The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-09-06
FRUIT HARVEST
KEEPS PUPILS
OUT OF SCHOOL
Opening Enrolment in the High
School is Below Normal
Grades are Full
TERM STARTED LAST TUESDAY
Those Kept Out to Perform Neces-
sary Labor will be Given a
Chance to Make up Work

With the exception of the absence
of a manual training teacher and a
light enrolment in the High School,
Kennewick' schools opened Tuesday
morning with nothing to indicate that
the stress of war is being felt in ev-
cry phase of American activity.
Mr.. Travers, who was engaged to
head the manual training department,
was drafted and as yet Superintendent
Lewis and the board have been unable
to find a man to take his place. The
board believes, however, that the va
cancy will be filled within the next
few days. In the meantime the
classes in manual training will not
meet but the mathematics classes
taught by the manual training teacher
have been organized in charge Of other
members of the faculty.
The opening enrolment in the high
school was only 80 or only half of the
enrolment of 16O last year. Enroll
ment in the two eighth grades is like
wise light, but the seventh is up to
the usual opening enrolment. The
shortage in the high school and the
eighth grade is due to the urgent need
for workers in the fruit harvest. In
many instances parents of high school
pupils have called up to say that their
children will be in school just as soon
as they can possibly be spared from
work in the orchards.
While the late coming of so many
pupils is certain to operate against the
efficiency Of the schools in the first
months of the term, every pupil who
is kept out to perform necessary labor
in saving the crops will be given an
opportunity to make up lost work.
But it must be understood, says Supt.
Lewis, that the burden of this extra
work must fall upon the pupil. Every
member Of the faculty will be ready
to render the late comers all reason
able assistance in making up lost work
but the pupils will be expected to put
forth an honest and determined effort
to catch up with his or her classes.
The commercial course is proving
one of the most popular ones in the
high school. In spite of the light at
tendance there are now 27 enrolled in
the first year bookkeeping class and
there is equipment for only "a. This
means that new arrangements will
have to be made for handling this de-
partment.
"A new course which is also proving
poular is a course in vocal music mod
elled after that taught in the schools
of California and Massachusetts.
This course will include 45 minutes
instruction each day in musical form,
harmony, voice culture and musical
history. At the end Of the year an ex-
animation similar to that given in the
California schools will be required.
This course will afford pupils with un-
usually good voices opportunity to
secure training without the expense
of private lessons.
Farm labor shortage has not no
ticeably affected the enrolment in the
Washington building, where 260 pu-
pills in the lower grades reported for
work opening day. Last year the
maximum enrolment in this building
was about 300 and this years open
Ing enrolment is considered normal.
Owing to the rush of farm work it
mas been necessary to postpone work
on the annual school fair and it will
probably be necessary to delay this
event ten days or two weeks. The
schools are represented at the Inter-
state fair this week by Ruth Hunting
ton, Gladys Motter and Ruth Dickin-
son, who will compete in the state
canning contests. Next week in the
contests at the state fair Kennewick
will send contestants in stock Judging,
sewing, cooking and serving and man
ual training.