The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1906-09-05
PROFESSOR OWENS
ADDRESS
WANTS TON OF PAR
ENIS SCHOOLS OPEN WITH
400 PUPILS ENROLLED.

!
superintendent. Miss Alice Ddven
port wil be high school teacher,
Miss Gertrude Owen will continue Is
principal Of the Washington school,
,of the seventh and eighth. Miss
Marcia Jackson Of the sixth, Miss
Elizabeth Curric of the fifth, Miss
| JentIe HoSier of the fourth. M IS
Pearl Henry of the second AID Miss
| Isabel Currie of the primary grades.
| Miss Mahel Shaw who had been as
| sig ned to the thlrd grade has resig ned
|son account of sickness and this va
cancy viii be supplied this week.
The schools open under favora bic
auspices and a very successful term is
anticipated. Prof. Owens particular
ly desires the cooperation of the par
ents and has issued the circular letter
that follows in the hope of eulisting
their hearty support:
My Dear PARENT
/ l am writing this letter with the pur-
pose of bringing directly before ,ou
matters which l consider vitality inn
portapt to your children.
The State Department of Education
has outlined d course Of study, which,
according to law, every graded school
of the state must use.
Beyond the grades, that is, in the
high school, the course IF study should
be the one outlined by the State Uni
versl1y, or one acceptab BILE to it.
In our grades we follow substantial
ly the state course, and in our h,g
school. the course outlined by the
University.
IL general we approve o. the state
coul Sc. AID Of the course Gcta Ell by
the University. Vhet her We approve
or not the state course must be 2tsed ):
and "A disapproval of the course oul-
lined Ivy the University would have to
be very strong to justify us in deviat-
ing from it.
The work for each of the twelve
grades Is clearly defined. Ace rdlag
ly, in each grade there is a certain
amount of subject matter expected to
be covered during the year. The
pupils of each grade are expected tC
see this sub jeCt matter satisfactorily
To accomplish this, unity of purpose
and proper effort are required on the
part of teachers and pupils. There
must be consistent, systematic ant
energetic presentation and develop
ment of the iect on the part of th'
teacher, and there must be consistent
systematic and energetic effort on TIL,
part of the pupils. 1t is the opinion
of the writer that these three essential!
to successful school work are not sub
served by study during school hour:
alone. 1t requires no argument tt
show that the truly successful teacher
at night; but how about the pupil
Should he study at night? If be il
able to prepare his lessons durin,
+ school hours, there might be reason
necessary. But can he do so? Tn
!, writer says that in general he cannot
= for the reason that there are too man
+, distra ctions. 1t is we'll enough to sd
i that children should be taught to cor
: centrate their mind on their studies
: and temporarily to forget their SUI
h roundings, but if we expect them I
, do so entirely or even substantially ar
! we not expecting too much? Wer
4 we, many of whom were traiued unde
g the rigid discipline of the old schoo
able to do so? Men who gained sue
h control over their wills are quoted a
rare exceptions. Much mental di
cipline is accomplished during til
o. study periods at school, but, for TIL
% full mental training, l maintain ths
:, the child should study also at hom
+ for here we look for privacy and qui
=, tude, and the prompting influence
az those to whom preparations of lessor
" should be objects of very great soliC
\ tude.
n Whilst some object to night STUD
40 from the first to the eighth grades il
ox elusive, yet it is the consensus of opi1
20 ION, think, that children, after the
:, reach the ninth grade, should study
- night at least one hour for five nigh
:, of the week.
:, Parents, we are creatures of habi
20 If children who have never studied
90 night, are after eight years sudden
=, brought face to face with night stue
of at least one hour, what results ma