Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-03-17
ATTENDANCE
HOLDING UP
Increase i'm Number Enrolled in
Alma Public Schools
Is Shown.
CURRICULUM is BROAOENEO
Supervised Study Yielding Good
Results According to Statistics
Just Compiled.

That the attendance at the Alma
public schools has not been falling
away as rumor has had it of late, is
shown by the attendance figures of
a year ago and the present time
which were given out by j. w. Keld-
er superintendent, along with other
valuable and highly interesting data
in regard 10 Alma's schools, which
indicates that the schools here have
high rating.
In February 1920 the enrolment in
the grades was 1915, and in the high
school 367 February 1921 shows an
enrolment of 1910 in the grades
and 367 in the high school, an in
crease of % over year ago. The
actual number Of students attending
the public schools, February 2S, 1921,
as compared with the same time last
year, shows an increase of "a for the
year. Under existing conditions such
an increase must be regarded as a
healthy one.
In educational matters a great i'm
provement has been shown in an i'm
proved educational morale among the
students. higher class teaching
force, in supervised study, in classi-
fication according to ability hat is
shown by students. in improved
methods of teaching and of measur-
ing the results of instruction, in i'm
proved educational equipment, in a
hroadened and more flexible curricu-
lum, in improved standards of schol-
arship, decrease in the number Of
failures, and in extra curricular ac-
tivities, such as campfire girls or
ganizations, debating societies, ath-
letics, senior memorial project. and
use of the high school building every
night by various citizen organiza-
tions.
Some of the evidences of educa-
tional growth that are being shown
in the schools consist Of increased
attendance, and a marked decrease
in tardness The attendance now
averages about 96 per cent per
month, while hardness in high school
averages only about 13 cases per
month, or less than one day among
the 1923 actually attending high
school, making the best resord
known in the entire state.
Another evidence of the education-
al growth is the fact that supervised
study has greatly decreased the
number Of failures in the high school.
A comparison of the first semester
of l9l9-20 with the year l920-21
shows a decrease of 10 per cent in
the number of students who failed
in one subject and a decrease Of 10
per cent in the number Of students
who failed in two subjects.
In the grades the attendance now
averages about "a per cent per
month, while tardinoss has dropped
to about cases per 100 pupils per
month, record that is remarkably
low.
The use of standardized tests in
the grades has made possible de-
tailed and helpful diagnosis of the
weaknesses that pupils show. anc
also gives a sure and accurate mea-
surement of the results of teaching
Standardized tests have been given
i'll number of subjects, but space
prevents the giving of detailed re.
suits. Scores in the standardized
reading tests, in November, 1920, as
compared with January, 1921, from
grade BIB TO grade SA shows an av.
erage increase of 1873.
Other interesting facts connected
with the schools are that the Wash.
ington school teachers prepare warn
lunches for pupils, who on account oi
the distance cannot 90 home at noon
and the furnishing of milk provided
by citizens organizations, for schoo
children who are under weight; a de
sired cooperation between school.
and home, furnished by the Parent
Teacher Associations; and the elias
styling of pupils according to ability
giving every child an opportunity t,
work to his or her maximum capac
ity.
| DIED AT ENART