Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-10-23


should get soIidly and effectively
behind. On the first l have reported
at length. On the second I wish
to amplify further.
The question Of the social activ-
tiles of the children is one that tugs
peculiarly at my heart. These boys
and girls get little enough of real
true pleasure in life We fathers
and mothers are too prone to send
our children off to schol and de-
mand that they study and make the
most Of their opportunities without
providing them with that wholesome
relaxation which they must have and
will get. For the High School boys
and girls We must provide means
for their meeting each other in a
social manner. Personally / would
be glad to see a splendid teacher
of dancing and manners and social
etiquette provided for at least a
month or six weeks during this win
ter and give all the High School boys
and girls an opportunity to learn how
to dance the best dances and at the
same time learn how to deport them
selves as young gentlemen and young
ladies. 1t was only recently that
saw a pertinent article by a lead
ing club woman of the United States.
deploring the decadence of manners
between the young men and young
women of the land Manners are
learned, we acquire them; We are no
born with them. A teacher of de-
corum and manners would help solve
some difficulties. We need this
coming year to divorce the social ac-
tivities for the children from the
business meeting of the parents,
not that We do not want the par
ents to come to all the parties and
entertainments given for the children
but there should be a time when the
| children in the, schools should have
parties particularly for themselves
and there should be times when the
adults meet to take up these srious
| problems of school and youth.
would suggest this coming year that
a committee be provided from the
Association to take charge of the
parties for the High School boys an
girls, or perhaps the Alumni AS
| ISOLATION would look after the details
| of the parties given under the aus.
pieces and expense of the Parental
Association. | would suggest that
the children have annual stated par
ties, say one at All Halloween, one
at Thanksgiving time, one during the
Christmas Holidays when the boys
and girls are home from school, a
| Valentine party, an Easter party in
the week following Easter, and a
| Commencement party, annually. This
would give the young men and womel
connected with the High School somt
thing to lock forward to and it
would give the boys and girls who
are absent at college and come back
during the Holidays something tC
the boys and girls that we fathers
and mothers have their interest anC
amusements at heart. 1t would be
one way of keeping them from go
ing to other parties that are not de
sirable and under proper auspices
Then comes the question of amuse
ments for the little ones in the grade
schools. What are We doing fol-
them? Little entertainments giVer
from time to time in the different
ward schools, little parties and the
teaching Of little folk dances to then
together with drills and simple gym
nastics all could be provided for al
no particular expense but needing
some particular attention.
/ have the following suggestions
to make as amendments to our con
stitution and bylaws: We should
amend our Article 1, regarding
membership and instead of limiting
this association to the High School
We should merge into that broad
field and be known as 1.-The Public
School Parental Association anC
take in as members every parent OF
guardian Of all the children in the
city schools, making these people
possible that small due, such as
ten or twenty-five cents a veal
should be asked from every parent
in order that they may feel as thougl
they have a financial as well as a
personal interest in the Associa.
ton. We should also amend this
same article and make eligible as
| members Of this Association the
faculty and teachers of the Wood
County Normal Training School. The
problems are our problems and our
problems are their problems, and we
have always found them willing con
tributors and splendid associates.
| cannot close this report without
mentioning with much regret the
two cases of sorrow that have af-
fected me personally because of my
close association with them; both of
them coming to officers and co-lab-
orers in this Association. Last
spring our Secretary, Mrs. Boorman,
had the sorrow of losing a dear
son. 1t is almost unnecessary to
state that the sympathy of every
parent in this Association has gone