New Britain herald., 1929-09-13

fails to add one and one-half units to his credit account, he is denied the privileges of the school for a semester. In the administering of this regulation due allowance is made for illness, part time work and eXcusable absence. The requirement means the completion of only about three-ffths of the semester's work, thereby allowing a liberal margin.
 "To check a tendency to irregu- larity in attendance, any student who, in any semester, is absent five or more days (whether consecutive or scatterod) for reasons not satis- factory to the principal, is denied the privileges of the school for the remainder of the semester. School work, for it's successful completion, demands regularity of attendance. Absence probably more than any other cause produces failure in tke senior high school.
 "Our 'individualized plan stresses a regularity of effort and a complet- ed task rather than a series of ex- posures, more or less desultory read l ing and a gamble in the form of a final examination. The marking sys- tenn is suited to the plan of work. ! The completed task is indicated by the numeral 70. This means comple- ton, not 70fc completion. To meet the interests of the rapid worker and the enthusiastic student supple mentary work is provided and sup elementary marks from so to 100 are given. For the slow and very careful worker tests for supple mentary credit are provided. These tests do not demand extra prepara- ton but to presuppose an interest on the part of the student to try his powers and manifest his en- thusiasm.
 "The individual graph card pro- vides running record of the stu dents work, available at all times to parents and administrative of ticers. It is not subject to the delay which necessarily accompanies the quarterly reports. It leaves in the possession of the student prima facie evidence of the work which he has done.
 So far as possible, each student is induced to follow a definite cur riculum suited to a particular pur- pose. We offer the following cur ricula:
 "The academic industrial, com bining academic and trade work.
 "The college preparatory in both the classical and technical forms. in preDaration for the degree-giving higher institutions.
 "The commercial, in direct prepa- ration for business activities.
 "Thc home economics, in prepara- tion for home activities.
 "Thc normal school preparatory. in preparation for the state norma schools.
 "'Coursc A in the state trad" school which leads to the senior hi"} school diploma as well as to th" state trade apprenticeship certif cate
 Students who have no definite aim and who wish wide choice Of electives are enrolled as of the gen cral culliculum. In this curriculuT1 are found those who seek to meet but the minimum requirement. for graduation and those who desire t0 shorten the time of their school membership. There is always ill the school a considerable number of students who arc waiting for outside employment. These are distributed amono tho cur-i"ula but many 2To provided for within the wide roacho of the general curriculum. In tho eases of these students immediate interests and in"livations must often be considered if the work motive .* to prevail.
 Physical Interests
 "The physical interests of the school workers is the immediate con ccm of the department of physical education. The physical instructors. the school physicians and the school nuracs meet the students both in divi'-. " and in groups. Through ph'- examination and advice, tho fol I'D of cases of illness and dc'o talks. organized exercise" and ~2meS, tho use of the school haths, and li,''itod number of iii terschool con'"-' they seek to 9c- ve'op good r Il habits. health ful physical C "r"ises and really recrcational physical activities. Thn state rcQuiremcnt of two hours aN' a half a week for each student jn tho interest of hnalth and phvsi'9' education, while interrupted Dy the rev construction of the past year finds an organization and pcr5onnci rc9dv to function.
 "Of all the rhases Of the life of the senior high school. the com. munity phase produces nernaNS the least tanciblc results, 2nd yer its of- fccts may he among those that last longest and strike deepest in the lives of it's graduates. This com munitv life dces not need clHborat" organization with many and detailed regulations, but rather the accept arcc of certain fundamental Drn ciplcS and a large liberty of in iiv idual action in conformity with these Drincirlcs. These principles must,>from time to time, be enun- ciated by administrators, teachers and students. For the most rart. however, they must be expressed in tho conduct of the members of thc nchool, both tea "hers and student in the general plan of work and ac tivities; and in that indefinite somc- thing known as the spirit Of the school
 :" T h so-calIc1 cXtra-curricular activities are features of this phase. It is the policy of the adlninistra- ton to watch for natural manifesto lions of an interest in group activi- ties for the purposes of recreation and social converse; to suggest and supervise but never to constrain.
 "The rclaXations with the secret