The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1916-10-21

The results OIL a careful ana conf
prehensivee survey OF the rural
schools of Ascension parish, recently
completed by Inspector John M. Foote
of the field force of the state depart
ment of education, are thus summar-
lied in a report submitted by that
official:
Preliminary Statement.
The schools of this parish were pre-
viously inspected and reported on In
November, 1915. At that time Super
intendent H. P. Broussard had just
assumed charge of the schools. We
noted with much interest that during
the past year many features relating
to the organization of an efficient
system of schools for the parish have
been initiated successfully.
| The attention of the reader is di
rected to the fact that the following
report deals principally with the or
ganization of the several schools,
their teachers, attendance, grade linn
itation, daily programs, playground
supervision, consolidation, sanitary
conditions, tests in several of the ele-
mentary subjects, observation of the
work, etc. Description Of the various
4 physical features, as appeared in the
previous report, is given only briefly
and sometimes omitted, as it is unnec-
essary to repeat much that has been
previously reported. Mention is made
of the improvement of physical con-
Editions.
St. Amant.
The two teachers employed here
hold second grade certificates, are ex-
perienced, receive $50 and $40 per
month, and are both rendering very
satisfactory service. The primary
teacher is serving her third session in
this district. Of ninety-six pupils en-
rolled ninety-two were in attendance.
The grades are limited to seven at
present, but in a short time an addi-
tional teacher will be put in to pro-
j vide for the large enrolment and the
grade limit will be raised accordingly.
i Due to the consolidation during the
summer of small school and the par
i tial consolidation of another nearby,
the enrolment has increased to near
,Ily one hundred and the teachers re
/ port that it will go to 125. As the 10
:, cation is central to a large surround
i ing settlement it is expected this
4 school will in the cs arse OF two OF
q q three wears beBssoiae Il large consof
9 dated district. The daily programs
were gone over with the teachers II
! detail and some few changes recon-
J, mended. Supervised play has SO fa1
taken the form of supervised work
as the teachers and pupils have beer
busy putting the premises in orderl!
: condition; later more attention ,Wll
, be given to the teaching of organized
? games and play. We found the Ii
brary to be very much in need of ad
ditional books, especially supplement
( ary readers for the several grades
The pupils in the fourth and fiftl
grades were tested in reading ant
|. arithmetic. The reading, which wa
: from familiar lessons in the adopted
| text, ranks as average, with some pu
pills reading poorly. The arithmetl
consisted of six comparatively cas-,
examples in addition, subtraction
,, multiplication and division. Th
:, eighteen pupils averaged tWenty-sev
en- per cent and the average time re
quired to do the work was twenty
three minutes per pupil. But on
pupil worked all of the six example
and it is of interest to note that tn
: work was done in the shortest time
: eleven minutes. The results indicat
very plainly that the pupils do no
know the four fundamental opera
= ons. AS the papers were graded be
: fore leaving the school the teache
;. and superintendent were duly In
I pressed with the condition and bot
agreed that the necessary steps Woul
be taken to teach these operation
! fully during the session. It was ais
agreed that no efforts would be spare
: in placing proper emphasis on tn
. teaching of both reading and arithm'
:, tic. The session here will be min
months instead Of the usual 81
= months term that has prevailed in tn
+ past. As this is the case with all tn
: schools, the parish must be congrat,
lated upon having found means
> lengthen the session to nine month
for all schools.
Elise Memorial.
h The two teachers employed are e.
e perienced graduates of the State No
J, NAL, receive $55 and s45 per mont
( and are giving good service to II
81 school and community. Forty-sevt
J. pupils are enrolled in six grades, wi
r. an attendance of forty-three. III
g fact that the compulsory attendan
id law is now in effect has been duly a
ID nounced to all the pupils and the col
i'd munity. The teachers will make
j. quiry and visit any families that
y not enroll their children. The poll
in of the parish board and superinter
a. ent for the present session will
IS to fully inform all parents regardi
Of the law and invite them to send tn
children. The daily programs {
well arranged and indicate that |
course of study is being adhered
I H.. M L