The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-10-15
CITY SCHOOL PROBLEMS
A Few Suggestions in Connection
With the City Schools BY
the Superintendent
Corner Pacific and Main

Now that school is we'll under way
1t might not be amiss to state some
facts concerning school conditions
and offer few suggestions to parents
with view of aiding and improving
our city schools.
There have been enrolled thus far
this year a total of seven hunrded
pupils, which is sixty three per cent
Of all people in the district between
the ages of six and twenty one. This
gives an average of forty eight pupils
to a teacher in all of the grades.
There are now enrolled one hund-
red and Ave pupils in the two prim-s
ary rooms, condition which prevents
the best work in this deDartment OF
the school, and hence one OF the
things which is now being consider
ed with view toimmediate improve
ment. :
The manual training work will be
under way within the next two weeks
and pursued through out the year
with the idea, not to give to the pup
lis trade, but to train hand, eye and
mind to work together.
The strict policy of the administra-
ton for the whole school is a thor
ough. sane progress along well beat,
en- paths. There will be no attempt
at show or sensantionalism but set
tling down to educational essentials
without frills or pretenses. We wish
to give to the people of Blackfoot
a thorough, modern school with none
of the transient fads but all OF the
stable, standard features of present
dav public schools To this end we
as teachers wish the cooperation OF
every patron of the school as well as
every good citizen of the community
We are as vitality interested in the
welfare of our pupils as you are in
the progress of your children, and
it is in their interest that we ask
your co o-operation, hence few sug-
gestions along this line, take 1T, are
not untimelv.
A recent investigation by the state
superintendent of New York, which
was put under way to ascertain why
pupils were not prepared for promo
tion at the end of the schol term, dis
closes clearly one fact After investi-
eating fifty-seven schools in which
hundreds Of pupils we're considered
the superintendent states that more
than ninety per cent Of all retentfons
are due to irregp4ar attendance Of
school, n 4y36ss %
Nov, We have sM Blackfoot this
thingyto tight. We find marked tend
ency on the part OF pupils in both
the high school and the grades to alb
sent themselves from school with lit
tie or no excuse. A pupil who is out
a day, a half day or even a quarter OF
a day once or twice each week has
little or no chance to make his grade
at the end of the term. He can not
understand more than half of the
recitations when there, and loses all
interest in his work as a result.
When the time comes for promotion
the teacher has no choice In the mat
ter, that pupil can not be promoted
II is important then that every pupil
should be in school every day and we
ask the parents to see that this Is
brought about.
Then again here is the twin evil
almost as serious and certainly less
TO be excused--tardiness. We deem
it almost crime educationally to
permit pupils to form habits of un'
punctuality.
No thinking parent will, am sure
encourage orstelerate thing SO 90,
iectionable, and yet our first month
of school shows a woefnl lack OF con,
Germ on the part OF our pupils alonf
this line. When state that two
hundred and sixty-seven cases o.
tardiness are reported to me at tht
close of the first four weeks OF school
then YOU can realize the necessity fol
the vigorous campaign which we have
inaugurated against thiS evil. Herr
again we wish to ,.s4ffst the activ'
Cooperation coop Of all 4de parents as vel
< ." In conclusic het me say that w
!. .:''-.: ,sit,elr "a unnecessary to remin'
~ rcT,sr thee