The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1912-09-19
70 ths Teacher Of Sedsw;ek Ces.ty:

Te the Teachers Of Sedgw;ck Couaty:
Whenever our school workers have made
an Impression upon society. and have succeeded
in securing the recognition of the value of their
work and Il betterment of the conditions that
tend to increase efficiency and corresponding
remuneration, they have done ~ by coming in
contact - much possible. At the opening
of the school wear 1912 and 1918, is my earnest
desire to meet you often in your sche0l work,
to be of assistance when solicited, and to send
many of my ideas to YOU thru the medium of
these printed letters. We must Get Together
and work thru an organization to advance the
schools of Sedgwick County.
Program
concede that the most difficult program
to arrange is the one devoted to our rural
schools. However, many excellent ones were
sent to this Office last year which compared fav-
Oraby with the programs of other and more
advanced counties. Send your new program to
me, with the permission to make any changes
that seems advisable. Post one cOnspicuously
in the school room. Never fail to adhere to it
most rigidly. Be systematic in this as well US
in all other things:
Reeitat:ons
Schools advocate the formal recitation, and
permit no interruptions of that period by the
paPIs generally thru the room. When the pu-
nil recites, have him stand quiet and erect.
Allow no concert recitation Make your ques-
tions coherent and demand answers in clear,
cUrrect English. Sometimes this fault is evil
dent, that our questions to pupils are too co.
herent. and we give ''cue'' to them for som,
pupils have O Quickncss in cue catching"
which, serves as an expedient substitute for
those gleanings that should come from study
= alone. = - = -.
Arithmetic
Lay special stress on mental arithmetic.
and upon both oral and written analysis of
problems. Have the child cultivate the gift of
explaining lucidly, all examples step by step
language and Grammar
1t is my firm belief that these subjects are
the most essential of all taught in-o our schools
They should be taught in simple, perhaps COL
lOqHiat way, with as few technical terms used
as possible. Every pupil should be required to
write at least one theme Il week, the length to
be governed by the grade in which the pupil is
cd to talk to other pupils on topics in which
theyare both interested. Here the main things
to be secured are spontanety of thought and
dIrecthcss, and clcarness of expression. To
make all this a success there must be strong
sympathy between the teacher and the pupil
IT pupils are to come out of their selfconscious-
ness there must be nothing to make for their
repression They must be brought to feel that
their teacher is their friend, and to a certain
extent their chum. 1t is the first, the funda-
mental, and the final duty of the teacher to as
certain what the individual pupil needs along
this line and give him guidance.
Geography, Civic., History
This work, in some cases. has not been sat
isfactory in the past. Too much detail has re-
suited in confused mass of useless material.
with the practical facts not sufficiently cmphas.
lied. Outline these studies emphasizing the prac-
tical, and have your pupils study these skeletons
until it becomes indeby fixed in the mind.
These are best taught by ortlinc
Physiology and Hygiene
Require thorough work along this line. As
much time should be given to this as to any
subject. Happiness and success depend on
health.
Reading
Teach pupil to read as he would talk, in
natural intonations of voice. Avoid monotone.
Teach him not only the words bu. the thouuht
for this is the paramount issue in reading.
am sending with this letter book of classics