The Republican., 1924-06-12
AWARDS MADE IN PUBLIC
SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST
Hutton Gets First and Oakland
Grammar School Second Prize

| son, cashier of the First National
Bank of Oakland through Mr.. F. F..
| Rathbun, County Superintendent of
| Schools, announced an essay contest
in the public elementary schools of
this county upon the subject: "a Pro-
gram for Improving the Schools of
Garrett County"
A prize of SIS was provided by Mr.
Dawson for the essay submitted by
any pupil in the public elementary
schools which came first and a prize
of so for the essay that came sec
| ond, the funds to be awarded to the
school from which the successful con-
testants came. The contest has clos
ed with awards as follows:
First prize, Miss Frances Uphold,
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Jack Up
hold, Miss Uphold being a pupil in
the Hutton school.
Second prize, Miss Mary Louise Hell
big, daughter of Mr.. Nnd Mrs. A. w.
Helbig, Miss Helbig being a pupil in
the Oakland Grammar school.
The four judges awarded first place
unanimously to Miss Uphold and the
second place was practically unani-
mously awarded Miss Helbig, the for
mer receiving 361 points as a total
from the judges and the latter 345
points.
The essay which Was awarded first
prize as submitted by Miss Uphold
and the essay taking second prize by
Miss Helbig, are printed below and
show coreful thought and prepara-
ton upon the part of these young
folks and display promising ability.
Miss UphOld's paper was as follows:
The schools of Garrett county have
improved 10 per cent. This gives us
encouragement to work with more
zeal to make our schools the best. In
order to improve the schools we must
work for the following things:
Before we can launch any new plans
with success, we need constructive
publicity This will interest the par
ents in the work of the school and
bring them to see the need of their
help and cooperation. All schools
can help in this by having plays, en-
tertainments, contests, socials and
writing news for the papers. A radio
in the community will help uplift the
ideals Of the people.
Now that Garrett county is improv-
ing her roads this will be a help to
the second need of our schools-con-
solidation. We are working for bet
ter conditions for the child, and this
will come when we can have our little
schools made into several large well
equipped buildings with all modern
conveniences. Large trucks will con-
Vey the child to and from schools,
protecting him from all kinds of
weather. The child will be taught by
a well-trained teacher that will have
more individual time to give to each
one. The schools will have a we'll
equipped playground and gymnasium
where the spirit of cooperation can
/ be developed. At noon the children
will be furnished with a warm, nour-
ishing meal that could not be had at
the country schools. Consolidation
will increase the attendance of the
schools, for there will be no excuse
except sickness to keep the chlld
away.
The third improvement is to raise
the wages of the teacher. Are you
willing to have your body treated by
! doctors who have not completed a
thorough course of study along that
line? Then why give the teachers an
average sum of $500? This is not
sufficient to cover expenses for fur
! ther study for professional reading,
for travel and expenses in attending
| teachers meetings and the summer
! schools.
Parent-teachers' associations should
! be organized in all schools. Here they
discuss child betterment, home bet
terment and school betterment. The
interest of the parents will encour-
age the child to work much harder.
| Every school needs an organization
that will give new zeal to a child and
this organization will help consider
ably.
Every school should have a stand
ard library-one that will help to
| supplement class work A library that
will develop the habit of going there
to get books to read, 1t will help the
children with their silent reading,
which is very important for the de-
velopment of the child's mind. 1t will
also provide cultural reading, which
is very important to all. The school
could have a library made up of good
books secured from the patrons Of
the school. Pamphlets, periodicals
and pictures can be obtained with lit
! tie or no cost There should be no
excuse for a school without a library.
The attendance at each school
should be much better than it is now.
| The money paid for taxes is lost un-
less the parents make the child go
to school, where part Of that money
paid as taxes will yield full value
through the education that the child
receives. Enforce the attendance
laws and if this does not work, or
ganiZe a juvenile court where pupils
will be tried for staying out Of schools
unnecessarily.
Miss Helbig's essay was as follows:
In 1918 the States began measur-
ing schools by the Russ~4I Sage Foun-
dation. Since then the schools of
Garrett county have increased in all
about per cent. This has been only
| six wears. If we keep up this sVS-