The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1919-01-03
COUNTY SCHOOL NOTES
BY SUPT. D. ". PEARCE
(By D. w. Pearce, County Supt.)

Wy " w. cdICc, SouHIy Cupt.J
The County Board of Examiners
will hold their regular examination
for teachers on Saturday, January 4,
1919, in the office of the county super
intendent.
There was left with us, for inspec-
tion, a complete set Of the Ohio Pu-
Pills Reading Circle books. The set
complete or any. part of it may be
purchased from US. Tt should not be
necessary to return these books to
Columbus. They should 70 into some
school OF schools in Medina county.
I wish to thank all superintendents
and principals who responded so
promptly in sending in the high school
report for the State Department of
Public Instruction. I appreciate, also,
the courtesy shown by superinten-
dents, principals and presidents of
school boards in reporting the OPEN
ing and closing of schools.
Several Of our schools opened again
December 80. Word from various
parts of the county indicate that a
large number Of schools will open
January 6.
We have secured two teachers for
the Lodi schools: Mr.. L. G. Ford of
Harrogate, Tenn, for mathematics
chemistry and French, and Miss Neva
johnson of Saginaw, Mich, for music
and art.
We by common consent agree that
our schools have been seriously inter
fered with by the enforced closing.
This condition necessitates that all
parents, teachers and school authori-
ties in general leave nothing undone
to secure the fullest possible results
to the children this year. To that
end, with the encouragement and sane
tion of the State Department of Pub
lie instruction, we have suggested
parts Of school subjects that may be
omitted. We have in all cases re-
served the most essential elements
and, If our schools are not again in
terrupted, a large percentage of our
pupils should earn the regular years
promotion. The weaker pupils will
have the opportunity Of strengthening
themselves sufficiently and thus avoid
a greater loss later on.
We are in harmony with the gen
eral school policy the county over, in
attempting to overcome the difficulties
that beset our way and to secure the
fullest possible benefits under the
conditions. 1t is to be remembered,
also, that pupils are learning day by
day, continuously, not by years. For
a child to fail in yearly promotion
occasionally does not by any means
indicate that the child lost year and
may as well have been out Of school.
There is rather widely prevalent
notion that children are or may be
This occasionally hap
pens, and should be carefully looked
after when it does occur, but we
should not expect to find it oftener
than one case in a thousand. The
school is, in such cases, usually made
the "goat" when the real difficulty
lies in the general mode of life Of
the child, for which the home is pri-
marily responsible. Good food, suf-
ficient sleep, proper exercise, freedom
from ver-excitement, in fact, good
hygienic conditions, will enable a
child to do reasonable amount of
work, without injury to himself.
The school, however, does have a.
part in this matter and should at all
times set the example. AS an appli-
cation Of the above statement, the
school day should not be too short,
recesses should break the half day
sessions, the noon period, under no
conditions whatever, should be less
than one hour in length Window
shades should be adjusted for proper
light conditions, the posture Of pupils
should be looked after, etc. "A good
teacher will not find 1t necessary to
assign large quantities of home work.
School work should be done primarily
at the school under tile guidance and
supervision of the teacher. NJ
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