Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-08-26
IN
SCHOOL IS URGED
BY DR.. KENDALL
Would Coordinate Studies
With Outside Life of the
Pupil.
Special to the Evening Star.

TRENTON, Aug. 26.-Pointing out
that the opening of the public schools
in September, with more than 100000
children in attendance, will be an
event of great moment. DR.. Calvin N.
Kendall, State commissioner OF edu-
cation, today addressed a letter to all
county superintendents and supervis-
ing principals of the State. He calls
their attention to some phases of the
work to which he asks them to give
special heed in order that they may
most effectively serve the pupils.
DR.. Kendall emphasizes co-opera-
tfon of the parents with the teachers;
urges that the school buildings be
used as community centers in order
that the schools may render the
greatest service to their communities;
meetings of teachers with the county
superintendent or supervising princi-
pal before the opening of school in
order to help inexperienced teachers
and pave the way for the best work
at the start; calls attention to the
now monograph on "School Hygiene
and Safety" which will be ready
early In September, and which will
be an aid to safety first cam
paigns, and gives many other valu-
able and helpful suggestions
The letter in full is as follows:
mo school system would succeed
without the hearty cooperation of
the fathers and mothers of the chill
dren. This cooperation ofttimes is not
secured because no opportunity is
given the patrons to participate.
Parents should be interested in moth
ing so much as in the education of
their children and they will not with
hold even the best things from them
once they are persuaded that these
things make for their welfare. 1t is
hoped, therefore, that superintendents
and principals will encourage the
formation of Parent Teachers Asso-
Citations or similar organizations in
every school district. In districts
where this is not feasible parents
should be called together, at least
occasionally, through the school year
In order that the aims and purposes
of the school may be explained to
them. Conferences between parents
and teachers should be encouraged
and supervisors should make it pos
sible for each teacher to know the
parents of her pupils. 1t Is unreason-
able TO expect the best results when
parents and teachers do not know
and therefore ofttimes do not under
stand each other,
School Work Related to Outside Life
Perhaps there is no better way to
secure this cooperation than by plan
ming some of the work of the school
in such a way as to relate 1t TO the
life outside of the school. Both
pupils and parents will be inter
ested in arithmetic If problems oc-
curing on the farm, in the store or
factory, are brought to the school
for solution; in botany, If the study
results in an increased yield of
bushels of corn per acre, or doubles
tho quantity of vegetables raised on
the same plot of ground; or in
English composition, If they realize
through use its value in communi-
eating with others on matters of
vital Importance to them. BY
guiding pupils In the selection of
home projects which are motivated
and assisting them in bringing these
projects to a successful issue, much
of the purely formal work of the
school may be taught and fixed
through an application to these in
teresting problems.
Another way of securing the CO.
operation of the community is pos
sible through the instruction of adults
by lectures on special phases of
work in which the community is In
terested through evening schools and
by maintaining short courses in poul-
try raising, fruit raising, etc. Nearly
every community has one or more in
dividuals, who through natural apti-
tude, practical experience and study,
are eminently qualified and more than
willing to instruct the other members
OF the community in subjects in which
they are interested.
Emphasis on the foregoing would
naturally result in using the school as
a community center Here fathers and
mothers, sons and daughters should
frequently gather, not only to be in
structed, but also for reereaYton and
for the discussion of such public ques-
tions as are vital to the community.
Here also parents may listen to de-
bates by the younger members of the
community, and encourage by their
presence contests of various kinds
spelling, arithmetic, athletics, etc.
"The individual to inaugurate and
stimulate this work, when there is no
one else to lead, Is undoubtedly the
superintendent or the supervising
principal. However, he should be as
sisted by the teachers and in rural
schools the teachers should assume
the leadership.
I'm order that the schools may open
with the least possible friction teach
ers should meet the county superin-
tendent or supervising principal be-
fore the opening of the schools. Spe-
cial attention should be given at these
meetings to unframed and inexperi-
enoed teachers. Suggestions could be
given which will enable them to re-
duce the waste which necessarily re-
suits when teacher begins her work
without any conception of the work
of teaching.
1.-THE supervisor should also pro-
vide means for increasing the eff
cheney of teachers in service. He
may do this at teachers meetings,
general and special, by establishing
reading circles, and by class demon
strations given by the strongest
teachers In the system, in which the
best methods of teaching are Illus
trated by actual practice.
"Many of our schools have intro
duced so-called special Subjects
manual training, cooking, sewing,
physical training, drawing, etc, and
have provided special teachers to
give this instruction. This work.
however, should not be regarded
as separate from and unrelated to
the other school exercises, but it
should be related at every possible
opportunity to the regular work OF
the school; for example, the work in
manual training should be correlated
definitely with the drawing, geo
graphy, arithmetic, etc.
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