The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-11-23
LETTER FROM PROF. KINARD.
Heart to- Heart Talk With Parents
Concerning School Work.
To the Patrons of the Dillon pub
lie Schools.

NltId, was held Friday night, but
| there were so many absent that
We take this means of communicat-
ing with you about some matters
pertaining to the schools. We want
You TO be more interested in the
work Cf the schools We want y0n
to meoC and know the teachers; we
want you To cooperate with US
mere thoroughly; VIC want and need
your active help.
Don't criticize the work of the
teachers until you have been here
ITO see for yourself the work they
have been doing. Il you have com
paints to make, come to us whit
them. You will always find us
reasonable. Don't say things
about us to the neiehbors; we are
human and have feelings Just like
otter folks. If we DO you wrong,
we are ready to acknowledge our
mistakes and recti'y them, but
do come to see US, for it may be
oniy supposed wrong.
In thirteen years Of school work,
I've found that if parents and
teachers viii get together and have
a candid business talk. they can
settle nearly all differences
In large business firms, experts
are employed to study the business
and find the cause of losses. and
TO correct these losses by better or
ganizing the business system II
is the study of the head of any
corporation to do this--to take up
the best motive wherever found IL
Is the duty OF a school superintend-
ent to see that teachers and pupils
do their duty and TO systcmatize all
school affairs. Two leaks that we
have been trying to stop are the
causes OF great loss-ta-dies
and absences. Not only a money
loss, but what is more serious, the
great injury that has done the
child's work, by not being in
school every minute OF time.
Parents, now l want to make an
appeal to YOU have found re-
Gently that the majority Of tardies
and not your children. 1t is a
serious responsibility for you TO
be depriving your child in that
way, because you have the power,
but not the right to do it.
believe our schools are as
efficient in this respect as it is
possible to make them until we
get better support from you Now,
wont you please See that the chill
dren come, and come on time9
If they lost nothing from their
send them SO as to teach them to
be punctual and regular TO their
duties
We are now attempting TO break
up smoking by school boys on their
way TO and from school and on
the school premises. With your
help we will do it. There are more
boys who smoke in Dillon than any
place l know - in some cases per
| Il hNF r.aN &c 8
by them. We do not presume TO as
sumo any of the parental rights or
authority, but feel that our duty
extends from the time pupils leave
nome until they return. About half
| OF their waking hours are spent In
school duties-most OF their train
ing is received during this time
and certainly we owe it to them 10
train them in manners and morals
as well as books. We are doing
what we can to make them as pro-
ficient as possible in their books
and right at this time we are max
ing special effort to lGok after
those who are tagging behind. Some
OF our people seem to think this is
our whole duty, but if they pause
to consider. they will see that
book larnin' alone is of little
value and really is only a part of
education-there are other things to
develop and train the child's mind.
Thanks to broad minded trus-
tees, the Dillon schools offer free
hand drawing, singing and manual
training in addition to the regular
academic work. The manual train
ing was made possible by private
subscriptions from liberal patrons.
Some complaints have reached
me stating that parents are expect
ed to do too much teaching pa
rents, we do not expect you to do
any teaching. I'm afraid some pa
rents try to do their childrens
work for them. The best help pa
rents can give is to see that chit
dren spend n reasonable time each
day in preparing the lessons assign
ed them.
Instructions and explanations are
given by the teachers. Should your
child complain that things are not
explained to him you may know
that he has been inattentive. Again
some OF our High School pupils
are so despondent they want to be-
shown everything when they should
work out nearly everything for
themselves - they are of an age
when they must learn to do for
themselves,-that is a part of their
training.
The school board is planning to
nave the new school ready for
next session. When this Ia done,
with the course of study offered
and by thorough cooperation OF
parents, teachers, trustees and sup
erintendent the Dillon schools wili
offer advantages second to none.
Again let me urge you to visit us
and see all departments of the
school Unrk and oaa 60