Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1909-03-26
Friday. March 40. 1900.
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL.

From all reports that wo can hear.
as we'll as by observation of the work
on our part. We feel that our public
schools are making splendid progress
this year. which fact speaks we'll for
the principal aud corps Of teachers,
Hs we'll as the bonrd OF trustees
There seems TO he Weakening on the
part OF many students. especially
those 10 the upper grades who seem
ambitious 90 complete the work 10
the public schools and move on into
the Normal. Last year only ten std.
dents we're graduated from tho eighth
grade ana becalne eligible TO entor
the Normal. This year we are told
between thirty i've and forty will be
passed, II their work continues up TO
the present standard.
While this 10 n marked increase
the number OF graduates which will
be- turned out this year IL not what II
should be. Az present two beginner
teachers are required 10 handle the
little folks thst enter school, while
one teanber can easily take care OF all
those who continue the work up TO
the seventh aud eighth grades. There
are aome natural causes which, Of
course, tend to lower tho number each
year; hut We ARE inclined TO think
that much of the falling Off In the
PROGRESSES through the grades Ia lue to
parental neglect. Children are al
lowed TO drop out for paltry causes
are often Kept away until they are far
behind their playmates OF tho same
ago, aud aa result become dlscour-
aged and refuses 10 return to school
very often, however, the cause IL due
merely TO the oarelessness of the par
ent In using his perogatlve of com
Polling HIS children 10 70 10 school
and improve their mlnds. In such
case aa the latter. the trustees In ev
cry Instance, ought TO invoke the law
10 compel attendance OF such delin.
dIents No child these days can Pos
sibly afford 60 20 through life with.
the parent that would allow child
60 do SO IL doing his child aud tho
community an ipiustioe. Too much
responsibility is shifted, often, from
the home TO the school, Many par.
onts think that tho school should do
everything But such an idea Ia
mistaken one. The home must give
much OF the stimulus Ra we'll az exer
else healthtul authority IN keeping
students In school each year,
II parents are patriotic To support
tho Normal school, they cannot do
greater service than to keep their
children In tho grades until the work |
there Ia completed Students who
finish strong In the grades are always
ambitious To proceed further; In fact
that GLASS does not stop after finish.
Ing the high school, But ordinarily |
they must have good grasp of the
common school work, else they are
often dubious about mastering the
higher subjects,
There 10 tendency Ia the common
schools, which We think IL not "a good |
one. OF overorowdiug the curriculum.
We used Co number the subjects /
taught on about three OF our fingers,
aud called them the three "R's,"
That was no doubt the eNtreme Ia one
direction. Hut AZ present We have /
reached the eNtreme IN the other. /
Now the fundamental subjects, read /
Ing, spelling, grammar history, writ
Ing, are neglected aud often sSori. |
iced, for paper eating, sowing, mod
cling, drawing, all Of which, though |
good, are not fundamental aud essen
tirl In tho ohlld's growth
But as the tosohers are compelled
Go complete tho course prescribed, the
only alternative ia 10 increase the
longth OF toe school year This, we
think, Ia the upper grades, especially
the two upper gradea, Mould he a
vice move. no student, or GLASS of
studouts, should be- kept from grad
uatiug when two or three weeks at the
eud of the year would bring them up
60 tho standard grade. The last year
OF the school course 10 tue most i'm
portaRt. II wo except, perhaps, the
beginning year and students Ia that
year should be given every Induce
ment Go tinish the course sud move on