The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-11-16
PERMANENT RECORD PLANNED
Mrs. Mary d. Bradford Urges Parents
Of Children to Aid in Making New
Plan Of Reporting More Successful
in Schools.
Bv Mrs. Mary D. Bradford.

Parents of public school children
are doubtless aware that new form
Of report card is being brought home
by their children for signature each
month
The general purpose of this differs
in no way from that of similar cards
that for years have been used in our
schools. 1t conveys to parents and
others some information at regular in
teryals, concerning what should be and
doubtless is one of the most important
interests of the home, namely, the pro-
gress being made in school by the boy
and girl.
The new card has added an item or
two that were not on the old card,
and that seem to need a few words of
explanation. One of these is "effort. -
1t is intended to have the teacher ex-
press under that head her estimate of
the pupils earnestness, his devotion to
duty, his "effort" to do the work as
signed him.
A high mark in "effortn together
with satisfactory standings in studies,
should convey to parents the general
information that the child is using his
or her time rightly, is forming habits
of industry and is succeeding.
A low mark in "effort" together
with low marks in studies, means that
prod is needed at once-preferably,
of course, the prod of an inner motive,
stirring of interest, q rousing OF
will. 1t may mean cigarettes, and,
consequently, that parent needs prod
ding; that the home needs conviction
of the fact that the early use of to-
bacco is inevitably harmful to the
nervous system, and detrimental to
activity Of brain, dwarfng the power
to think and to direct action.
1t may mean physical weakness,
which incapacitates the pupil for brain
work, Back of the physical condition
causes;--Iack Of proper NUTRITION, ul
defect in breathing, or irregular and
insufficient sleep, or no fresh air in
sleeping room.
A low mark in "effort' may accom-
pany high mark in studies. This
means wrong adjustment and that more
had better be found for that child to
do.
A high mark in "effort" may accom-
pany a low mark in studies This
means that the boy or girl is doing
just as well as he or she can be ex-
pected to do with the work under
taken, or as well as possible under
existing circumstances. Pupils are
sometimes obliged to stay out of school,
kept out by poverty, by sickness in
the family or by thoughtlessness Of par
ents Weak spots are thus left in the
school work, and resulting low stand
ings come in spite of the most persis-
tent industry and high effort of the
pupil. No blame should be attached
to a pupil for such report, it means
instead the need of sympathy, en-
eouragement, relief, if possible, of con-
ditions detrimental to progress, or the
readjustment of child to the course
by change of grade.
Thus this new item serves as an i'm
portant means for judging the use a
child is making of his school advant-
ages.
Another change is the use of the
word conduct" in place of "deport-
ment." The words are, in general US
age, synonymous, but conduct ;
seems the stronger one and better for
our purposes. Through the report of
conduct, the school endeavors to con
vey to the home it's estimate of the
child's behavior as a citizen of the
school community. We no longer ex-
pect it to tell how many times he has
whispered, but whether by his general
attitude towards the school and it's re-
quirements, he is a helper or a hind
erer Teachers are directed to keep
constantly before children the idea of
duty to self and duty to others, that
good conduct has regard always of the
right of others to quiet, orderly
school, and to be undisturbed at their
work. "Conduct" also takes note of
courtesy and politeness to schooImates
in school and on the Fairgrounds and a
respectful attitude towards teachers
and others in authority, or the lack of
these. Conduct measures the child S
moral efficiency, which in schools as in
society is in reality the recognition by
ones conduct of the rights of others.
The real innovation on this card is
personal appearance. My purpose
in inserting this item is this: As by
the estimate given of conduct" we
are able to express the child $ ability
to live up to certain standards of be.
havior an dexpect to win through them
cooperation of the home in our efforts
to form habits of self control; so we
needed some way of impressing the
nAed Of attention to theN physical side