Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-01-01

the county superintendent the exact
cost of tuition in his district and the
number of nonresident pupils attend
ing the high school. The county SUI
perintendent then apportions this a
mount for each nonresident pupil. This
law puts the country boy and girl on
an equal footing with their city cousins.
There has been an increased attendance
in all the high schools in the county
since this law went into effect Many
more students in the country taking
advantage of high school education.
During the past year successful
school fairs were held at Stayton, Mt.
Angel and Butteyile. The schools Of
the county also had very creditable
booth at the state fair Over five
hundred boys and girls were enrolled
in the industrial club work. The in
dications are that there will be many
more than that number enrolled for the
coming year.
Credits for Home Work.
Nearly one half of the schools last
year gave credit for home work done
by the pupils. The pupils are given n
blank upon which are printed the things
for which credit is given and the cred
its for each one. Credit is given for
practically everything that the boy or
girl does at home. Following is a par.
tial list of the items Cleaning teeth,
caring for hands, making bed, prepar-
ing meals, putting up lunch, washing
and drying dishes, sweeping and dust
ing room, gathering the eggs, feed
ing the chickens, carrying in wood,
building fire, taking care of horse or
COW, milking COW, practicing music
lesson, sleeping with bedroom window
open and any other work directed by
the parents. This work is all done un-
der the direction Of the parents and
they are required t. certify that the
work has been done as reported by the
pupil. Many teachers find that this
plan Of home work increases the pupil s
interest in his regular studies at school.
The parents are interested in the plan
because the children take a greater in.
terest in home duties.
Spelling Contests.
Practically every school in the coun.
ty took part in the spelling contests
last year. Four local contests are ar
ranged in each school district. The
words are selected and prepared by the
county superintendent. A list is mail.
ed to the teacher The words are writ
ten by the pupils and graded by the
teacher. A record is kept of the mum.
Der of words missed by each class, the
average per cent of each class and also
the grade made by each pupil, All pu.
pills making 80 per cent in all the con.
tests are eligible to enter the county
contest which is held in Salem the lat
ter part of May. At the county contest
one hundred words are dictated and
written by the pupils. In case two or
more do not miss any words or are tied,
the winner is decided by an oral con
test. Gold medals are awarded to the
winners in each grade. About four
hundred boys and girls took part in
the contest at the Salem high school
last May.
School rallies and teachers institutes
were held in all parts of the county
Teachers, school officers, parents and
pupils are invited to take part in these
meetings. The program is made up of
songs and recitations by the pupils of
the districts participating and educa-
tional addresses.
During the past year nearly one half
of the districts in the county have or.
ganized Parent Teacher Associations
These associations have done much for
the Improvement Of the schools and in
securing the cooperation of the par
ents and teachers. Many new associa-
tions have been organized since the
beginning of school last September.
The State Department Of Education has
issued a bulletin giving plans for or.
ganizing an association and suggest.
ing programs for their meetings. Part
of the meetings of the associations are
taken up in discussing the problems of
the school. At others, speakers from
the University of Oregon, the Oregon
Agricultural College and the Normal
school are secured. Community sings
debates, and spelling matches are held.
In fact, the Parent. Teacher Associa.
tions take charge of most of the social
activities in the districts.
Rural Supervisors.
During the last four years, this
county mas Deen provided with two ru-
raj school supervisors. These super.
visors have visited each of the rural
schools from four to six times each year,
attending parents meetings in each of
the districts and have cooperated with
the school officers and teachers in
bringing the schools up to high
standard. With the aid of the super.
visors, much more effective work can
be done by the county school super
intendent. Schools can be visited oft.
ener and various ACTIVITIES can be pro.
noted which would be impossible with
out their aid.
The work Of the superintendent s Of.
flee has increased very rapidly during
the past few years. One stenographer
is kept busy in the office during the
entire year. Following are a few Of the
things that engage the attention of the
superintendent and clerk. The daily
mail Of one to one hundred letters.
registration Of the teachers certifi.
Gates, making three apportionments of
the county and state school funds, max.
ing library apportionments, checking
and mailing library books to the dis.
tricts, considering changes and mink.