and the superintend-
ent are doing their best to secure the
progress and bring about the welfare
of their pupils, but they can do very
little without the cooperation and
sympathy of the parents. There is
nothing that will do more to destroy n
teachers influence than for the child
rem to hear her criticised at home;
nothing that will help her more than
for parents to speak well of her in the
presence of their children. Parents
and teachers must work together if
the children are to be advanced rap
idly and if, above all, they are to be
developed in those directions that
shall make them unselfish, kindheaTt-
ed and valua 1le memb ers of society.
The schools of Rock Island should
be the equal of the very best in the
state. There is not another city with
better school houses or more adequate
facilities, if indeed as good. The
board is alive to the interests of the
schools, and is doing everything in its
power to make them grandly effective.
Let those who are not doing so send
their children to school; let the irreg
ular ones be kept in school every day;
let the people show even greater in
teresI in the work of their children by
visiting the schools and advi.ing with
the teachers in the interests of the
little ones, and the schools will grow
in mum bers, in interest and in Elf
cheney in every department"
Bills were allowed as follows: