Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 March 1916 — PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION MEETS [ARTICLE]

PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION MEETS

Large Attendance at Meeting Thursday Was Gratifying to Officers and Committee. The meeting of the Patron-Teacher Association Thursday evening at the high school auditorium, was well attended. If the attendance at the firdt meeting was an indication of the interest of the patrons, this organization should prove to be one of the best enterprises started in this community for some time. The program opened with a piano trio by Helen Parkinson, Cornelia Leonard and Thelma Martindale, followed by music by the boys’ quartet from the high school. After the musical numbers the president, Mrs. Mary Washburn Graham, stated in a very clear manner the purposes of the organization and mentioned some of the things to be accomplished.* Since the subject for this meeting was “Co-operation of the Home and the School,” most of her remarks were along that line. The main address of the evening was given by George A. Williams. He reviewed briefly the purposes and possibilities of such an organization in this community, showing the great amount of good which might be accomplished. In the course off his remarks he stated that last year the cost of the maintenance of the civil city was $16,000, while the school city required $24,000. By comparison he showed the relative importance of each and urged greater interest in the school city and co-opera-tion of patrons and teachers. If the association can awaken a deeper interest along the line of the mportance and value of the school together with the need for and value of helpful co-opeTation, then : t will have served the community. His address contained many such helpfu. suggestions and everyone pronounced it an excellent discussion of the subject.*

At the conclusion of Mr. Williams’ address there was some general discussion. The social hour which followed was enjoyed by all. Many patron® took this opportunity of getting acquainted with the teachers. Light refreshments were served by the girls of the eighth grade domestic under the direction of the committee from the association and the teacher. Before the meeting adjourned, the majority of the people joined the association by handing their names to the secretary and paying the annual dues of twenty^fiVe-cents. - . This was perhaps the first school meeting held in Rensselaer for many years and the number present and the interest shown were a source of much encouragement to the officers and committees. They have already started plans for the next meeting, which will be held in about four weeks. It is hoped that every one of the three hundred and sixty families represented in the schools of the city will become identified with this work, which will no doubt have an influence for good in Rensselaer.