Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer., 1922-02-09
CALLS ON PARENTS TO
HELP "STRAIGHTEN
OUT STUDENTS
LETTER MAILED OUT
FATHERS AND MOTHERS GET
COMM UNlcATIoN WARNING
THEM OF THEIR SHARE OF
BLAME IN PRESENT SCHOOL
CRISIS.

Sounding warning that at least
part Of the responsibility for care.
lessness in dress. unnecessary roug
ing Of faces, unsatisfactory personal
conduct and morals slipping below ac-
ceptable standards, is found among
certain Cliques Of the student body,
rested with the parents. the town
board OF education in letter joined
by the faculty today issued an .ur-
gent appeal to fathers and mothers
OF boy and girl scholars. to assist
them in making Of the high school
everything that is expected of the
institution
The letter is designed to impress
upon the parents the imperative need
of their cooperation in bringing about
readjustment Of condition as eX.
posed by the teachers in their at
tempts to place the school on Il 100
per cent efficiency basis.
In dealing with the issues the board
and faculty doffed every pretext Of
handling them with kid gloves"
Fathers and mothers win be awaken,
ed by the revelations contained in the
communication which was mailed out
today, with the avowed intention Of
bringing home to them the important
part they have played, innocently no
doubt, in helping retard the boys and
girls In their school work
The letter is self explanatory, and
is as follows.
To the Students of the Ottawa Town
ship High School and to Their
Parents and Guardians;
The following letter is from the
township board OF education and the
faculty of the ottawa Township High
school, all OF whom view with ncreas.
ing apprehension some tendencies
Of the present time We trust that
what we have to say will be seriously
received and thoughtfully considered.
There may be a few students and a
few parents and guardians to whom
what we have to say may not apply
directly but a serious consideration
Of the whole subject should materially
assist in the correction Of some of the
shortcomings to which we must call
attention.
Concerning Scholarship and Work,
The primary purpose of a school is
to provide that training which viii!
make good citizens But school build. |
ings and earnest and efficient teach |
erS are of little use unless there pre-
walls among the students a spirit If
earnest cooperation and a desire to /
do their part; and We can rest as.
sured that many students will fail in |
their school work unless there is ac-
tive assistance rendered and strict |
discipline exercised by the parents /.
and guardians of the students.
we are all greatly disturbed by the |
spirit of Indifference which seems to /
govern the actions of so many OF our
students, and the apparent indiifer |
ence which seems to be found amongst |
many Of the parents Of students who !
have failed in one or more of their |
studies. In the last examinations too
large number of our students have /
failed in at least one study. Monthly
reports of the progress and standing |
of the. pupils go to the parents or
guardians. Proper consideration and /
appreciation of these reports by the
parents and guardians will keep them |
informed on the progress or lack of
progress of their sons and daughters |
In very many instances it appears, on
the surface at least, that the parents |
seem to be entirely Indifferent to the
failure of their boys and girls. Be
cause of the great number of failures
in the term just ended we have been
compelled to secure the service of
an extra teacher who will do ever.v
thing possible to assist these back
ward pupils in catching up" with
their work. Every plan that profess
sional ingenuity has been able to de
wise has been tried by the faculty for
the improvement of our work, but the
response from a great percentage of
our boys and girls has been discourag
ing to say the least
What lis the Reason?
We feel that the primary reason for
this Is that the young people are not
doing their home work They are not
STUDYING their lessons and preparing
for the next school day as they sh0uld
and 1t is absolutely necessary that
they do this in order to succeed in
their school work. It is in this par
ticular that We feel that many of the
parents are very lax in their duties
to their children. The parents are ap-
parently permitting them to devote
too great a part of their time to the
pursuits of pleasure. A little observa'
tion shows very clearly that quite a,