1903-Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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133 REPORT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1903. To the Citizens of Lexington In its report of the school work for the year your Board will speak of its administration chiefly' as to policy. As their responsible executive officer, the Superintendent will naturally be looked to for matters of theory and detail. We, accordingly, refer readers to his report for particulars not contained herein. The year's work has been done without ostentation, and shows no features of a specially brilliant nature. No fads have crept in, and no experiments have been tried. On the contrary the best we ob- serve has been the steady emphasis upon the regular work, and the unifying of the various schools and grades. Of a more especial nature was the series of walks for nature study conducted by Miss Mollie Doran last spring, a beginning, we trust, of more general work in this direction, in which the regular teachers shall be the in- structors. Besides, the entire course of study is in process of re- vision by the Board and the Superintendent. This will be published as soon as it is completed, and will serve teachers and public in grasping the school curriculum and its requirements. It will appear from that publication that from start to finish Lexington furnishes its boys and girls a liberal training, and fits them, aside from indi- vidual limitations, to enter college. In the matter of attendance notice may be made of the change of sessions. In the lower schools the hours have been modified in a measure to enable scholars to meet the car service. In the High School there has been a return to the one session plan, which, while not ideal, and open to objections of which the Board feels the force, does seem a more practical working scheme. The decline in the 134 percentage of attendance of the past few years has been turned into an advance. In connection with this matter the Board would call attention to the fact that Rules and Regulations are under con- sideration which will be published as soon as they have taken final shape. One matter included in these is School Discipline, which is of great importance as an aid to the efficiency of the schools. There are State Truancy Laws and our local regulations, but these must be supplemented by the parents and guardians of school children. The Board would urge that such render assistance by en- couraging regular attendance, giving due excuse in case of absence on the part of a pupil from the whole or a part of a session, by re- specting the school regulations, least and greatest, and by insisting upon such conduct of the school children as shall bring the schools to the height of regularity, orderliness and efficiency. For statistics of attendance see the Superintendent's report. Changes have occurred in our teaching force, there having been seven resignations. Rules have been adopted concerning High School graduation, partly as a basis, in part as a regulation. Simplicity should charac- terize these exercises, and school graduation should not be treated as renal. The Board therefore commends to parents and guardians the advisability of restraining members of graduating classes from undue outlay of time and money, either as a class or as individuals. Let the standard be such as not to deter people of lesser means from seeking a full school course for their children. The Robert P. Clapp prizes were awarded this year to Marjory Houghton for excellence in oral English, and to Edward G. Reed for such standing in English composition. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Items of a distinctly financial, as well as literary and artistic value which call for acknowledgment are the following : The high school fl ig and flag -Staff, the gift of Robert P. Clapp, Esc,. A set of Chamber's Encyclopedia, the giver anonymous.