The Greeley tribune., 1904-09-14
REPORT OF SCHOOLS
Continued from page y

teaching.
To assist and encourage profess
sional growth, ii teachers institute
of two weeks duration was held In
Greeley in August, 1903, just before
schools opened. 1t was the best
attended and one of the most helpful
ever held in the county. Two meet
ings of the Weld County Teachers
Association We're also of assistance,
one held in Greeley In October and
the other in Ault In March.
The New Attendance Law.
This office has worked in hearty
accord with that of the county court
in an attempt to rightly enforce the
school attendance laws passed by the
last General Assembly, the aim being
to secure the welfare of the children
and the interests of the general pub
lie in an educated citizenship. Abb
stracts of the law were prepared by
this office and sent to all teachers
and school officers. Printed notices
of similar import werre widely dis
tributed to school patrons. Records
, of reported cases of infractions were
kept and individuals legally notified
to comply with its provisions. In
all. it is estimated that 200 children
were sent to school under this law
who would otherwise have wasted
the opportunity. In 25 cases tenn
porary exemptions were granted for
a portion of the school term. Very
little opposition to the law has been
aroused and only one case was taken
before the court. In 3S families
compliance was obtained upon indi-
vidual notice from this office. In
truancy matters the probation officer,
authorized by your honorable board
upon request of IA committee of
teachers. and: appointed by the county
court, has been of considerable assist
ance. trust the policy of employ
ing such an officer may be continued.
Supervision.
The rapid increase of population
in the county. with the consequent
crowding of schools and settlement of
new and more remote farms. has
, materially increased the clerical
work of this Office and has also
brought to it much outside work in
connection with the organization of
districts, establishment of new
schools, changes in district boun-
daries and addition to school facili-
ties. Changes are made or rec6m-
mended by me only after thorough
investigation and personal knowledge
OF each situation.
The visiting of schools is one of
the most important duties of the
county superintendent and the one
least understood by patrons. Otficial.
visits are made not simply to fulfill
the law or to estimate and criticize
the ability of teachers, but to help
the schools by advice or action in its
discipline, its organization, or its re-
lation to the community. The value
of the visit depends not only upon
the knowledge of educational theo-
ries and of actual school conditions
which superintendent may have,
but quite as much upon the conf
dence reposed in him by teachers.
school officers and patrons.
In this county all the schools.
graded and rural. are organized with
the view of carrying out definite
plan of common school work, leading
/ to the high school door but complete
also in itself. Teachers are furnished
with printed courses of study and in
their daily programs are carrying
out practically the same work in all
schools. Records and reports are re-
quired. Examinations i'm both seventh
and eighth grades are prepared by
this office and given in the various
schools with the intention. first. of
compelling systematic instruction on
the part of the teacher: second. of
encouraging pupils to complete
definite course of study: third. of
furnishing to those who are prepared
county diplomas admitting them to
regular high schools. During the
past year l30 pupils have earned
these diplomas, and in a majority of
cases these young people are now en-
terlng classes in our secondary
schools.
In carrying out the work of the
office during the past year it has
been necessary to examine nearly one
hundred teachers and about two hun
dred pupils, to travel more than
three thousand miles within the
county, to write more than two
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