Evening star., 1901-12-21
WORK OF NIGHT SCHOOLS
SCHEME OF POPULAR EDUCATION
SCORES SUCCESS.
Increased Attendance During Term
Just ClOsed-The Department De-
voted to Parents.

The night schools reorganized by the en-
ergetic Industrial committee of the board
of educa ton, Mrs. B. G. Francis, Mrs. NJ.
Hope West and Mr.. George H. Harries, and
under the management of Raymond Rior-
don. director, after closing it's first term
with an entertainment for each of the
schools, is ready to report success. The
true spirit of teaching, love and kindliness
of the teacher to the pupil, not only in the
school room but in his rome, where often
she has been to see him, has done the work
The teachers have made over 800 personal
visits to the pupils during the twenty nine
nights of the first term. Last year the
night schools opened in October with an
enrolment of 2.052; they closed this time
last December with an attendance of ST.
1t is very possible, too, that 100 or more
of that S1I were enrolled on the closing
night. This year, it is reported, on a
steady, regular enrolment, which has not
been allowed to fiuctuate night schools
opened In October with 1907 pupils; clos
ing the 18th of December, with 1,4S2 pu-
pills in attendance. The absentees, with the
exception of possible sixty of seventy,
We're known to be working.
OF the many experiments made this year
in night school work, perhaps the most
interesting, and what will prove to be the
most valuable to the city in the end. is the
organizing of the parents school at Green
value of this school, the social value Is
very great. What has been done in the
parents school is clearly defined in the fol-
lowing extract from the report of Miss May
Breen:
Meets With Immediate Approval.
THE parents school owes it's origin to
the vacation school of 1901. There fathers
and mothers saw possibilities opening for
their boys and girls such as had never
hpan lffn 1a6
frank enough to speak of their deficiencies
and to express a desire to obtain more edu-
cation. When it was suggested that they
attend night school the answer given was
in substance that in night classes grown
persons, long out of the mental gymnas-
tics of school work could not keep up with
the mentally active boys and girls When
a school for parents, or for grown folks
alone, was proposed it met with immediate
approval.
ITO this school, when il was opened
came people of many grades of ability,
from those who could neither read nor
write a letter or make a figure to those
who were ready to compete in some studies
with pupils in high school. These people
came from near and far, even from Mount
Pleasant and Georgetown, strangers to one
another in most instances. The pupils
came to learn They were willing to do
their best and were frank enough to make
known their deficiencies at any time be-
fore any or all of the class The pupils
felt that the school was theirs; that their
being there made it. Many came at great
inconvenience to themselves; others took
the time to send notes or personal mes
sages when they were unable to come.
This interest was new feature in night
school work
Select Special Branches.
Many persons entered school to study one
or more definite branches that they might
be able to pass examinations for govern
ment promotions or positions. Enrolled in
the school Were many parents who, real
izing their inability to help their boys and
girls with lessons. came to get the neces-
sary education. These We're in some cases
educated. but not we'll enough to handle
modern methods easily. One evening, when
some new work was being taught in arth-
meic, one earnest parent, the father of
two primary school children, said with
pride: My little girl showed me how to do
that last week. She can get those common
denominations fast as lightning
Many parents were helped regularly by
their boys and girls. A few reported that
they were able to give some help them
selves. There were pupils who came, not to
win positions. not to help their children,
but to get an education for education's
sake These pupils did the broad work, the
home reading for literature and much work
in supplementary text books. thus gaining
more than the rest of the class
Ana What are these people taught? They
learn to do the things they most need.
They read, spell, write, criticise and con-
struct English and work in practical arith-
metc One or two typewrite. At first
there was strong desire for arithmetic.
For thirteen nights the craving lasted, In
spite of the fact that almost the entire
evening was devoted to arithmetic At last
the appetite became normal Then came
a strong demand for English which is now
being supplied as far as possible
such has been the work Of the parents
school for three months-or rather for one
term. is 1t TO fall or to succeed this year?"
Tree toys, toys, scrap pictures. Geuld's.-