Charlevoix county herald., 1916-09-08
School Commissioners
Notes
SCHOOL CREDIT
FOR HOME WORK
New System introduced In The
Rural Schools Of Our County.
May l.. Stewart. Commissioner

For long time we have preached
that there is dignity in labor. We have
said that hand work, the ability to do
is noble. We have said that man is
educated so that he can do more work
in less time than he could before, that
if he does not know how to work, his
education has proved a failure. In
spite of these worthy beliefs and state
ments, we have poured book know
ledge into the head of every child, and
have failed to connect this book know
ledge with the daily work of the home.
We have preached cooperation but ex-
cept in emergency cases, we have de-
pended largely on theory. There is
wide difference between theory and
practice but we are glad that there has
been constant effort to draw them
closer together.
This effort is the purpose of the new
system of School Credit for Home Work
1t is proposed this school year to give
every school child in the rural and
graded districts card called Parents
Monthly Report to the Teacher" of
work done at home. On this card there
is list of ordinary home tasks with
the number of credits to be given for
each, such as: Washing and Wiping
Dishes" one credit, Making an entire
batch of Bread" five credits, Curry
ing horse" two credits. The parent
keeps track in whatever way is con-
venient during the week, but writes on
the card the total for each week, and at
the end of the month returns the card
to the teacher. When child has earn
ed l25 credits he is given Home Work
Certificate. For four Home Work
Certificates, 500 credits, child in any
of the first four grades may receive
Diploma of Honor for Home Work.
Boys and girls in the fifth, sixth,
seventh and eighth grades may receive
this diploma for eight certificates or
1000 credits. Every boy or girl attend
ing school must own one of these
Diplomas of Honor for Home Work be-
fore he or she can receive promotion
card at the end of the school year. Any
pupil seriously i'll during the year may
receive permission to catch up the
Home Credit Work during the vacation
and be passed on condition until that
work is made up.
This system is in operation and work
ing successfully in many parts of North
Dakota and Iowa. 1t has proved very
effective in Todd County, Minnesota,
and comes to us highly recommended
by the parents of every community
where it has been tried. Every plan
has its good and bad points, and the
commissioner will want to hear how
the plan is working out in your district.
A great deal will depend on the teacher
as well as the parent, but we feel that
this system will do away with the
teachers praise for the bright child
who learns without effort and works
neither at home nor at school, that it
will also do away with discouraging the
patient plodder, who knows more about
work than any of his schoolmates and
who is sometime going to get there.
We feel that the teacher will under
stand to fuller extent the outside
interests of the child and will get q
fuller broader view of his education,
that the parents will realize that the
school stands for the home, thus work
ing in every way with the home and
the work Of the home.
The success Of the plan will depend
largely on the enthusiasm with which
the parents meet. this system and the
willingness and honesty with which
they make their reports. No credit
should be given for any work that is
not done cheerfully and well. If there
is any part of the card not clear the
teacher should be glad to explain. The
teacher and the parent may together
weld this new link between the home
and the school.