The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-03-19

'ShooAS ~
thereby keeping the boys and girls in
school longer which must be considered a
very important matter when we come to
compare the number who receive their
entire instruction in the rural schools
with those who go from the rural schools
to higher schools.
| Think of the hundreds and thousands
of boys and girls in Iowa, and their infiu-
ence in the future, who would have been,
today, in school, instead of somewhere
else, had there been course of study
adopted to their needs and under the
supervision of a competent teacher.
Raise the scale of wages SO that it can
be reacned only by the best and think it
will otonly raise the standard of teach
| ing but Of the schools and of the citizen
ship ofsthe future, upon which our gov
eminent will rest, and upon which our
hope as free people and naticn depends.
Another defect is the lack of uniformity
among the different counties and districts,
| Judging from the reports of the county
superintendents and from the inspection
of schools throughout the county there
are nearly as many standards of teaching
and course of study as there are teachers.
While some teachers follow as closely as
possible "The Hand Book for Teachers
there are not enough following it to be
effective i think better results would be
realized if the present sub-district plan
were abolished and the school system put
in the hands of school board of three
members one elected every year for three
years and pay them for their time actually
employed in the supervision of the
schools something as our township trus-
tees conduct our civil township. Then
taking the township for unit, establish a
graded course of study requiring pro-
scribed time for completing each grade,
and allowing promotion only on passing a
specified examination with specified
grades. After the pupil has completed
the common school course permit him to
enter, free of tuition on the pupils part a
county high school graded in similar
manner and after completing the course
in the high school allow the pupil to pass
direct to some of state institutions of
learning.
think plan of this kind would not
only be great incentive to complete the
| common school course, but it would be a
stimulus to better attendance at school,
closer application to study at school and
at horr. | think 1t would not only
create d friendly rivalry among the better
pupils, in all grades to get the highest
| grades in individual class work and ex-
aminations, but the fear of 'being pluck
ed" would be spur to urge forward the
indolent or Indifferent pupil and cause
him to take more interest in his work.
Especially do believe it would favorably
affect the 9Th to 7th grade pupils and
they are the ones who, think, need the
most encouragement, for as rule, If a
boy keeps up with his companions until
he can do 9Th grade work, he seldom fails
to do so after that if judiciously handled
by his teacher and properly encouraged
by his parents and friends
But once let child of 10 to Ia years old
get behind with his studies and he, usual
ly, becomes discouraged and disheartened
and often quits school just at the time he
Nv
Notwithstanding the fact that parents are
usually much interested in the progress of
their children, yet let them realize that
unless the boy attends regular and is very
diligent in his studies he will fail in pro-
motion and think their anxiety for him
will manifest itself to him and he will
honor and reverence them more than
ON o1vof hat En will h
just for their sake to do better, and thus,
probably unconsciously, lay the founda-
tion for better manhood. Although the
issuing of Common School Diplomas has
been an incentive to better work, think
there is not enough prestige attached to
it; and If free tuition to q higher school
was offered, think it Of itself would be
worth working for.
! Bnt, says some one how can that be
done when we have no county high
school? And who would pay their tuition?
i While we have no county high school
at present, yet there is creditable high
school at Leon and think the school
board of this district could make satisfac.
tory arrangements with the school board
there and this district pay their tuition
Another advantage of a graded course
Of study would be closer and more accu-
1 rate classification Of the schools, thereby
making fewer but larger classes and Civ.
ing longer periods for recitations.
j. A uniform course of study would call fol
uniformity of text books and would lead
Eventually, to the furnishing of free text
books. But says some patron, 1--WE don't
want free text books because they would
cost too much and the children would take
no care of them and soon tear them up.'
How do you know they would cost toe
much and that the books would become
torn and soiled.
Our experience with the library books
is, that the pupils take much better care
of the districts books than they do Of
their own books. Books, that have beer
used continually for three years and prob
ably read by every family in the district