The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-04-30
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
BY Mabel Horner, County Supt.

The Eighth grade EXAMINATION
will be given May 4 and - instead
of May and S. This change is made
in accordance with instructions from
the Department of Public Instruction
to avoid conflict with the High school
Normal Training examination Whlch
comes on the latter dates.
Teachers whose schools Will nave
closed before the date for the eX-
animal ton should arrange plans with
the superintendent whereby their
pupils may have the privilege OF the
examination. Pupils who have earn
ed passing grades in most of the
branches in the February eXamlna-
tons should not fail to try to COM
plete the work in May. This will be
the last opportunity to secure certlfl-
Gates of admission to High Schools
before next February.
:: :: ::
The pupils of the Leon public
schools gave a pretty operetta entitl-
ed. The Enchanted Wood at the
opera house last Friday evening, I'M
der the direction of Miss Mida Brad
ley. The proceeds Of the entertain
ment will be used toward buying
Victrolas for the north and south
ward schools.
:: :: ::
Last Thursday was Arbor Day. 1t
was good day for planting trees,
but the showers interferred with the
picnics and programs that had been
planned However, a number of
schools carried out their "clean-up
and "tix-up'' campaign the following
Friday or Saturday. Others will Oh
serve the first of May with Arbor
Day activities.
The children are usually found to
enter into the out-ofdoor work with
interest and zeal. Winnie Shira S
school at East Eden, cleaned up the
premises and planted violet bed.
Then to the teachers surprise the
children brought shrubs and peren-
malls, and the grounds were bounti-
fully planted with roses and lilacs,
peonies, bleeding hearts, etc.
:: :: ::
Laura Hackers school will close
at Fairview next Friday with pro-
gram and a pie supper in the even
ing.
:: :: ::
Carl Noftsger of Bloomington
township, has enrolled in the prize
essay contest.
:: :: ::
More than eighty people sat down
to dinner at the picnic with Fanny |
Hazlets school, closed at Pleasant
View, last Friday. A splendid pro-
gram was rendered.
:: ::
The National Educational Associa-
ton will meet at St. Paul, July All.
This will be the greatest meeting of
its kind ever held in this country or
any other. 1t is not often that so
good an opportunity comes to Iowa
teachers to attend the national asso-
citation. We hope many Decatur
county teachers will be among those
who will take advantage of this OPP
portunity Two interesting depart
ments of the association are the
Department of School Patrons and
the Department of School Admins
tration. What an impetus it might
give to educational interests if every
Parent-Teachers Association and ev
cry school board could have repre-
sentative in these respective bodies.
1t is their privilege to do so.
:: :: ::
Value of Parent-Teaclers AssOcia-
ton.
The most important result of the
work thus far undertaken by the Ma
tional Congress of Mothers and Par
ent-Teachers Association is the ever
increasing h a r m o II Y promoted
through cooperation between pat
rons and teachers of the United
States. Meeting on common ground,
the public school house, meeting for
common purpose, the children's
welfare. meeting with a common de-
sire for cooperation and better un-
Outstanding Of one another
In the recent past, one of the mar
Vicious facts connected with educa-
ton, is the simple, trusting faith
with which the child has been hand
ed over to the teacher completely.
During the twelve years he trudged
back and forth to a school house
never once seen perhaps. by father
or mother and was taught by men
and women, each known only as
teacher If the child was bad
in school. he probably reported that
it was because of his bad teacher,
and visit was made by wrathful
parent in spirit Of cooperation
with the child.
But now that in thousands Of
school houses. the parents are meet
ing the teachers, they are impressed
with the necessity of discipline and
order and are concluding that
teacher is not SO bad. after all. The
keen mind of the teacher measures
up to the parents and better under
stands the children of each, as the
result OF frequent contact.
California is at present the banner
state in respect to the number of
Parent-Teachers Associa tons, having
about thousand.
Frequently the reason for forming
an association is the special, urgent
need of the local school--a piano, a |
playground, gymnasium. But af
ter this need is filled, the confer
ences continue to meet for a better
understanding of all pertaining to
the child in the school. Following
are examples of the varied activities
OF u few Of these clubs since Deem f.,
Der lst.