PART TWO
I
ILLUSTRATIVE HOME CREDIT PLANS
Upon the demonstration of the success of the home credit plan in the Spring Valley School I began to hear of other Oregon schools that had taken it up and were carrying it on successfully. During the school year 1913-14, three hundred and twenty-five teachers in Oregon and in Washington were giving school credit for home work, while the scheme had been adopted by some schools in other States.
For the aid of those who may contemplate its use, the outlines of several plans that have been instituted are printed here, together with excerpts of letters we have received, and cards made out by pupils. These reports come from teachers who have used the scheme successfully in various forms. The daily report plans are given first, and the letters are arranged according to the frequency of the report from the home to the school.
It will be noted that some teachers use a card that is supposed to last for a whole year, being returned to the teacher monthly as school cards are often returned to the parent monthly; others have cards that are marked daily, and last for only a week. Some teachers use a contest plan of awards like Mr. O'Reilly's; others add credits to the average obtained in school subjects; and others do both. The first user of the parent-signed report, Mr. O'Reilly, used no cards, but had the children write little notes with lists of their labors every day for their parents to sign. A bulletin from the Kansas Agricultural College suggests that pupils should furnish the reports themselves over their own signatures.[4] The only record of failure we have was in a school where monthly report cards were used, and no definite scheme of duties was laid down,--merely so many minutes of unspecified labor. I find that children are more interested when their performance of particular duties is recorded.
[4] See Appendix.
I should never advise the wholesale adoption of any one plan, but I would suggest that superintendents and teachers adapt plans to the needs of their districts. Several schools have been reported where an enthusiastic principal has put the plan into operation throughout his school, regardless of the ideas of his teachers. I find that teachers never feel inspiration in a work that they do not want to undertake. Therefore, it would be my suggestion that under no circumstances should a teacher be asked to use home credits unless she herself desires it.
DAILY REPORTS
The following is the method which Mr. A. I. O'Reilly originated at the Spring Valley School, in 1911-12:--
_Rules of the Contest_
1. No pupil is obliged to enter the contest.
2. Any pupil entering is free to quit at any time, but if any one quits without good cause, all credits he or she may have earned will be forfeited.
3. Parent or guardian must send an itemized list (with signature affixed) to the teacher each morning. This list must contain a record of the work each child has done daily.
4. Each day the teacher will issue a credit voucher to the pupil. This voucher will state the total number of minutes due the pupil each day for home work.
5. At the close of the contest pupils will return vouchers to the teacher, the six pupils who have earned the greatest amount of time, per the vouchers, receiving awards.
6. Contest closes when term of school closes.
7. Once each month the names of the six pupils who are in the lead will be published in the county papers.
8. Ten per cent credit will be added to final examination results of all pupils (except eighth graders) who enter and continue in the contest.
9. When a pupil has credits to the amount of one day earned, by surrender of the credits, and by proper application to the teacher, he or she may be granted a holiday, provided that not more than one holiday may be granted to a pupil each month.
10. Forfeitures--dropping out of contest without cause, all credits due; unexcused absence, all credits due; unexcused tardiness, 25 per cent of all credits due; less than 90 per cent in deportment for one month, 10 per cent of all credits due.
11. Awards--the three having the highest credits, $3 each; the three having second highest, $2 each. Awards to be placed in a savings bank to the credit of the pupils winning them. Funds for awards furnished by the school district board out of the general fund.
_List of duties with minutes credit allowed for each_
1. Building fire in the morning 5 minutes 2. Milking a cow 5 " 3. Cleaning a cow 5 " 4. Cleaning out the barn 10 " 5. Splitting and carrying in wood (12 hours' supply) 10 " 6. Turning cream separator 10 " 7. Cleaning a horse 10 " 8. Gathering eggs 10 " 9. Feeding chickens 5 " 10. Feeding pigs 5 " 11. Feeding horse 5 " 12. Feeding cow 5 " 13. Churning butter 10 " 14. Making butter 10 " 15. Blacking stove 5 " 16. Making and baking bread 60 " 17. Making biscuits 10 " 18. Preparing breakfast for family 30 " 19. Preparing supper for family 30 " 20. Washing and wiping dishes (one meal) 15 " 21. Sweeping floor 5 " 22. Dusting furniture (rugs, etc., one room) 5 " 23. Scrubbing floor 20 " 24. Making beds (must be made after school), each bed 5 " 25. Washing, ironing, and starching own clothes that are worn at school (each week) 120 " 26. Bathing each week 30 " 27. Arriving at school with clean hands, face, teeth, and nails, and with hair combed 10 " 28. Practicing music lesson (for 30 minutes) 10 " 29. Retiring on or before 9 o'clock 5 " 30. Bathing and dressing baby 10 " 31. Sleeping with window boards in bedroom (each night) 5 " 32. Other work not listed, reasonable credit
While it is sometimes more convenient to have printed record slips, it is not necessary. Mr. O'Reilly carried on the grading by having each child write out his home credit work on ordinary tablet paper. The great majority of home credit schools have used the plan in 1914 without any printing whatever. It affords the children practice in written expression.
