The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1912-01-04
BATES COUNTY SCHOOLS
AND TEACHERS
By Supt p. n. Allison.

Supt. Evans has ruled that atten-
dance can be counted on holidays
only when school is taught on the
other four school days of that week.
Several of our schools dismissed
Wednesday afternoon before Thanks
giving until the following Monday.
They cannot count Thursday on their
attendance, neither can they count
Friday if made up on Washington S
Birthday. That is they cannot count
two days attendance on one day and
school must be taught four days in
the week to entitle them to count a
holiday.
l suggest that teachers and school
officers be very careful about this as
the law imposes too much of a fine to
run any risk on it See Sections
10000 and 1O322, School Laws 1911.
Many of our schools closed Thursday
and Friday Of Thanksgiving week and
intend making up the day on Wash
ington's Birthday which is all right
provided they do not try to count
both days attendance. Teachers must
be careful about this.
A teacher last year in making out
the term report reported one pupil as
attending l43 days while the quarter
ly reports and register showed the
same pupil as attending 80 days.
Such a case this year would likely
cost the teacher and school board
more than they could well afford to
pay. This is not the only instance OF
this kind but one of the worst.
Several of the papers have given
the particulars concerning the State
Spelling Contest and it will be neces-
sary to give only the most important
things concerning this contest.
The contest will be held in Jeffer-
son City some time during the week
beginning May 18th, 1912. This is to
be the week of the County Superin-
tendents' Convention.
The county contest in Bates county
will be held in Butler April 9Th be-
ginning at 1:30 p. m. and the same
rules will govern this that have been
adopted for the state contest. The
first prize in the state contest is to be
500; second prize $50; third prize
s25 all in gold. Each and every con-
testant will receive a souvenir of
some kind.
The time and place of the rural
graduation examination will be on
nounced within the next month.
Pupils will be required to pay a fee
of Is cents each to help pay postage
on the papers mailed in to this office.
Teachers have been having to pay
this but it is not fair to have them
conduct the examination free and then
pay postage on the papers too.
Teachers are required to use new
term report this year and the blanks
for this will be mailed out with the
last quarterly examination questions
direct to the teacher. Teachers are
required to file these with the county
and receive a receipt
for them before drawing the last
months wages. School boards issu-
ing the warrant for the last month s
wages are liable for the money paid
out.
l have map of the state of Mis-
souri, for each rural school in the
county. Teachers or patrons will
confer a favor by calling for these.
Miss verna Chapman, of Green
Valley school, reports the following
pupils as spelling all the words in a
two weeks spelling contest: Kath-
crime Trowbridee, Orville Badget,
Mary Collins, xUla Badget, Fern
Smith, ArthurS Smith, Frank Nall,
Margaret Frazier and Opal Hunt.
Miss Hattie B. Lyle, of Montrose
school, in Howard township, reports
a very successful pie supper, the pro-
ceeds amounting to $28.
Miss Mary Wayland, of Wemott
school, in Shawnee township, reports
about SIS and they are going to add
to their library with the proceeds.
Some of our school boards seem to
have gotten the idea that the $50 to
be distributed out of the state funds
yoes to the teacher but such is not
true. This money goes to the teach
er's fund for next year. Where they
change teachers for the spring term
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