The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-11-11
UNDER W OOD
7 AL X s TO
PARENT

The following address was deliv-
cred by w. l. Underwood, principal OF
, the Madison school, 10 one of the
parents classes held in this city:
Pupils in the grade schools OF
Ogden receive each month report
cards upon which teachers record at
tendance. absence, department. and
| scholarship. The object of the report
card is TO show each month the de-
gree Of proficiency that the pupil has
ettained In each OF his studies
IF all parents would study the
progress OF their children as shown
by there report cards, and confer
with the principals and teachers when
the progress Is not satisfactory, 1t
would not only increase the efficiency
OF the schools. but would in most
cases materially aid In the childs
advancement When a parent is dis.
satisfied with the progress his child
IS making In school. II Is not only his
privilege but his duty to call at school
and find out the cause of the trouble.
Such calls, or visits. almost invariably
result In a better understanding be-
tween parent and teacher, closer CO.
operation and finally better work by
the child
The grading on monthly report
cards Is done by letters in their al
phabetical order. A being excellent,
Il, good: c, fair; D, poor; and L very
poor G Is the lowest pass mark in
any study.
"A pupil. whose card contains no
mark below c and has a few higher
marks. is doing good. or average,
work, and II he continues with these
parks there is no question as to his
promotion. for he is making a passing
grade each month Should the pu-
pills card show D or in two or three
subjects 1t means that the pupil has
failed during the month In these sub
Jects and unless the work is made
up satisfactorily, and all the marks
foT the remainder of the term are
passing marks he IS not likely to be
promoted.
Parents should not wait for two
Or three months failure in the work
of their children before calling on
the teacher. finding out the cause of
the trouble and trying to correct it,
When the term Is over half gone 1t
is usually too late for the pupil to
make up all OF his lost work.
IF past experience be taken as a
criterion there will be about ten per
cent OF the grade pupils. In the Or.
den public schools, who Will fall TO
make their grades at mid-year The
majority of these retentions will be
caused by poor attendance In one of
the buildings an investigation was
made last spring for the purpose of
ascertaining the chief cause of the
retention Of pupils. This inyestiga-
tion included seven rooms with grades
from first to seventh inclusive. In
these rooms there were 322 pupils !
and thiTty-one of them failed TO make
their grades. 1t was learned that
nine of these retentionS resulted from
pupils who entered school from three
To SIX weeks after the term had he
gun, and were not able to make I'm
the lost work. Eleven did not make !
their grades because of irregular at. |
tendance through the term The ma.
Jorlty OF the remainder failed he
cause they were not prepared for their |
grades.
Some parents do not seem TO rea.
NE that pupil who is absent one |
day each week from school Is losing .
one-lfth of the work which usually /
means failure TO the average boy or
girl The failures In the work Of
tne grade schools Is not due to
crowded course of study. for the
course is well adapted 10 the average
child. The failures are not a result
ot the child's dullness or lack OF Of
lort' but they arc almost wholly due
TO Irregular attendance.
The excuses given would be amus
ing were they not sorrowful. The
following are examples OF some of
the invalid excuses sent by some par.
eDts:
No. PLEASE excuse Johns alb.
sence from school Yesterday. he had
TO turn the washer
NO, 2-Mary had TO tend the baby
while / went TO party
No 3-The children went TO the
matinee yesterday afternoon
mo. 4-Little Willie complained Of
headache, so | let him STAY out.
THE first excuse Is, perhaps, valid
but the validity on the others is usu.
ally questionable, These excuses are
not entirely imaginary. There Is not
q principal In the grade schools OF
the city. who has not one. or more
similar excuses on file Excuses OF
this character are becoming fewer
each year. and when all parents fully
realize the Importance of sending
their children each day unless there
Is valid excuse, a long stride will
nave been taken for tho educational
interest of the child