Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-02-14
SECOND SEMESTER
OPENS WITH FULL
CLASS ENROLMENT
SUPT. J. A. LANGSTON TELLS
SOMETHING OF THE PRESENT
PROGRESS OF SCHOOLS

ago and the work or the second Sc
mester is well under way. Attend
ance is large in the grades and num-
bers show plainly that the enrolment
is increasing. At the present time
the Ellis chool has enrolled 121; the
second ward 146; the third ward 172,
and the departmental grades in the
High school building 1873. This makes
a total grade enrolment at present
rollment for the year to date is
over 700 pupils.
Enrolment in the High school is
good, though there has been consid-
cradle dropping off when students
acquire the age where they may Sc
cure permits to work in the factor
les. A number of these students
have made good records in school and
should by all means remain. The cost
of living at present seems to have
much to do with this and many stud
ents as well as parents fail to realize
what a high school education will
mean to them through life.
The per cent of promotions at the
end of the first semester was just
about what it hos been at other
times but is not as large as it should
be. When a student fails to get his
work during any semester it is
plainly seen that his work next Sc
mester will be weak unless he re-
peats the work of the past semester.
Standards in schools everywhere are
getting stronger and this means that
better and more thorough work is
constantly required
While we have a number of rooms
which are crowded, yet it is easy to
see an improvement in the condition
of the children in many ways. Chill
dren are almost all better cared for
than in time past. Most of the chill
dren in lower grades will be found to
be clean and well clothed. This is
partly due to constant attention CIV
en- to subjects of cleanliness and
hygiene all through the schools. Chill
dren must be taught the value of
these things and thier value to
health.
Much is also done to induce the
children to prepare their school work
better.
In the High school most failures
are due to the fact that so many
pupils do not take the school work
seriously. They do not apply them
selves as they should at school and
prepare no lessons at home. The
social affairs of many get a more
important place than school work.
Things are all right in moderation
and when properly supervised, but
parents must remember they do not
suffice for school work.
Teachers are asked to be ready to
discuss the work of children with
their parents. 1t is very often the
case that an interview with teachers
will clear up many misunderstand-
ings on the part of parents. Every
seven weeks an accurate and care
fully prepared report is sent to par
ents. In order that we know the par
ent sees this report they are asked
to sign and return it to the teacher.
If this report shows low marks and
failures there is cause for concern on
the part of parents.
The new course in agriculture
which was placed in our High school
for the first time this year, is prov
ing very interesting and valuable to
many of the rural students. With
the increasing price of farm pro-
ducts and their scarcity at present,
this course should appeal to many in
such way as to show the value Of
a good course of this kind in a high
school easily within their reach. The
Belding High school is the only one
in the county which as a course in
this line at present and the work is
done by competent teacher, who is
graduate of our state agricultural
college. There is a goodly number
of boys mostly from the farms who
can give anyone an idea of the valu-
able things learned.
Also the course in sewing offered
to High school girls is practical, a
new course, and many girls are doing
this work with splendid results.
An effort is being made by the
board of education to make the school
work as practical as possible. We
sincerely hope that the time is near
at hand when those subjects are to
be given in our schools which the
child can use and will need through
life. This must not be taken to
mean, however, that the children will
not need to work in school. We get
out of a thing what we put into it
and subjects which require no work
thought and training will always be
of little value
Quite a large number of former
students are attending higher in
stitutions this year. Reports were
recently received from two boys who
graduated in last years class and are
attending M. A. c., These reports
are gratifying and the boys are GER
tainly making good. Also a number
are in the University of Michigan
and the normal colleges. They seem
to be making good without exception.
Throughout the schools a better
grade of work is being done and in
most ways our schools are making
good progress. At the beginning of
this semester new course of study
was placed in the hands Of all teach
ers in the grades. This will insure
more thorough and uniform work
throughout.
We are very anxious to interest
parents more in the work their chill
dren are. doing in school. They are
welcomed visitors at any time. 1t
would prove of mutual advantage IL
parents and teachers could ba bef-