Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-01-21
SCHOOL PUPILS
RECEIVE CREDITS
FOR Home DUTIES
EXPERIMENT is A SUCCESS
Children Are Taught Duties
at Home

NdoHlHSCou, u. ~ JANUARY GU.-
How teachers in Oregon bring school
and home closer together by giving
school credit for industrial work at
home is told with compelling interest
by Hon. L. R. Alderman, state super
intendent of public instruction in re-
gon, in a pamphlet which the United
States Bureau of Education is sending
at the request of teachers.
Building fires, milking a CIV, clean
ing the bar, splitting and carrying in
wood, turning cream separator, clean
ing house, gathering eggs, feeding farm
animals, churning butter, preparing
breakfast, sweeping and scrubbing
floors, busting furniture, making beds,
sewing, washing and ironing the
childs own clothes; bathing, arriving
at school with clean hands and face
and with hair combed, practicing music
Lessons, going to bed by o'clock every
night, bathing and dressing the baby,
sleeping with window boards in bed
room, these are a few of the duties
for which the teacher at Spring VAL
ley, region allows credit in connection
with regular school work.
The work is definitely measured and
allowed for. The child desiring credit
for home tasks brings to school slip
signed by the parent testifying to
what has been done; 10 per cent. is
added to the final examination results
of all pupils Except eighth graders)
who enter and continue in the volun
tary contest to see which can obtain
the most Of such credits; a certain
number of accumulated credits entities
the pupil to holiday, at the discre-
ton of the teacher, and in this one
school at least, cash rewards are CIV
en- to pupils making the best record >.
accredited home tasks.
The experiment was so successful in
Spring Valley that it attracted the at
tention of the county superintendent
OF the state, who this year made a
special trip in a body to observe the
results of the home-credit plan in this
school, and then advocated the idea
everywhere Already schools in other
localities have tried the plan with sue
cess, modifying the details in accord
ancs with local needs, but always re-
tanning the central principle of home
and school cooperation.
Observers of the work that is done
in oregon agree that the effect both on
school and home has been unfailingly
good. The children take more pride in
their homes, give eager assistance in
the household to their frequently over
worked mothers; live cleaner, health
Ter lives than before; yet they have bv
no means neglected their school work
in their awakened zeal for home inter
ests.
Indeed, the evidence seems to be
that the habits of industry and cleanli-
ness thus encouraged in respect to
duties in the home are not only re-
iected in the pride they take in san
itary school Surroundings, but also in
increased ability in studies, greater
Willingness to do the lessons, and a
higher degree of accuracy in all the
activities both Of home and school
The basic principle behind the work
of DR.. Alderman and his associates is
that education should make us more
willing and efficient workers. every
person has some home duties, chores
and the like.
Under the proper encouragement
and direction the boys and girls who
are in school can be taught to do these
things well and thoroughly. The more
they do, we'll and cheerfully the better
for them; they will become finer and
more useful men and women. The Civ
ing OF school credit for home work, "
says DR.. Alderman, "is like opening
great reservoirs Of power which as yet