I give here two sample slips brought in by Mr. O'Reilly's pupils in the first home credit contest in the United States.
_Tora Mortensen_
Jan. 31, 1912.
Prepared supper 30 Washed and wiped supper dishes 15 Made 3 beds 15 Swept 1 floor 5 Washed teeth 10 Was in bed at 9 o'clock 5 ------------ Total 1 hr. 20 min.
(Signed) _Mrs. Emma Savage._
_La Vern Holdredge_
April 16, 1912.
Fed chickens 5 minutes Gathered eggs 15 " Split kindling 10 " Carried in wood 15 " Swept four floors 20 " Fed one horse 5 " Dried dishes 15 " In bed before nine 5 "
April 17, 1912.
Washed teeth. 10 minutes Swept three floors 15 " Put up lunch 10 " ------------ Total 125 minutes
(Signed) MRS. HOLDREDGE.
Superintendent A. R. Mack, of Holton, Kansas, has issued the following plan for daily reports and the issue of credit vouchers monthly, in bulletin form. Notice that the pupil who is paid in money, or in any other way, for home work receives no credit. This card gives a very desirable emphasis to manners and personal care:--
_Rules_
1. No pupil is obliged to enter contest.
2. Any pupil entering is free to quit at any time, but if any one quits without good cause, all credits he or she may have earned will be forfeited.
3. Parent or guardian must send daily to the teacher an itemized list with signature attached; this list must contain the record of the work each child has done daily.
4. At the end of each week the teacher may read the number of credits due the pupil for that week. At the end of each month the teacher shall issue a credit voucher to the pupil giving the total number of credits due to the pupil up to date, for home work.
5. The pupil in each grade making the highest number of credits each month will receive an added credit of 10 per cent of all credits due.
6. The school shall be divided into two divisions. The boy and the girl in each division in each building receiving the highest number of credits at the end of each half-year shall be awarded a suitable medal.
7. The boy and the girl in each division in each building receiving the second highest number of credits shall at their own option be awarded a medal or an additional 10 per cent of credits already due.
8. Ten per cent credit will be added to final examination results of all pupils who enter this contest before November 1, and continue in it until the end of the year. Those entering school after November 1 must enter contest before January 1, in order to receive examination credit.
9. Pupils entering the contest before November 1 or January 1 will be given credit not only on final examination grades, but on monthly examination grades.
10. In case a pupil enters the contest after November 1 or January 1, credits for home work will apply on monthly examination grades only.
The following schedule has been adopted:
Grades of 95 to 100, additional credit of half the amount between the grade and 100.
Grades of 90 to 95, a credit of 3 is given.
Grades of 85 to 90, a credit of 2 is given.
Grades of 80 to 85, a credit of 1 is given.
Below 80, no credit.
11. Any pupil in the first three grades earning 600 credits during a given month may have a quarter holiday. Pupils in the fourth grade must make 700 credits; pupils in the fifth grade must make 800 credits; pupils in the sixth grade must make 900 credits; pupils in the seventh and eighth grades must make 1000 credits for a quarter holiday.
All holidays are at the discretion of the teacher; _provided_, that the pupil may not have more than one quarter holiday in any 20 days, and _provided_, that the teacher thinks that it will not interfere with school work.
In case deportment is below 90 per cent, the holiday will be refused.
12. Forfeitures--
(_a_) Dropping out of contest without cause forfeits all credits due.
(_b_) Unexcused absence forfeits all credits due.
(_c_) Tardiness forfeits 25 per cent of all credits due.
(_d_) Less than 90 per cent in deportment in one month forfeits 10 per cent of all credits due.
