The Mena weekly star., 1907-09-19
TO THE PATRONS
 OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS


 ,egin school work, Monday september 30.
 There will be an examination ,eld at the central school building ,n Thursday, September 26, for he purpose of giving an examlpa- ion 10 students who have moved .nto the city since school closed We do this that these students may be properly classified on the opening of the public schools. There are many students who failed to be passed to the grade above on the close of school on account of failing to pass the re- ouired mark in some branch. IT these students have studied up during the summer, we will glvF them an opportunity to pass az this examination.
 No school eau be a success wlth- out a we'll graded system and TOT that reason we feel that the patrons should assist us in these examlnations and by so dolng, secure more perfect school sys- tenn. It has been thoroughly demonstrated that student who has been advanced too far ln his grades will do very little, if any good; will lose all interest ID school work; and in spite of the influence of his parents will per haps quit school.
 Parents cannot be too careful about this matter of advancing their children into grades.
 The best educators agree that It is the first step to get a student out of school, never to return.
 If the foundation of the students education is we'll laid, there will be no trouble about keeping him interested or of his being advanced too rapidly.
 There will be a free school dur ing the entire school year, be- ginning September 30, therefore it is hoped thsl all parents will see that their children start on the first day.
 If it is necessary for a student to be out of school during a part of the year it would be better for him to be absent during the latter part of the school year than at the beginning.
 In years gone by we have been disturbed in our school work on account of students staying out of school unknown to their parents, for weeks at time. This has been quite disturbing element iu the school as well as a matter of grave importance to the parents as well as to the future life of the students. In this matter we urge the cooperation of the parents.
 This year we will send out weekly, to be returned every Mon- day morning signed by the parent, card stating the number of times the student has been absent as we'll as the number of times he was tardy during the previous week. If these cards are brought back to school unsigned, or if the student returns without the card we will take it that he has broken the rule of the school and will be sent home at once by teacher to get signature or card.
 Now we believe that with the cooperation of the parents, this method will give the deslred results. It will infiict a great burden on the teacher who has nearly 100 students, to keep these curds up, but we are willing to endure the affiiction for the benfit If the boys and girls and the pare its will see the benefit and do the work he has to do with the same good will. We have no phone in the school building but our phone number is 180 and we will gladly look after any of the absentees if called at our home.
 It is the rule of the school that when students are absent on &C., count of sickness or to help the parent, upon returning to school they bring a written excuse. This IS great atfiiction to place upon many parents who are quite busy as well as great annoyance to the teacher but if it were not for thls rule a large number of students would stroll about on the streets and only occasionally put in an appearance at school.
 Regular grade cards will be issued every two months giving the student his standing in the various branches. The parent will kindly sign same and return to the teacher.
 All the teachers will assemble a f