Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1918 — OFFICE OF Jasper County School Superintendent General Instructions to Teachers [ARTICLE]

OFFICE OF Jasper County School Superintendent General Instructions to Teachers

1. The subject of Agriculture. Domestic Science and Music are optional subjects for pupils, who take the diploma examination. These subjects may be used by the pfipil to lift the average. But the grade will not be recorded if below 75 per cent. Nor will one of these optional subjects be considered as a failure making it necessary to wnte upon it at the next examination. If a pupil has earned an exemption in Agriculture or Domestic Science by securing the necessary Home Work credits then a grade of 90 per cent in Agriculture if a boy or 90 per cent in Domestic Science if a girl will be entered without writing on the diploma examination. To secure this teachers must report the names of the pupil or pupils to me by letter. You must attend to this early to give a pupil from your school the advantage of this ruling. An average of 75 per cent is not fall-

ing below 60 per cent in any subject entitles a pupil to graduation. If there is a grade below 60 per cent then the pupil will be required to write on all subjects where the grade is below 75 per cent, except of course, the optional subjects mentioned above. You should be very careful to explain this in the most careful manner to your pupils. Encourage them to write on the optional subject or subjects since by so doing they have everything to gain and riothing to lose. A pupil who has 90 per cent that was earned by Home- Work cannot lower his grade but if the pupil elects an optional subject on the examination and makes a better grade than 90 per cent then the better grade shall be entered.

Enclosed are pupil’s report cards. Let this, be made out carefully and sens to me when you send in the Home Work statement mentioned above. Be absoultely fair about your estimate of the pupil. Explain to him that the truancy law applies until he is sixteen hence if he graduates he should go to high school. Make it a point to convert a pupil to go to high school. Your final reports are very imnortant It i» bound in book form

and becomes a part of the records of the office. Please fill in all blanks and then take to the trustee when you make your final statement, Have him sign his name at the bottom else your report is unfinished. Compare your financial part to his. Be very careful in all of this report making. Enclosed are questions to be used next week as indicated by date on the questions, dwing to the lack of uniformity throughout the county it was thought best to permit the teacher to change the queries or make out new ones so that the examination will be useful rather than discouraging to the pupils. z Please keep yourself on guard if you change or make a different query. Do not make it too easy nor too difficult. Use these on the date fixed by Mr. Ellis even though you are teaching on Saturdays. You are requested to grade the Eighth Grade manuscripts on this examination so that the grades to bfe used on the diploma examination at the close of the week of March 16th will be in readiness to prevent delays. Then you can grade the other manscripts subsequently. Have the Eighth Grade manuscripts so that I can get them should I decide that a pupil is questionable. KEEP THEM AT YOUR SCHOOL and not at your boarding place. Should the community decide to give a big dinner at the last day then you as teacher should make it your patriotic duty to see that al» left overs are carefully saved to be returned to the homes from which the food came. This is an excellent place to encourage economy among your patrons. Please do not be too meek to mention this to them collectively or separately. This year ends with exceptional success upon your part. It has been a trying year to’ all of us. Jasper county has a crystallized patriotic sentiment that has commended you throughout the state. You are thoroughly welcome to work with us another year. It does me good to have you call at the office during your summer vacation. Most sincerely and gratefully yours, MORGAN L. STERRETT.