(_e_) Loss of temper forfeits 5 credits.
(_f_) Bad table manners forfeit 5 credits.
(_g_) Impoliteness to elders forfeits 5 credits.
(_h_) Bad language at home forfeits 5 credits.
(_i_) Discourtesy to parents forfeits 10 credits.
(_j_) Unnecessarily soiling clothes forfeits 5 credits.
(_k_) Unnecessarily tearing clothes forfeits 5 credits.
(_l_) Report cards kept home 3 days forfeits 5 per cent credits and an additional 5 credits for each succeeding day.
(_m_) Forgetting books forfeits 5 credits per book.
13. Once each month the names of the six pupils who are in the lead will be published in the Holton papers.
14. A pupil who receives compensation for work done, whether he is paid in money or in any other way, shall receive no school credit for such work.
_Credit Slip for Primary to Third Grades, inclusive_
Credits.
1. Carrying in cobs or kindling 5
2. Carrying in night wood for kitchen stove 10
3. Feeding and watering chickens 5
4. Dusting one room 5
5. Making one bed 5
6. Wiping dishes 5
7. Washing dishes 10
8. Setting table 5
9. Cleaning teeth 5
10. Combing hair 5
11. Properly preparing for school (washing face, ears, neck, hands; cleaning teeth and finger nails) 20
12. Dressing without help, buttoning shoes, etc 5
13. Going to bed at or before 9 P.M. 5
14. Sleeping with window open each night 5
15. Dressing younger child and washing its face 5
16. Caring for younger children half-hour 15
17. Proper use of handkerchief one day 5
18. Cleaning mud or snow from feet 5
19. Practicing music lesson 30 minutes 15
20. Cleaning snow from porch 5
21. Cleaning snow from walks inside yard, each walk 5
22. Scrubbing porch 5
23. Mending stockings, per pair 5
24. Filling the water bucket 5
25. Returning report card on first day 10
26. Returning report card on second day 5
27. Polishing the shoes 10
28. Getting home before 4.30 and remaining home 30 minutes 15
Other work not listed, reasonable credit.
_Credit Slip for Fourth to Eighth Grades, inclusive_
Credits.
1. Building a fire in morning 5
2. Milking a cow 5
3. Cleaning out a barn 10
4. Splitting and carrying in wood, 12 hours' supply 15
5. Bringing in kindling 5
6. Bringing in coal, per bucket 5
7. Filling water bucket 5
8. Cleaning a horse 10
9. Feeding and watering chickens 5
10. Feeding pigs 5
11. Feeding horse 5
12. Feeding cow 5
13. Blacking stove 5
14. Making and baking bread 60
15. Making biscuits 10
16. Preparing breakfast for family 30
17. Preparing supper for family 30
18. Washing and wiping dishes, one meal 15
19. Sweeping one room 5
20. Dusting one room 5
21. Making one bed 5
22. Scrubbing one floor 20
23. Making a cake 20
24. Practicing music lesson half-hour 15
25. Tending flowers in window 10
26. Working in garden half-hour 15
27. Cleaning snow from sidewalk 25
28. Mending stockings, per pair 5
29. Washing, starching and ironing own school clothes each week 60
30. Bathing (each bath) 30
31. Cleaning teeth 5
32. Combing hair 5
33. Properly preparing for school (washing face, ears, neck, hands; cleaning teeth and finger nails) 20
34. Retiring at or before 9 P.M 5
35. Getting up at or before 7 A.M 5
36. Bathing and dressing baby 10
37. Sleeping with window open each night 5
38. Dressing younger child, washing its face, etc. 5
39. Caring for younger child, each half-hour 15
40. Home study, each half-hour 10
41. Making pies, 10 credits for the first and 5 credits for each additional pie.
42. Ironing one hour 30
43. Running washing machine one hour 30
44. Bringing cow from pasture, 2 or 3 blocks 5
45. Bringing cow from pasture, 8 or 9 blocks 15
46. Errands down town 10
47. Carrying clothes 10
48. Helping prepare the meal 10
49. Pumping a tank of water 60
50. Harrowing 2 hours 60
51. Carrying dinner 10
52. Churning 20
53. Dressing a chicken 25
54. Returning report cards on first day 10
55. Returning report cards on second day 5
56. Polishing the shoes 10
57. Getting home before 4.30 and remaining home 30 minutes 15
Other work not listed, reasonable credit.
