Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-06-04

Superintendent of Schools Loen
W. Gerrish has submitted his report
to the experimenting school COM
mittee, 1t being the oath in the series
Of similar reports. We find:
Number on the school census -. 1916
Number registered in elemen-
tAry schools .............. wv
Number registered in High
school .......... ............ az
Total registration ........ 1924
Cost per pupil in elementary
schools for instruction, fuel.
tanitor and conveyance 800. $34.1s
Cost per pupil in elementary
schools for books and supplies 2.14
Cost per pupil In High school
for instruction. fuel. 5anitor
and conveyance ............ oo.l'
Cost per pupil in High school
for books and supplies ....... 4.SA
Number Of boys taking manual
training ....... ..........' A1'
Number Of girls taking domes-
tic science los
Cost per pupil for manual train
ing and domestic science $1o.66
Teachers-At the close of the
school year in June six changes took
place in the elementary schools and
four in the high school. In filling
these vacancies it has been my aim
to find successful teachers Of expert
ence and also keep within the appro-
Fuel: It has been no small under
taking to keep fuel on hand and the
school rooms comfortable, owing to
the fuel shortage. At the close OF
the fall term some coal bins were
practically empty when in former
wears we were able to have them
full. This accounts for the balance
on hand in the school accounts.
Repairs: Much has been done
along this line and there is much
more that needs to be done. steer
old high school building and the
ceiling in the upper rooms Of the
South Gardiner Grammar school
building was thoroughly repaired
The rooms at Central street and Old
High school and some of the High
land avenue rooms were thoroughly
painted. What work we did was done
in a very thorough manner and
should last for years.
How Parents Can Help Teachers:
I take this opportunity to make
few suggestions how parents may
help to bring our schools to higher
point of efficiency. In the first place
by constructive criticism. A great
deal of criticism is not intelligent
It spends itself in fault finding. Ev-
cry conscientious superintendent ano
school official welcomes helpful sug-
gestions that come from the parents
but there Is one caution that should
be carefully heeded-be sure that the
knowledge that prompts the criti-
cism is first hand knowledge. Do MOI
depend on reports of school happen
ings and conditions brought home by
your own or your neighbors chill
dren. In many cases such reports
will be exaggerations. or they will bt
prejudiced, or they will contain but
a part of the truth, or they will NJ
colored to suit the fancy of the child
I do not mean that children are
wilfully untruthful, but they do like
a good story. They like to presen
themselves IN a favorable light, and ]
they happen not to be fond of the
teacher, the temptation is especially
stroSg. Many cases for friction be
tween parents and teachers come:
from a misunderstanding started by {
child's exaggerated report.
d II you feel that there is a condition
existing in the school system which
should be changed or improved, dc
not hesitate to bring your information
to the proper authorities. If it is 6
matter concerning particular teach
err, she will be grateful to you if yol
will first bring the complaint to hel
attention before you present 1t to the