The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-28
Topeka Schools Ready To Re-
sumo Their Work.
Have Plan To Make Up Time
: They Have Lost.
been CLOSED SEVEN WEEKS
Graduating Glasses Will Suffer
Most, A. J. Stout Says.
Many Want To Shorten the
School Year.

- The Topeka city schools are to be
opened for regular work Monday
morning. December 80. The present
plan TO be presented to the board of
education at its next meeting. will be
. to continue the school sessions thru
all holidays, except Saturday and Sum-
; day. extending the length of the school
day, and continuing the first term to
the latter part of February.
The plan is made in accordance
with a ruling formed by the state
board of education at a recent meet
ing. At that meeting careful con-
sideration was given to the school sit
uation growing out of the prolonged
. influenza epidemic, and resolutions
embodying the ruling of the board
were adopted, as follows:
BE it resolved by the state board
of education. assuming that schools
may resume work not later than jan
uary /, 1919, that if schools make up
ut least one-half of the time that has
been lost neither the credits of their
pupils nor their standing as schools
will be called into question on account
of time lost; and that for making up
this time any one or all of the follow
ing methods will be acceptable: teach
ing every school day regardless of the
usual holidays; teaching at least every
other Saturday; extending the length
of the school day by equal additions
to the recitation periods: extending
the length of the term in the spring.
BE it further resolved, that the
case of schools not following the above
suggestions will be considered only
on individual showing. and special in
vestigation by the board"
Seven Weeks Lost.
In the Topeka schools, it will be
possible to make up about three and
nm re
school, out of the seven weeks lost by
the closing order. The opening of
school next Monday and continuing
thru the week makes up one week, in
as much as that time is normally
part of the midwinter holidays. The
increased school day WI make up two
and a half weeks. Even under this
plan only about half OF the time lost
will be made up. 1t will be necessary,
therefore, that all extra school activi-
ties and sidelines will have to be ex-
cluded, so that there may be no inter-
ference with the work o. covering the
course of study as effectively as may
be under the enforced handicap. All
but the most important and essential
matter will be eliminated from the
course.
The action of the school board at
their meeting Monday, January 6. will
determine the closing date of the term,
which will probably be about Febru-
arys21.
sThe regular work of the term can
not be made up. but with the begin
ming of the new term. the classes will
go on from the point of completed
work. and not from beginning of the
regular terms work.
Many Would Shorten Work.
There has been considerable dis
cussion of a plan to abandon any ef-
fort to make up lost work, and to be-
gin the first terms work over again,
attempting only the work of one term
during the entire year. Many of the
teachers favor such an arrangement,
as they consider that it will enable
them to do their work more thoroly
than would be possible in trying to
make up so much lost time.
The only real losers py the closing
order in the school," A. j. Stout.
superintendent, said. ARE the students
finishing the high school. The other
students can gradually make up the
work. IL not in the year it was lost,
then in the following year, with but
little intensive effort. For the gradu-
ates. however. who plan on entering
higher schools next fall. the only
chance of making up the time seems
ito be in summer school work"