Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1919 — NOTES FROM THE [?]Y SCHOOLS [ARTICLE]

NOTES FROM THE [?]Y SCHOOLS

High School The football team is ipractlcing faithfully every night under splendid direction of Coach Hadley. They feel confident that they will be In excellent condition for the game today, when they play the team from Gilman, 111., here at Rensselaer, On Oct. 18 the Watseka, 111., team will meet Rensselaer on its own gridiron and thia promises to be an exciting game for Watseka is known by Its heavyweights and hard fighters. {lev. E. W. Strecker spoke tjo the high school Friday afternoon. From time to time talks are given to the high school pupils by the citizens, and they are always found interesting as well as beneficial. For some time it has been felt that some means ought Jo be devised by which the standard of spelling might be raised among thA high school pupils. This year two spelling lessons are to be given each week and by this imeans it la hoped that, the trouble may be mitigated. The first lesson was given Wednesday, and the following rejs« resent the averages for the four classes: Senior, 93.6%; Junior. 87.6%; sopohomore, 84.7%; freshmen, 80.2#. The music classes are enjoying the Vlctrola. They find great pleasure in listening to the world's greatest artists.

Grammar Building. The boys in the Bth grade -agriculture are studying wheat. Wednesday afterutoon the Miass with Mr. Nave took a little ruh into the country, 4% miles north of town on the Jackson highway, to get data for their year book, which the boys are making and preparing themselves. We Cound a very good 50-acre field of wheat, and the boys pronounced it an A No. 1 good job on the farmer’s part. The only crltlcismi they made was that the wheat had been drilled north and south, instead of east and west, according to their text book. The Eighth Grade club, which was recently organized, will be known as “Good Cheer.” Geraldine Roth is president; Max Robinson, vice-president; Virginia Kresler. secretary, and Ellen Kresler, treasurer. Miss Mlles has made two trips into the woods and fields with the sixth grade, studying Mother Nature. These trips are very interesting and much good is resulting. Miss Sage is very busy with her Girl Scouts. You have missed something if you hive not seen them take their hikes across field and wood. Yes, we do some classroom work also; visit Miss English’s physiology and geography classes and see where she “stars.” Abe Martin says: “The worst thing ter a town is a pore cutp o’ coffee,” but Miss Atwood says, “nigh onto a pore cup o’ coffee is pore cookin’ and so’ln’.” Martha Randle has been on the sick list since Tuesday. We hope she will be able to be in her classes by Monday. This building paid a fitting tribute to “Riley Day,” by reading

some of his poems and living over again the old days of t'he Hoosier poet. Primary Building. Miss Brady, a teacher from Thayer, visited. the primary de•partment of the Rensselaer schools last week. Up to date there have been 18 visitors —friends and patrons of the school. The teacheri urge those interested to come, assuring them a cordial welcome. The total number of pupils absent in the primary building were 103; total number of days 193%. The health of the pupils has l>een good for this time of year; that of the pupils on the lower floor being better than that of pupils on the upper floor. Tonsillitis, a few cases of influenza and bowel disorder seem to be prevalent. The teachers are co-operat-ing with the health board by sending home children who are not able to be at school for fear of spreading colds or other diseases. Riley day was appropriately observed in all the rooms of the primary building. In the first grade the pupils learned the significance of Riley day. They became farhiliar with some of his rhymes for

children and the Victrola recoru of Riley’s “Bear Story.” In the fourth and fifth grades poems and Riley’s biography were given, the pupils using the latter for language work. A number of short selections were read and recited from memorj by the pupils for reading. Fire Prevention day was observed in our department Oct. 9. Each teacher, in a short talk to the pupils, reminded them of the results of carelessness with matches and inflamables. A strong patriotic appeal was made and the program was made more vital by a fire drill.