Evening star., 1936-04-28
Cooperating
With Child
And School
Parents Should Sign
Report Cards
Promptly.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

WHATS thh' You have failed
in grammar? I won't sign
such disgraceful card. You can tell
the teacher I wouldn't sign it because
was ashamed to put my name to
failure"
Mr.. Jones frowns deeply, turns the
card over and over and says, u refuse
to sign such a card. One C and four
Bs. If you can't do better than that
don't ask me to sign your card.
THE very idea! I've heard your
spelling every night this month and
you knew it perfectly and now she
goes and marks you C. Tell her when
she gives you decent mark I'll sign
the card. Not before
Next day the teacher asks for report
cards. And where is yours?"
MY father wouldn't sign it."
wouldn't sign it? Why not? I have
to have these cards back in the office
by tomorrow morning at the latest.
Don't be silly. Bring that card in
this noontime. If you don't you are
going to stay in every day until you
do"
But my father says he won't sign
it because have a failure on it."
Whats that got to do with sign
ing 1t? All his signature means is
that he saw the card. He saw it,
didn't he? Well, that's all I care
about"
Then the battle RACES. The teacher
does keep the children, whose cards
are not in. after school. She says that
If they wanted anything else from
home they would get it and If they
wanted their cards they should get
them. In vain the children say, I'VE
have them, but they are not signed"
Get them signed" is the grim re-
sponse.
Now what is the use? If the parent
refuses to sign the card the child
cannot help it. 1t is the parent who
Is wrong this time, not the child
The card must be returned and filed,
with the assurance that the parents
have seen 1t. If the child cannot get
the card back the teacher can mail a
copy, register it and file the return
card and close the matter without
nagging the child further about it.
When parents refuse to sign re-
ports it is fair to suppose that they
are doing SO in the hope of making
the child do better. That hope is not
likely to be fulfilled by this sort of
action. 1t is likely to be lost for the
next month because the child is dis
tressed in mind and cannot put extra
power on his work. Instead of having
more power, he has less. Instead of
being driven to greater industry, he
Is driven to seek rest and peace.
Signing report does not mean
that q parent approves it. 1t means
only one thing: He has seen it and
signed his name on it to prove it.
This Is necessary in order that the
school authorities can know that
parents are informed of the progress
of their children, as they should be.
The report card is a part of the
school records and should be respected
as such. Refusing to sign q card only
makes trouble for the child and for
the school people.
The best way to treat a report card
is to study it calmly, talk to the child
in kindly fashion, arrange to help
where help is needed. Speak in praise
Of anything that approaches worth
and so try to train the child not
to dread showing his card. If there Is
anything on the card that you ques-
ton 60 to school and ask about it..
But the evening you get the card is
when you should take your pen and
write your name on 1t.
Copyright, 1860