St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1917-01-20
OF IN.
SPECTION OF
SCHOOLSOF
PARISH
Summary and Comment.
CONTINUED from last week }

Summary and Comment.
Buildings-In addition IL a numX
Der of excellent buildings described
in the body Of this report, there has
been constructed modern one-roOm
house at Savannah Brancn replacing
the old FendlasOn school. The
Pearl Kiver school has Deen entirely
remOdeled to conform to modern re-
quirements at a cost Of $1,000. One
room has been added TO the Two
room Central building. The Tall
sheek building, which contained bat
two rooms at the former inspection,
has been burned, but there has been
in its place modern
four-r0om house at cost OF S@7oO.
The tw0-ro0m building at Robert,
which was under construction Jn the
previous visit, has been completed.
The contract has been let for one
room house at Sand Hill. Funds are
on hand for the construction of q
one-room building at Ridge. Two
new schools have beel established
at Maud and Galloway in temporary
but comfortable quarters 1t Is
worthy of note and COMMUNICATION
that twenty-five of the twenty~nine
in the parish are OF MOD
ern design and OF comparatively re-
cent construction.
E.:uipm t-As viii be nv.c:- in
the body of this report, the equip
ment is of a good quality, but is
lacking in certain essential respects.
It is the superintendent's purpose to
add these essentials as soon as funds
may become available.
The heating facilities are unusual
ly good. there being twenty-six pat
ent heaters in the parish in addition
to the two steam heated buildings Ut
and Slidell. We hope that
the parish may soon feel able finan-
ciaMy to supply all schools with nee
essary equipment now lacking.
Sites, Water Supply, Toilets-It
will be noted that large sites have
been procured for the new schools.
We heartily commend this policy OF
the parish board. The deep wells
and force pumps found at number
Of these schools represent both
sanitary and comparatively inexpen-
sive water supply. We recommend,
however, the artesian well wherever
1t will be noted that
the new schools are provided with
deep-pit toilets, as are also quite
number of those constructed pre-
yious to this time. 1t is the purpose
Of the school authorities to build
toilets of this type all over the parish
as rapidly as funds will permit.
Schools and Their Organization
Since the previous inspection, Sun
has been approved as Type Two
school. Home econom-
les in a limited way is taught at
Talisheek and Central,
with sewing classes at number OF
other schools; a few schools are also
supplied with some carpenters tools.
Hot beds are being planted at Wald-
helm. Sun and Progress from which
the communities will be supplied
with plants.
The average attendances repre-
sented at the schools visited Is II
per cent. Had it not been for
whooping cough at one school and
an exceedingly disagreeable day
when two other schools were visited,
this average would have been materl-
ally increased. The compulsory at
tendance law is being strictly enforc-
ed, as is also grade limitation. The
school board and superintendent are
to be highly commend, d for their
wisdom and courage in adhering
rigidly to the state regulations. The
daily programs were as whole very
and the coure OF study is
being very we'll followed. We sug-
gest the adv stability of closer sup
ervision of the play periods and more
in the way of encouraging and di-
recting games.
The tests in reading and arithme-
tic indicate a good quality of work
on the part of the teachers, although
In a number Of schools the children
were considerably below the require
ments Of the course of study. In
this connection It is not quite fair
to assume that responsibility for this
lies entirely with the present teach
0T8s Mduy Vi WAOM hAC oOA sAA6 Nv
the first time in their present posi-
lions.
The sessions of all the schools
visited, with one exception, is only
seven months. While the school au-
thorities have exerted themselves
strenuously in adding to the parish
finances with very excellent results
yet It is most unfortunate that funds
are not available for longer ses-
sion. 1t seems to be poor business
policy to allow so large an invest
ment in the way of buildings, equip
ment. school sites and teachers sal.
aries to bring advantages for little
more than half a year. We realize
that these school authorities have
done their utmost and trust that thu
citizens Of st. Tammany parish VIII
shortly respond to the appeal fol