_General Rule_
For unlisted work credit will be given. One credit will be given for every two minutes' work.
Mr. N. V. Rowe, the teacher at St. John, Whitman County, Washington, describes a novel plan:--
At first I used a credit card arranged after the order of a meal ticket. The plan was to have the card hold credits enough for one school day of 360 minutes, arranged by 5's, 10's, 15's, 20's, 25's, and 30's. The idea is all right were it amplified so as to include a school week. The teacher has a punch, and punches or cancels credits as presented. I found this took too many cards for each pupil. Some brought in as high as 360 minutes in credits each day, and even more than that in some cases. At present I am using a plan similar to a grocer's manifolding or duplicating book where totals are forwarded each day. This saves time and in some ways is better than the ticket plan.
The results have certainly justified the effort here. (1) It lessens tardiness; (2) it enlists the attention of parents quicker than anything else; (3) it stimulates to better work in school; (4) it creates a wholesome rivalry. I have heard the following objections to it: It requires too much time of a teacher already very busy; and pupils get a holiday when they ought to be at their studies. These objections are weak. The plan certainly has a sound pedagogic principle for its foundation.
The children get but one holiday a month. In case a pupil is ill or necessarily absent for a day, it is very convenient to allow that as a holiday. This helps the attendance record wonderfully, and is perfectly legitimate, so far as I can see. We have been doing that way all the present year. Bear in mind, we allow such as a holiday only when one has not been allowed already for that particular month. In the register I mark the initial "H" wherever a holiday is granted, and in this way I keep tab.
At Burnt Ridge, near Alpha, Washington, in Mrs. Venona E. Toman's school, a postal-card photograph is given as a little reward of merit for each 1000 credits earned. Five credits are taken off for coming to school with neck and ears not clean. One hundred and twenty credits are given to the child who washes, starches, and irons her school clothes for the week. Practicing music and studying lessons get ten credits for half an hour; but hard work, like sawing wood and making a garden, gets one credit for each two minutes.
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The following is an excerpt from a letter from the Burnt Ridge teacher:--
I have the children keep their own records, telling them that I want them to learn to do their own business. Then their mothers look over and sign their reports. Without one exception the parents are pleased with the plan. The mothers tell me that the children hurry to get all done they possibly can before school time, as they want their credits to increase. One mother said there was more trouble now between her two girls because neither one _wanted help_ than there was before _when they wanted help_. I require that the work be done cheerfully. One mother said she believed her daughters sang about their work many times when they did not feel a bit like it. I notice myself, and others tell me that it is making a difference in the homes. I think this one of the best features that has been added to the school work. It teaches independence, thoughtfulness, and thrift.
MORNING AND EVENING RECORD, WEEKLY REPORT
Marion County, Oregon, uses a card issued by Superintendent W. M. Smith, which provides for a record of daily morning and evening home tasks, and a weekly report.
This county forms an object lesson in the correct presentation of a subject of this kind. Superintendent Smith first picked out a teacher that he knew had initiative and was able to carry her people with her. He explained the matter to her in detail and kept in close touch with her work. Her success was so pronounced that he thought that it was not necessary to make much effort to extend the plan into the surrounding districts; he knew it would spread of itself. And it did; like a prairie fire, he found it leaping over districts and catching in others, until now it is widely used in the county. The card is the result of much experience and a few conferences with some of Mr. Smith's best people.
Notice that honesty of record is emphasized; also observe the details of dairy work and the care of horses:--
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Oscar. L. Dunlap, principal of the school at Salem Heights, Marion County, gives the following explanation of the way home credits were recognized in his school the first year:--
The first month we gave cash prizes; then this was abandoned and we allowed 20 per cent to be added to each of any two subjects, and 10 per cent to any one subject in the monthly tests. We give twelve questions (answer any ten) and those having 20 per cent allowance need answer only eight questions, and so on. In my room the pupils work harder to earn the 20 per cent allowance than they did to earn the cash prizes; for in this way every one receives a prize. Some think this is a wrong way to give rewards. I was myself in doubt at first; but my pupils have actually worked harder during the past two months than during the six months before we adopted this plan.
