The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1916-07-19
The Work of the City Public
School the Past Year Reviewed

will not show more than 10 or ~
failures outright. This does not in
clude those who are conditioned IN
one or two studies. The latter class
will be able to make up this work
and 60 on with their grades, provided
they apply themselves during the
summer. The reason for these fall
ures NAV be summed up in three
causes, viz: lack of preparation, lack
of application, and lack of ability.
In fact. the foregoing causes are well
nigh universal, and they are at the
| bottom of every failure in any under
taking. For the first of these causes,
! it seems to me, the superintendent
is largely responsible. Of course, the
trouble might be traced to an inefti-
cient teacher. for whom the superin-
| tendent is, after all, responsible. Ihat
problem is being met and solved as
effectively as possible. During the
past year professional interest has
been so thoroughly aroused that
practically every teacher in the sys-
tenn has voluntarily expressed her IN
tention to do normal work this sum-
mer. | consider this very hopeful
sign.
Responsibility on the Home.
/ have mentioned lack of applica-
ton as a cause for failure. In dis
cussing this point / must call upon
the pupil and the home, in particular,
to show responsibility with the
school. To meet this eXigency the
school has sought and is still seeking
to make the course of study more
elastic, and has endeavored to make
the work less rigid, if indeed the
modern public school work can be
spoken of as rigid. The result in
that progress of kind is slow and
some do not understand why it takes
IL years to complete the public
school course of study usually pre-
scribed. The answer is that under
latter day conditions we cannot get
the work done in less time. Further,
the school is seeking to so vitalize
the course of study that it better and
more surely secures the sustained in
terest of the pupil. The school is
also discarding the non-essential as
rapidly as they can be definitely de-
termined, and is seeking assiduously
to hammer only the essentials of ed
ucation into our curriculum. AS
never before the school is making a
study of community life in order that
we may better relate the essentials |
to the needs of this town. So much
for the schools part in trying to Sc
cure more serious application on the
part of pupils.
I believe it not unfair now to ask
what the home is doing along this
line. The problems of the parents
of this town are not unknown to me,
and | have watched with alarm the
growing Indifference on the part Of
parents in regard to the multiplied
distractions and problems which con-
front them daily. The school is pow
erless to reach such conditions. An
other class of pupils always found
among those who fail is the boy or
girl who has outgrown all home re-
straint and who is turned loose on
the street. The school rarely is able
to keep such a pupil because the
home cannot give the cooperation
so much needed. | cannot discuss
this subject here as fully as it de-
serves. While these are community
problems each parent must shoulder
his own responsibility, for he alone
is accountable.
While lack of ability is often the
sole cause of failure it presents a
much larger problem in a system
where no special provision can be
made for the dull child. At present
we can do no better than take them
into the grades and exert every eff
fort to keep them up with the work,
while at times it seems that the grade
will be held back with such pupils.
In such instances failure is inevitable
for the slow pupil.
Vacation School Recommended.
/ have spoken rather at length
about failures and backwardness. 1t
is a matter of vital concern. | be-
lieve this town should operate va
cation school for conditioned pupils.
1t would mean a great saving of time
If the summer school is operated I'M
der your direction it would greatly
facilitate the matter of entrance eX-
aminations. 1t is almost impossible
in so short a time for those who
have been doing coaching work to as
certain the real needs of conditioned
pupils, and yet when a pupil fails at
the beginning of the fall term, wheth-
er or not he has applied himself dur
ing the summer, you begin the year
with a dissatisfied patron. 1t would
afford pupils an excellent opportuni-
ty for rounding up their work. Short
courses could also be arranged for
any who cannot attend the regular
session. 1t would be a most effect
i've way in which to drive illiteracy
from our community. So far as your
school plant is concerned it would be
better off for the using. This sug-
gestioff, if followed out, carries an
excellent opportunity for doing
great work in Dawson
| commend the spirit of recent
communication from one of our pa
triotic societies to your body urging
that you consider the wisdom of mill
itary training for our high school
boys. This is big question at pres
ent-a BIGGER problem for the pub