Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1900-01-10
Parents, Please Ponder.


Parents, Please Ponder.
Report OF the Ritzville Public
Schools for the four months ending
Dec. %, 1899.
Total number enrolled ....... 229
Average belonging .....,. 1913
daily attendance ........ Isl
Per cent of .... .93 8
Number of cases of hardness -. 247
The following are the names of pu-
pills neither absent nor tardy in the
four months:
Third grade: Roy Gibson. Frank
Jones, Roy Low, Luther Lehman,
Jacob Wilbuan, Maggie McGraw, Lena
Schiewe. Fourth grade: Ruth Lewis.
Fifth grade: Anna McGraw. Sixth
grade: Pearl Dillon, Maude Long,
Robert McGraw, John OFT, Eloise
Staser. Seventh grade: Hattie Lewis,
Arthur Morley. OF the seventh grade
pupils, John Olson and Earl Barro-
nett were present every day and tudy
but once. Eleanor Staser and Jacob
OFT were each absent one half day.
The majority Of the pupils are
tending quite regularly this year and
are showing considerable interest in
their work. The irregularity of a few
affect the record of the school. 1t is
impossible for the pupil who is absent
from one to three half days each week
to do good work.
During the four months there was
more tardiness than should occur in
the entire year. Parents, won't you
make greater effort to help overcome
this. Pupils coming in late sometimes
disturb the work OF the school, fire.
quently they miss some school exer-
else, and oftentimes the tie acher is
obliged to repeat directions regarding
the work for the day that had been
previously given to the other pupils.
Some OF the parents seem to have.
forgotten the regulation made by the
state authorities regarding excuses for
absence and hardness. Two years
ago, the suspension of few pupils
emphasized the fact that excuses from
parents or guardians were necessary.
The present indications are that we
shall have to resort to suspension
again. Since this regulation is for
the mutual protection OF the parent
and the teacher, it should certainly
meet the approval Of parents.
One OF the greatest nuisances with
which the teachers have to contend,
is the habit OF some OF the pupils, OF
"going out" while the school is in SEES
sion. Il. the majority of cases this
could be avoided by proper thought
fulness on the part OF the pupil. So
long as parents approve OF such care
lessness on the part of their children,
and censure the teachers for trying to
regulate it, the pupils will make no
great effort to overcome it. Teachers
do not object to an occasional re-
quest to leave the room; but when it
is made regularly, day after day, by a
number of the pupils, it becomes a
positive nuisance.
Our first session in the morning is
one hour and thirty minutes in length,
and the others are but one hour and
fifteen minutes long. II, with these
short sessions, your child needs to
leave the room day after day, should
he not be treated by physician? And
if the child is really in that condition,
either see the teacher or send a note
so that the teacher may understand
the case.
Above all give the teachers credit
for having an interest in the welfare
OF your children. II you expect good
results from the school, you should
work with the teachers. Your chill
dren are now forming habits for life,
and everything depends upon the
habits formed in early life.
@. IL. KNAPP.