DAILY RECORDS, WEEKLY REPORTS
In Spokane County, Washington, one hundred and thirteen teachers have used home credits during the school year of 1913-14. Superintendent E. G. McFarland became interested in the work that one of his rural teachers started on home credits at the opening of the schools in the fall of 1913. Mr. McFarland obtained what information he could on the subject, and then worked out a plan. This made provision for a daily record for five days, and a weekly report. At his institute he presented the project to his teachers, and in January some eighty-one began the work. Others soon followed.
The Spokane Chamber of Commerce sent out a story of Spokane County's home credits to eight hundred and fifty of its correspondents in the United States and Canada. For a while the superintendent's office was flooded with letters of inquiry relative to the plan. This shows the great interest taken everywhere in any movement calculated to better the child's school and home relationship.
At a parent-teachers' meeting in Spokane a committee was appointed to assist the principal of one of the schools in keeping the children off the streets. At that time it was arranged that credit at school should be given to all children off the streets after six o'clock, and to those who did not go to evening parties.
Below is the Spokane County plan.
_Bulletin for Teachers: Home Credits_
The following are the rules and reward offered for home work. This work is to be done during the school week. No one is compelled to enter this contest and the pupil may drop out at any time.
All work must be voluntary on the part of the pupil. Parents are requested not to sign papers for pupils if the work is not voluntarily and cheerfully done.
The rewards for this work are:--
One half-holiday each month to the child who has earned one hundred or more home credits, and has not been absent or tardy for the month; also
5 per cent will be added to his final examination. The pupil who earns one hundred or more credits each month but fails in perfect attendance will have the 5 per cent added to his final examination.
In addition, the board of directors may offer a prize to the pupil in each grade who shall have the greatest amount of home credits, and shall be neither absent nor tardy during the term, or from the adoption of these rules.
_List of Home Credits_
Personal cleanliness 2 Retiring before 9 o'clock 1 Cleaning teeth 1 Feeding and watering chickens 1 Cleaning finger nails 1 Feeding and watering horses 1 Practicing music lesson 2 Feeding and watering cows 1 Dressing baby 1 Feeding and watering hogs 1 Washing dishes 1 Gathering eggs 1 Sweeping floor 1 Cleaning chicken house 1 Making bed 1 Going for mail 1 Preparing meal 2 Picking apples 2 Making a cake 1 Picking potatoes 2 Making biscuits 1 Bringing in wood for to-day 1 Churning 2 Splitting wood for to-day 1 Scrubbing floor 2 Bringing in water for to-day 1 Dusting 1 Grooming horse 1 Blacking stove 1 Milking cow 1 Darning stockings 1 Working in field 2 Delivering papers 2 Going for milk 1
E. G. MCFARLAND, _County Superintendent of Schools._
The following statement is made by Superintendent McFarland as to the effect home credits had on attendance in 1913-14:--
We attribute the increase in our attendance this year in the schools of Spokane County, outside the city of Spokane, largely to the Home Credit System and our certificates for perfect attendance. While the enrollment was 108 less than last year, yet our attendance was 16,712 days more. At the present rate of 16 cents per day, the pupils earned for the county, from the State appropriation, nearly $2700 more than last year. With the same enrollment as last year the increase of apportionment would have reached approximately $6000.
The credit slip for the school week provides for a daily record of "chores or work done" from Monday to Friday inclusive. It does not contain a stated list of duties; the blanks are to be filled in by the child. The list of home credits is furnished each district, but the teacher uses her judgment in allowing credit for any chore peculiar to her locality. On page 92 is given one of these blanks with the work itemized. Note the evidence of cooperation between Jessie and her mother. On the mornings when Jessie gets the breakfast her mother dresses the baby, and _vice versa_.
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Here is a letter from a little girl who earns home credits in a grown-up way:--
CHENEY, WASHINGTON. April 27, 1914.
DEAR MRS. THOMASON:
I am nine years old, and in the fourth grade. I think I will pass into the fifth grade. I like to go to school. My teacher is Miss Grier. I like her. We get Home Credits in our school.
I haven't any pets, but I have a little sister and a little brother. They are twins, and were born on my birthday, June 11. Their names are Ruth and Millard. They are awfully sweet and good, and I like them a good deal better than pets. I get credit at school for taking care of them.
Your little friend, CLARA LOUISE PETERSON.
Report of Clara Louise for week ending May 1, 1914:--
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Superintendent McFarland has received many letters of appreciation from teachers and parents in his county. One teacher writes:--
The system helps, in bringing the school and home closer together by letting the parents see that we count the practical duties of the house and of the farm of actual value in the training of the child.
