Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-04-08

ssi;s
Cresco Schools Attract Attention
The Des Moines Register and Leader
of last Sunday contained an extended
article concerning the Cresco High
School, illustrated with view of the
End ward buildings and portrait OF
Superintendent Nearpass. The article
is as follows:
Educators in all parts of the state
are watching with interest a number
of innovations that are being tried out
by Supt. H. L. Nearpass, of the
Cresco, Ia, schools. Cresco is a
beautiful little city of 5000, with
good buildings and splendid system
of schools. Superintendent Nearpass
is man that aims to keep up to date
on all school matters, and is especially
interested in giving his pupils good,
practical education. At Wapello. where
he acted as superintendent for two
years, he offered a normal course in
the high school to meet the local need
of well trained teachers. Last Sep
tember he introduced this same work
into the Cresco high school, with the
result that the attendance rose at once
from 81 to 127.
This normal course is unique in that
it can be completed by a high school
graduate in one year or by an under
graduate in from two to four years.
All of the branches necessary for a
first grade certificate are offered and
to these are added enough subjects
from the other courses to make up
thirty-two credits when the pupil de-
sires to graduate in this course.
But the increased attendance brought
with it new difficulties, for the number
of teachers on the faculty remained the
same and the assembly room had beer
built to accommodate only one hun
dred. However, one Of the larger rec
itation rooms was fitted with regular
seats for the accommodation of the
freshmen boys, the ninth grade being
sectioned according to sex. Mr.. Near
pass asserts that the teachers got
much better work out Of the pupils
because of this segregation and points
to the fact that the girls are always
about two years farther advanced in
development than boys of the same
age, and that in mixing classes the
boys tend to become discouraged be-
cause they are unable to cope with
their girl classmates.
To facilitate matters of discipline a
demerit system was adopted which
certainly is bringing results. Pract-
ca!ly perfect order seems to be main
tanned at all times and that, too, with
out a word from any of the teachers.
No nagging, no quibbling, no continual
talking is now necessary, and because
of the good order both teachers and
pupils are better natured and more is
accomplished in the class room. By
the plan as now perfected, each teacher
at the close of the day hands to the
principal list of those whom she has
reported for any misdemeanor. Five
demerits are given for ordinary Of
fenses. though any number may be
increased at the teachers discretion.
When pupils demerits amount te
twenty-five his name is posted. Fifty
subject him or her to suspension for
day and he can only be reinstated only
by an order signed by the president
of the board and one other member.
For one hundred demerits he or she
must get written consent OF the ful
board. For one hundred and fifty he
or she must come up before meeting
of the board. If reinstated it is the
understanding that if the pupil gets
fifty more he or she shall be expelled
without further action of the board
A pupil who goes five consecutive days
without report has fifteen dement's
removed, so that only one boy ha:
ever been before the board and ovel
third of the pupils have received nj
demerits whatever SO far this year
A rule that no one who has been sus
pended can play on any athletic team
for two weeks thereafter has als'
proven beneficial.
But it was still difficult to carry ol
all of the work, it being necessary TO
the superintendent to devote nearl!
all his time to the high school alone
50 another plan was tried at the be
ginning of the second semester, whicl
relieves the superintendent of mucl
of the high school work and at tn
same time makes it possible to us'
the assembly room for the class worl