The Mena weekly star., 1919-03-13
POLK COUNTY
 SCHOOL NE EWS

Welcome Home school is two miles west of Cove. Mrs R. E. Lowe is teaching there Her pupils are order lv and studious. The school needs slackboards, dictionary, new desks and paint or paper on the inside, and naint outside. Their score is 51. but the directors say that prospective i'm movements will raise their score this year.
 Pine Grove scores 45 points. They lack equipment and a comfortable building. The entire room has only four windows, and the room is not tight. On cold, cloudy days the pupils have difficulty in getting both heat and light. Miss Irma Nichols has a group of bright pupils and is doing well under the circumstances.
 Cove made S6 points, the highest score of any school seen by the super inbendent this year, and before he left Cove Mir. Woods and his able assist ants brought about improvements that raised their score to 91, thereby sntitling them to a place in Class "A ? One splendid advertisement for Cove school is the fact that they do not seem to have any trouble. Everyone is working for the interests of the school. The work in every grade is excellent.
 The superintendent arrived at Pleasant Hill on the last day of school. W. A. Griffin is teaching there. He has seventeen enrolled and there are seventeen enumerated in the district. The attendance is good also. Their score is 56, but Mir. Griffin thinks they can make it at least 75. This district consists of only three sections and land and the school is do- ing well considering it's handicaps.
 Heath Valley has the only log school in Polk county, but Messrs. Lewis, Hendricks and Sims, the directors, state that this claim for distinction is not coveted and will not exist long. These folks are planning to build a good house and furnish it with mod ern equipment turnout in the near future. Miss Grace Little is giving excellent satisfaction at Heath Val ley.
 The superintendent was at Egger with County Agent Henderson March 4, and at Alder Springs March 2. At Egger some agricultural clubs were organized and other improvements noted. which raise Egger's score eight points, making their total 69. At Alder Springs the various community organizations were revived and credit given for three extra points, making their total 63.
 Wickes, Union Grove and Cedar al- Sc deserve especial mention for im- provements and community activity.
 An excellent program was rendered by the teachers and pupils of Old Pot ter school, Friday night, March T. It marked the closing of successful term there. The county superintend- ent had the pleasure of presenting di- plomas to Miss May Mansell and Hubert Turner, who had finished the common school course.
 Graduation exercises will be held at several schools in Polk county this spring. Grannis, Cove, Hatfield, Mena, and Egger have all informed the su- verintendent that they intend to give young folks the honor due them for having completed the eighth grade the foundation for any education. Di- plomas are furnished free by the su- perintendent to all pupils who pass an aan,.avaJ ava aftot t, tlo c,,h jects prescribed by the course of study.
 The Baptist church has very cour- teously proffered the use of their building to the schools of Polk coun- ty for the County School Contests, to be held in Mena, March 21-22.
 Acorn has entered eight contestants for various events in the County School Contests. Mir. Harris says they are all winners.
 Vandervoort is equally enthusias- tic over her seven contestants.
 Old Potter promises g9ne strong talent also.
 All schools are requested to send the names of their contestants, the class they desire to enter, and the names of their readings or declama- tions, to the superintendent not later than March IT, and earlier if possible.
 s. Perkins of Happy Hollow was in hena Monday and registered at the Hotel Mena. The visitor is the uncle of Miss Anna Wood, Polk county's popular home demonstrator.
 
 Fifteen beautiful gold medals and fifteen equally beautiful silver medals are now on display in the Lindsay Jewelry Company's windows. These medals will belong to some Polk coun- ty boys and girls on Saturday, March 22. The rules are so drawn that rural girls and boys are on the same basis as those from the towns. If you be- heve in your school. encourage it's pupils to strive for their part of these medals.