One father is encouraging his three boys to earn more than the required home credits by paying them a small sum of money for each additional five credits.
Another writes:--
The teachers have noted many cases of much improved personal cleanliness, which in itself has been a welcome reward. Then, you know, improved morals go hand in hand with clean bodies. We are taking into account the fact that cleanliness on the part of one child usually forces another to clean up on account of the inevitable contrast.
A parent writes:--
The home credit system is to my mind one of the most practical features that has been introduced into the public-school curriculum for some time. It teaches the children self-reliance, and encourages them to take the initiative when heretofore they have been indifferent or careless. Its practical help to the parents is inestimable, as children in pursuit of "credits" take innumerable burdens from the parents' shoulders.
This from another parent:--
Regarding the home credit system of the public school, my sentiment as the parent of two boys attending school is that it is working fine. It makes my boys ambitious to earn as many credits as possible, and this system as laid out leads them to take interest in the practical duties of their home, thereby saving parents many a step, and training the boys for useful work. The home credit system also stimulates punctuality in attending school as well as personal neatness, and regular habits in going to bed at the right time. _It seems to me that this credit system to a great extent completes the purpose of the public school._
One teacher in Spokane County has solved the problem of the rural janitor with home credits. Like thousands of other girls teaching in country schools, she had difficulty in keeping the schoolhouse clean. Beginning in January she offered school credit for outside work, and she included in her list the care of the schoolhouse. She reports that the room is kept perfectly now. The floors are swept, the woodwork dusted, the blackboards and erasers cleaned, water and wood supplied. This same teacher, Miss Lizzie K. Merritt, says:--
It is not pleasant to work without appreciation. We all know that we make a short job of the unappreciated piece of work. We cannot expect a child to stay with a thing as long as an older person unless he sees a definite reward. I have found that home credits teach observation, accuracy, and punctuality.
The following is an excerpt from a circular sent out by Mr. Harry F. Heath, principal of the school at Eveline, Lewis County, Washington, at the beginning of a home credit contest, stating his plan. This makes provision for a daily record for six days, a weekly report, and a voucher:--
_Eveline Public School_
EVELINE, WASH., January 5, 1914.
DEAR PATRON:--
Sometimes, in the rush of classes, we of the school forget about the home life of the scholar. And many times you of the home know but little of what is going on at school. In order to connect more closely for the pupil the influences of both home and school, I am planning this contest in home work for the next four months.
In order that the contest may be successful, we ask the sympathy and aid of each parent. The parent is the judge of the amount of work done by the pupil, and upon the parent we depend for the accuracy of the reports. Have the pupil prepare his or her own list of duties performed, ready for your signature, and make it your duty to see that the lists are accurate at all times, neither more nor less than the actual amount performed. All lists should be dated, and none will be accepted unless signed by you.
The prizes will not be expensive, and will be given only as tokens of award. The real awards will be realized during the course of the contest as set forth by the rules.
Then follows the list of credits and the rules.
A letter from Mr. Heath dated April 21, 1914, tells the way in which he carried on the work this year. Mr. Heath says:--
In answer to your request for information about our home credits contest, I am sending some of the circulars which I used at the beginning, and also some vouchers made by the pupils which I use to give out weekly credits. I am also sending some sample slips of credits brought in by some of the pupils. These slips show credits for an entire week, which has proved to be the most satisfactory way to have the slips kept. A notebook kept by me of the weekly and monthly totals, as well as the holidays granted and forfeitures assessed, is all of the record that our system has required.
Two progressive business men of Chehalis are furnishing inexpensive prizes in the form of books to go to the seven leaders in the contest at its close. Four of the prizes will probably go to boys, but by the rules at least three are to go to girls. I find in this community that the boys have much more opportunity to earn credits than the girls. Hence the rule.
The contest has run for four months and is closing this week. It has been very well received in the community, a number of suggestions having come in from parents in the way of additional credits. One was a request that credits be given for daily reading of the Bible, and the change was made. In my room, which is the highest in our two-room school, practically all of the scholars started, and of the thirty-four at that time in the contest about twenty-five are still enrolled, and the percentage would be larger if some of the beginners had not moved away.
The contest was tried for a while in the lower grades but was not successful there. We limited the points that might be added to the general average to six in any one month, and most of the live contestants got their six every month.
