Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-09

II Building fires; milking COW;
cleaning the barn; splitting and car
Trying in wood; turning cream sep
arator; cleaning house; gathering
eggs; feeding farm animals: churh-
ing butter: preparing breaklas.'
i sweeping and scrubbing floors; dust
ing furniture making beds; sewing
washing and ironing the child's own
4 clothes: bathing; arriving at schooi
| with clean hands and face and with
hair eombed; practicing music les
| son going to bed by 8 o'clock every
night: bathing and dressing the
i bahv. sleeping with window boards
in bedroom: these are a few of the
| duties for which the teacher at
\ Spring valley, oregon, 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 re-
suits of all pupils Except eighth
graders) who enter and continue in
the voluntary contest to see which
can obtain the most of such credits;
a certain number of accumulated
credits entities the pupil to holiday,
at the discretion of the teacher; and
in this one school, at least. cash re-
wards are given to pupils making the
best record in accredited home tasks.
The experiment was SO successful
in Spring Valley that it attracted the
attention of the county superins
tendent of the state. who this year
made special trip in a body to OBJ
serve the results of the home credit
plan in this school, and then adj
vocated the idea everywhere. Al
ready schools in other localities have
tried the plan with success, modify
ing the details in accordance with
iOCdl utedS, Dul always iN1ftAtiito III
central principle of home and school
cot operation.
Observers of the work that is done
in Oregon agree that the effect both
on school and home has been unfail-
ingly good The children take more
pride in their homes; give eager as
sistance in the household to their
frequently overworked mothers; live
cleaner, healthier lives than before;
school work in their awakened zeal
for home interests. Indeed, the
evidence seems to be that the habits
of industry and cleanliness thus en-
couraged in respect TO duties in the
home are not only reflected in the
pride they take in sanitary school
surroundings, but also in increased
ability in studies, greater willingness
to do the lessons, and a higher de-
gree of accuracy in all the activities
both of home and school.
The basic principle behind the worl,
| of. DIR. 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,
well and cheerfully, the better for
them; they will become finer and
| more useful men and women. The
giving of school credit for home
work." says Dr. Alderman. lis like
opening great reservoirs of power
which as yet have scarcely been
| tapped"
Certain it is that cooperation be-
| tween home and school is one of the
pressing problems OF the day. Ac-
| cordingly this Oregon experiment,
which seeks to coordinate in the
| fullest sense the interests of school
and life, is followed with close at
\ tentiOn by educators everywhere