The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-10-08
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
BY Mabel Horner, County Supt

BY Mabel Horner, County Supt.
Dates to be rem embered.
Decatur County Normal Institute,
October 8 and 10.
Regular Teachers Examination,
October %, 90 and 30th.
State Teachers Association, Nov.
5, 6 and 18th.
A cordial invitation is extended all
friends of our public school to be
present at any or all sessions OF the
Normal Institute to be held at the
Leon High School building Friday
and Saturday Of this week. good
program has been prepared, the in
structors are among the leading edu-
Gators and lecturers of the state. We
trust and believe that those who are
in attendance will find the occasion
one of pleasurable profit.
Miss Maude Slower of Eden Center
enrolled number of her boys and
girls in the Garden Clubhlast spring.
The interest of the members seems
to have withstood the hot, dry
weather, and the garden plots have
done likewise Mary and Margaret
Walton won honors at the Lamont
Harvest Home Festival with an ex-
hibit of onions, beets, potatoes and
tomatoes Miss Slower sent to the
Children's Flower Mission for some
of the seed used, thus enrolling the
club members without extra effort on
their part in contest conducted by
the Flower Mission. An Elgin move
ment, gold watch, warranted for 20
years is offered for the largest beet
grown from seed Of the long red
mangel-wurzel variety. Florence
Anderson enters the contest with a
beet that weighs 9 pounds and Is
ounces.
Miss Isabel Freestone and her
pupils at Lone Star have observed an
autumn arbor day, and planted a
number of roses and other shrubs.
They expect to put out tulip bed,
and hope with the assistance OF
patrons, and board to-set out a num-
III Der Of trees Of sufficient size to in
sure against their being moved
down, when the grass on the school
grounds is cut next summer.
Artie Trisler is introducing the
Palmer method of penmanship into
his school at Woodland. Writing is
sadly neglected in many Of our rural
schools In fact in many cases 1T
not taught at all, the children merely
''pck up what little they learn
about it, We are always glad when
we find teacher realizing it's i'm
portance and giving it the attention
it deserves Mr.. Trisler, being
normal training graduate is prepared
also to render good service in the
teaching Of agriculture and manual
training He hopes to use part
of the school ground as a demonstra-
ton plot, and to secure tools and
workbench so that he may give his
pupils something practical and help
full in manual training.
The following letter has been sent
to all county superintendent. we
shall comply with its instructions at
the earliest opportunity. In the
meantime we give it publication IN |
these columns.
To the County Superintendent:
There are evidently many school |
boards who are still unfamiliar with
the provisions of the law covering |
schools for nonresident pupils. Sew
eral instances have come to our at
tention where information on this ,
matter would have safe-suarded the
interests Of the pupils, and prevented
serious misunderstanding.
Accordingly. we suggest that let .
ter be sent to each rural school Off
Ger (board member, treasurer, and
facts
First. 1t is illegal for their board
to extend or allow high school tut
ton money to schools not approved
by the Department of Public Instruc-
ton.
Second. AS precautionary meas
IRE there is an obligation upon each
school officer now to warn each pupil
attending High School, that unless
he attends an approved school ne
must pay his own tuition. j
Third. All pupils whose High
School tuition is paid by their board
must possess the certificate of the
county Superintendent showing pro-
ficiency in each of the common
school branches specified by law. I
We believe that such action will
arouse interest and be appreciated by
the parties most concerned. 1t VIII
also assist in making more effective
the provision for better schools
through statewide approval and
classification.
Respectfully yours,
A. M. DevOe,
Supt of Public Instruction.
September 20, 1914.