I got my ideas of the contest directly from Mr. Alderman's article, which I found in some paper. It has been on the whole very successful, and worth while. When I try this sort of work again, it will be on the plan of regular credits, not in contest form. I believe the Spokane County plan as used this spring is one that would prove very satisfactory.
The Eveline "voucher" plan gives the pupil something to watch for. The first paragraph of Mr. Heath's letter explains the use of these vouchers. Below are sample vouchers, and copies of slips made out by the pupils. The pupils rule the columns, and write out their own records, according to a published list which shows the value in minutes of each task. This work is good practice for the pupil in ruling lines and making neat cards, and it saves the cost of printing cards.
The vouchers, which are taken home, enable each pupil to have at home, as well as at school, a record of the total amount of his work.
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The Cowlitz County, Washington, plan is a daily record for seven days and a weekly report. The rules governing the work are printed on the back of the credit card:--
* * * * *
_Rules governing Credit for Home Work_
To PARENTS OR GUARDIANS:--
The scheme of giving credit at school for work done at home by the pupils can be made successful only through your coöperation, and faithful report of the work done.
Every Friday afternoon a Home Work Record Slip will be given each pupil. Beginning with Sunday all time spent by the pupils in home work should be entered in the proper place.
Each Monday morning a slip filled in during the previous week should be returned to the teacher. This slip must be signed by the parent or guardian.
Extra work may be listed in the blank spaces.
To secure credit at school for his work, the pupil should average eight hours a week, thirty-two hours a month, at real, honest, helpful labor that relieves the fathers and mothers of that amount of work. If this is done, the teacher will add three credits to the average gained by the pupil at the school during the month in his studies. Additional credits will be given for more than thirty-two hours a month at the rate of one credit for every ten hours' work.
Please coöperate with your teacher in this plan for making work more worth while to the boy and girl.
LUCIA JENKINS, _County Superintendent of Schools_.
In the District 61 School, near Bellingham, Washington, taught by Mrs. Lou Albee Maynard, there is used a system of having the home credit accounts kept by pupils; the children call it the Ruth and Grace System.
Here is a plan that solves the problem, if it is a problem, of putting extra work on the teacher through home credits. Not only is the teacher entirely relieved of the bookkeeping which the system requires, but the pupils are engaged in practical bookkeeping while they keep the records. Checks are made out in regular bank-check form, and receipts are given.
The Ruth and Grace System is thus described in a neat account written by Emma Ames, a pupil in the sixth grade:--
Ruth and Grace were girls who wanted to learn bookkeeping. In order to give them a chance we took up the credit system.
At the end of each week the girls give us a slip of paper ruled and ready to be made out. The mothers sign it. Each thing which we do counts so much. At the end of the week these slips are handed back to the girls, and we receive another. We also get a check telling how many credits we received the week before.
When we make five thousand credits we then receive a composition book. Smaller things are also given for fewer credits.
The girls keep in their ledgers each person's work. So if any mistake is made they will have something to refer to.
We call the system the Ruth and Grace System.
The prize list is as follows:--
Washing dishes...................... 10 credits. Wiping dishes....................... 5 " Sweeping............................ 5 " Making beds......................... 5 " Baking bread........................ 15 " Dusting............................. 5 " Scrubbing........................... 25 " Practicing music.................... 10 " Brushing teeth...................... 5 " Clean finger nails.................. 5 " Splitting kindling.................. 10 " Splitting wood...................... 10 " Carrying water...................... 10 " Milking cow......................... 15 " Feeding pigs........................ 5 " Feeding chickens.................... 5 " Feeding and bedding cows............ 25 " Slashing one hour................... 25 " Getting a meal...................... 15 " Taking charge of house.............. 50 " Charge for father one day........... 50 " Building fires...................... 10 " Sewing.............................. 15 " Making an apron..................... 15 " Carrying wood....................... 10 " Washing............................. 25 " Ironing............................. 25 "
The following letter from Mrs. Maynard explains the system further:--
I have been requested to report on our plan for giving credit for home work as we have tried it. One of my pupils has written a report of our system which explains our methods nicely. This has been only a trial, but I am so pleased with results that I intend to use it whenever there are older pupils who can do the bookkeeping, for it represents a great deal of work, and unless the school is a very small one the system would add too much to the already busy teacher's work.
