The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1903-08-28
CITY SCHOOLS
TO Commence Work September
7ih, with Il Full Corps
of Teachers

HERALD ADVANCE:-A word regard
ing the public schools at this time
may not be out of place inasmuch
as they are to open September 7th.
This is Labor Day and usually a
holiday, but the schools will open and
outline the work for the year at least.
The Board of Education has made
complete arrangements with the city
so as to provide full day sessions in
all grades this year as follows:
First grade-Miss Margaret Black,
room l in the school building.
Second grade-Miss Florence Elliot,
room 2 in the school building.
Third grade-Miss Phoebe Jones,
council room, old library building.
Fourth grade-Miss Nellie Sullivan,
lower room in the fire hall.
Fifth grade-Miss Bride Steffler,
upper room in the fire hall.
Sixth grade-Mrs. Ella Merry
VonW Valid, room 3 in the school house.
Seventh grade-Miss Agnes Lock-
hart, room 4 in the school house.
Eighth grade-Miss Louise Bieber,
grammar room in the school house.
High school-Ass't Miss Christena
Koch.
Asst Miss Lucretia Kays.
The pupils will do we'll to carry
their promotion cards to the room as
indicated above, for it will greatly aid
In placing each one and save delay in
getting the records straight.
| Many have asked if their child
little below six years of age, would be
permitted to enter the first grade this
fall. There is state law and rul-
ing of the schools here that six is the
legal age and heretofore the teachers
have been instructed to observe it
strictly. Inasmuch as the board has
not yet seen fit to repeal the decision,
it will be observed this year. This
seems to work some hardship, but If a
child month under age is admitted,
there comes along another week or
two younger and another until the
average age of the grade is reduced
beyond the point of good work.
| Our first grade work is not kinder.
garten work but definite lessons that
must be learned and the average child
at six and more is barely able to carry
the load. 1t is my personal observa-
tion that seven is a much more
opportune time for child to enter
school than six. The true kinder
garten is a unique and very beneficial
place for the younger pupils, but our
first grade is notsuch a school, and the
tasks that are required are somewhat
difficult, SO difficult that some ten
failed last year to earn passing marks.
Part of the backwardness was due to
| absence for one cause and another
and partly because the load was too
| large.
| 1t is decidedly important that pupils
be in school the first day and be there
regularly. This has been harped on
until all are weary of hearing it
repeated, but it seems easy to realize
that a pupil loses something every day
he is absent from school that his
classmates have had, and that the
course of study presumes he has
learned. This after few repetitions
makes his work difficult. He soon
becomes discouraged and wants to
| leave school.
The new course of study as adopted
by the high school men of the state at
Canton last spring will be the basis of
work in the high school here this year.
This has very happily mingled the
practical with what is sometimes con-
sidered rather classical than practical,
aud the medium ground hat has been
struck will provide all who may enter
the school with work to their taste.
The fall term opens with commercial
law. This is the legal side of the
many little matters of every day life
and will prove very beneficial. The
last half of the year is given to book
keeping. This with our studies in
arithmetic, grammar, civil govern
ment, ETC., should be sufficiently
practical to meet the requirements
of all. At the same time there is
provided all that is necessary to
enter any of the colleges or univer-
stiles of the state on the diploma
of the high school.
The recent state law gives every
child in the county free high school
tuition if the county diploma or
eighth grade diploma has been
obtained. Under this law the district
from which the pupil comes must
pay the tuition. 1t is hoped
those who have been able to secure the
diploma of the county will find their
way into some high school of the
county. We shall be glad to welcome
a large number of them this fall.
| M. M. RAMER
1 Il l.