The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-02-25
FACULTY OFFERS PENANT FOR
GRADE MAKING HIGHEST
AVERAGE.
SECOND Trade FIRST WINNER
Strong Appeal Made to the Parents Of
Children to Send Them Every Day.
Reasons Why They Should Not Be
Tardy Are Given.

ing the highest average attendance
The penant for last month was award
ed to the grade taught by Miss Car
RE Smith. The faculty is trying in ev
cry way possible to secure large at
tendance. The following statement
has been issued by the faculty of the
city schools to the parents and guar
dams of children attending the school
There are three hundred forty-nine
pupils in the primary department OF
the public school.
Possibly there is no school authori
ty that would say that satisfactory and
effective work could be done with the
average attendance below ninety-two
per cent.
The attendance of the pupils in the
above named department varies from
eighty-five to ninety-six-even falling
below the former, but never going
above the latter. This problem of at
tendance is the most troublesome of
all the problems with which the teach
er has to deal
The problem must be solved before
our schools can do the topmost good,
and parents, with a more hearty coop
Grafton, can do a great deal towards
its solution-in fact parents can do
what the teacher cannot do.
Truly speaking, there are only two
good reasons why pupils should be alb
sent; there is no good reason why
they should be tardy.
Let us see the two reasons for irreg-
ularity If the physical condition of
pupils is such that attendance would
impair their health then, of course,
the parents would be warranted in
keeping them from school. We are
glad to say, however that this is not
the prevailing excuse.
Further, if the home has suffered a
serious misfortune, the pupils would
These seem to be the only legitimate
excuses for absences. Such excuses
as Couldn't get breakfast in time"
couldn't find my pencil" Didn't get
up in time" Had to get my shoe fix
ed" are folly and should not and will !
not be accepted without investigation |
The conditions of pupils whose /
clothes are not good enogh for them
to appear at school, and pupils whose
occasioned absences are caused by
the necessity of their work for main
tenance of life, should be matter of
investigation for the poor commission
ers. Their help would not be charity
but simply public economy BY this
means the few would be prevented
form retarding the advancement of
their entire grade.
The pupil who is absent on account
of one of the two reasons mentioned
above, or, on account of some frivo-
lous excuse, not only misses his les
sons, the development from which his
fellows have received, but upon his
return, he retards the work of the en-
tire class. He also sets a bad exam ,
pie for other weak pupils and all
teachers know such diseases are con-
tagious. c
Suppose a pupil is absent two days I
N succession, and, upon his return, !,
he teacher takes three minutes from :,
he class to explain something that ;,
lad been gone over during his alb =
Ience, and suppose there are sixty pu-
ills in the class, then, there are three o.
hours lost to the regular pupils. Pun .
sh the entire class at the expense of !,
me absent pupil! Continue this for :,
'nly four weeks and there are twelve a.
ours, or nearly three school days, lost ;,
o the grade The little things of life ),
cunt.
Is this principle right? Any intelli- -
ent thinker would say NO." 1t re- =,
lains for parent and teacher and pu- :.
II to work together for the solution tb
this waste problem. .,
We do not want to appear too hard
nd harsh but we simply mean that
,hool work is serious business and
lat the Board of Education which
,ends time, energy and money wants
4 adequate return--at least concern Is
& the majority. co
What has been said in regard to alb ca
noes can in general, be said con- go,
rning hardness Habitual hardness I [
worse than an occasional absence wi
nothing else, pupils should be Dr
ught the ideal of punctuality be. ~,
use, If they are not, they will shift go,
is habit of hardness into real life SUI
d 1t will give them endless trouble lun
d the teacher is, in part, the cause ne -.
It. Many children are naturally" Gu