The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1909-06-26

ing to a good many Of those who took
the examination, as well as to those
most closely connected with school
work. Dot Of the SO applicants for d.
plomas in the Second Supervision Dis
trict only 20 were able to make grades
sufficient to warrant them in receiving
diplomas.admitting them to high school.
Six of these are in Lander County, two
in Eureka County, and the remaining
IL in White Pine County. Several of
the successful ones on this examination
have been in the eighth school grade
two years.
The questions asked ON the exami.
nation cannot be said to have been too
far ad vancei nor unfair. They were
based strictly on the Nevada Course of
Study, and were all taken from the
adopted textbooks required in the
schools. Any pupil who has done the
work of the eighth grade With q reason
able degree Of thoroughness should have
passed the examination with good stand.
ings. The diplomas were granted on
the basis Of the work done in reading.
writing, spelling, arithmetic. geogra.
ply, U. s. history and grammar, al
though questions in the other subjects
required by the course of study in the
eighth grade were given.
This grade is the most important in
the entire educational system, and un-
less the work is done with sufficient
thoroughness to enable those taking it
to pass a reasonable examination in all
of the essential subjects. there will be
great weakness throughout the high
school and college courses, and also in
the practical use OF the education at
tanned. But the chief difficulty does not
lie with the work done in this grade
alone. The failure is due in the ma
jority of instances to unsatisfactory
work in the grades below the eighth.
Pupils who are wholly untitled for pro-
motion to this grade are frequently
passed by their teachers to the next
grade. when they should be required to
make up the work in which they have
failed. A lack of thoroughness in the
lower grades has led to carelessness on
the part Of the pupils, and the fact that
all or nearly all are passed to the next
higher grade each year has put a pre-
MUM on poor preparation. They ex-
pect to pass their grades irrespective of
the quality of work they have Zone dur
ing the year, so there is no Incentive for
them to do better. The same standards
of efficiency should govern the pro-
motions that must govern the pupils in
their after lives. and the successes aud
failures in school should be considered
of just as much importance in the school
as anywhere else.
No legitimate excuse eau be given for
the unusual number of failures on this
examination. except that a few of those
who took it are very young and cannot
be expected to have made the necessary
preparation. However, it is probable
that the majority of the failures were
due to the fact that the applicants who
failed were not prepared for the work at
the beginning Of the school year when
they were passed from the seventh grade.
and because of the careless, slovenly
habits Of study acquired in the lower
grades they have merely marked time
instead or doing thorough. advancing
work this year..
1t is of vital importance to the schools
that promotions be made only upon the
basis OF creditable work in the preceding
grade, and failure on the part of any
teacher to adhere strictly to this rule
should warrant her dismissal. The in
jury done to children by promoting
them when they are untitled for the
higher grade work cannot be easily
remedied, if at all. aud parents should
insist that each be fully prepared to ad-
vance before the promotion is made.
1t is sincerely hoped that the promotions
of this year have been made strictly up
on meritsd scholarship in the grade that
has been completed. and if this has been
done there will be no reason for a rep.
etition of the failures of this year. Elk.
ceptional care should be exercised in
the promotions from the sixth and
seventh grades. but there is no excuse
for making them on any other basis
than good preparation from any grade
in the school.
An entrance examination, in which
pupils who failed will have an oppor.
tunity to re- write on the subjects on
which they failed. will be given during
the first week Of the next school term
and those who are then successful in
passing the examination will be ad
united TO high school.
A. b. LIGHTFooT.