The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1912-11-22
CANYON COUNTY TEACHERS
HOLD INTERESTING Meeting

Last Saturday was given over to
the discussion of several live aduca-
tional problems by the teachers of
southern Canyon county.
The general session met at 1880 a.
m. in the high school assembly room
with County Superintendent Mabel
Grace Carleton presiding.
The program was as follows:
Needed School Legislation:
(a) The Certihcation LAW.
................... c. L. Robinson
lb) State Aid for Rural High
Schools ..........E. J. Cummings
Grammar Grade Examinations:
lO Is the required average of
Us per cent too hight.
................... V. Elliott
(b) should the questions be pre-
pared by board selected for that
purpose!.... Miss Lydia Thompson
(c) Should the years work re-
ceive credit in making up the final
grades? ....... Mrs. G. c. Painter
The Apportionment of School Funds
.................. Supt. Carleton
Music
MI. Robinson being absent, the first
topic was not discussed, and owing to
lack of time the Apportionment of
School Funds was not taken up either.
A committee of three, consisting of
Supt. w. G. Brooks, Of this city, Supt.
M. V. Hills of Nampa, and SuDt. J. J.
Caldwell of Parma, were appointed to
draw up resolutions setting forth the
concensus of opinion of the teachers
present relative to the subjects dis
cussed.
The resolutions which were adopted
are as follows:
Be it resolved that the teachers of
Southern Canyon county session at
Caldwell, November, 10, 1912. Rec
ommend that State Aid to the Rural
High School be distributed according
to the enrolment in said schools.
Be it further resolved, that it is the
the city schools be delegated the right
and power to give their own eighth
grade examinations and that a COM
mittee composed of the county sup-
erintendent as chairman ex-officio, and
five eighth grade teachers appointed by
the SAID county superintendent, and
distributed as follows: one from the
village schools, Two from the con-
solidated districts and two from the
one and two-room rural schools, be
empowered to prepare questions for
the examinations of the eighth grade
pupils outside of the city systems.
Be it further resolved that the daily
work OF the pupils be credited in the
ratio of 2 to l.
Be it further resolved that an aver
age Of IS per cent is entirely too
high. and that the average be left to
the committee aforesaid mentioned.
W. G. Brooks, N. v. Hills, ]. ]. cald-
well, Committee.
There are many things favorable to
the placing of the examinations for
the promotion to the high school in
the cities the size of Emmett, Payette,
Nampa and Caldwell in the hand of
the school authorities of those res
pective districts.
ID The school authorities are Tor
should Beg as thoroughly competent
to Judge upon promotions as any one.
IN fact, they should be more COM
petant as they come in close proxi-
nifty to evey case.
~ These four schools furnish at
least half the manuscripts for correc-
ton. These under present condi-
tons, are sent to the Office of the
County Superintendent It then en-
tails additional Office help, of some
TOUR or five for a month. This adds
expense to the county, whereas. il
each OF the four independent districts
took charge of their own papers il
would be greatly reducing the cost
to the county.
(3) It would relieve the county
Office Of great deal of clerical work.
1t would put the County Superintend-
ent at the head of the rural schools for
which purpose the Office was created.
90 1t will place the making of the
questions for rural pupils and pupils Of
the smaller schools in the hands Of
people who know the condition local
ly. There are many children who do
excellent work from day to day, but
who fail utterly on examination. They
not only fail but do themselves phy-
steal injury through fret and worry.
The dread of the eighth grade ex-
aminations makes itself manifest in
the sixth grade and from then ON it
hangs like . nightmare over the
pupils. The one supreme aim is ito
pass that examination Children
cannot do their best work in school
under such conditions.
In declaring ourselves upon the
average we do not wish to lower the
standard efficiency in the schools, nor
do we believe that this will be the
result. In many states having most
systems no average is required at all,
simply minimum grade. After ali
the average pupil makes does not seal
his chances for success or failure.
1t is just and fair that the daily
work be given some credit. We be-
ieve it should be in the ratio of 81
to l, l. e., the daily work count =
and the examinations v toward the
making up of the final grade.
The afternoon session was given
over to section meetings which were
well attended and practically all par
ticipated in the discussions.
The music for the morning services
was furnished by the pupils of the
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