The girls who are represented by our firm carried on the work on a strictly business basis. They bought the work of the pupils as represented by the weekly reports. This work was then sold to me at a gain of 20 per cent. The girls have worked out a simple system of double entry in six weeks. We, as a school, have spent an interesting and profitable time, keeping track of our work, and of their mistakes, and the various ups and downs of a business.
We are planning a better schedule of wages, a bank in which to deposit our checks, and a store where the credits may be exchanged for little articles which represent the rewards; but this is all in the making, and may have to wait for another year, as our school term closes soon.
This is a school whose average attendance is about sixteen. The people are progressive, and see that we have all modern appliances: gymnasium, school garden, bubbling fountain, sanitary toilets, and a good heating system are some of the good things our country school enjoys.
Some original features are included in a plan in operation in Algona, King County, Washington. The Algona plan of grading is this: The actual number of minutes employed in doing the daily chores is registered. Thirty minutes is allowed for church attendance. Twenty-five per cent is given weekly for each of the personal care items, bathing, brushing teeth, sleeping with open windows, and going to bed before nine o'clock. Half an hour's work must be done each day, else the pupil forfeits the work done that day. If at the end of a month the pupil has made an average of 85 per cent on personal care, and has 85 per cent on home work, his grade average for the month is raised 10 per cent. For instance, if a boy should have the required 85 per cent in the home credit department, and should have an average of 80 per cent in his school subjects, his final grade for the month would be 88 per cent.
Algona uses a book system of keeping the pupils' weekly home credit grades. The principal records the final grades for each week, after collecting the cards from his three assistants. He expects to substitute the card system for the book another year, using the same plan of record. Below is given the plan for keeping the records, together with the work of one boy for a month:--
_Leon Noel's Record in Book_
-------------+---------------+---------------+--------------- Week ending | Minutes | Personal care | Leon Noel -------------+---------------+---------------+--------------- February 2 | 210 | 100 | | | | 9 | 210 | 100 | | | | 16 | 210 | 97 | | | | 23 | 210 | 97 | -------------+---------------+---------------+---------------
_Home Work Record of_
_Leon Noel._
_For week ending February 21, 1914._
------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- |Sun. |Mon. |Tues.|Wed. |Thur.|Fri. |Sat. |Total ------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+Min. |Min. |Min. |Min. |Min. |Min. |Min. |Min. | ------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- 1. Working in garden.. | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... 2. Splitting kindlings | 15 | ... | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 65 3. Bringing in fuel... | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 35 4. Milking cow........ | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... 5. Care of horse...... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... 6. Preparing meals.... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... 7. Washing dishes..... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... 8. Sweeping........... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... 9. Dusting............ | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... 10. Bedroom work....... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... 11. Washing............ | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... 12. Ironing............ | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... 13. Care of baby....... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... 14. Care of | | | | | | | | chickens........... | 15 | ... | 20 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 95 15. Running | | | | | | | | errands............ | ... | 60 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 120 | 180 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | A. Bathing............ | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | x | ... B. Brushing teeth..... | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | ... C. Sleeping with | | | | | | | | open windows....... | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | ... D. Going to bed before | | | | | | | | 9 o'clock.......... | x | x | x | x | ... | x | x | ... E. Attending | | | | | | | | Church or | | | | | | | | Sunday | | | | | | | | School............. | 30 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 30 +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----- Total........... | 65 | 65 | 35 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 150 | 405 ------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----
I certify that the above is a correct record.
(Signed) MRS. C. D. FRENCH, _Signature of Parent or Guardian._
A comparison of Leon Noel's home credit record on his slip with the record in the principal's book shows that while he has 405 credits on the former he is credited with only the required 210 on the record. C. C. Calavan, the principal, expects to allow a holiday, or grant additional credit on school work another year, for credits above the half-hour a day. The children of the school at first insisted on making an hour's work the minimum for a day's credit, but Mr. Calavan decided to start conservatively. It will be noticed that Leon Noel lost three points in each of the last two weeks of February. This was because he was not in bed before nine every evening. Mr. Calavan says he is going to change his plan along this line next year, granting three or four evenings a month when a child may be in bed a little later than nine without forfeiting credits. He believes that a happy, wholesome evening, spent in play with companions, has a very valuable place in the child's development.
Sunday-school and church attendance has become popular in Algona since school credit has been given for it. The little daughter in a non-church-going family had never attended any church services until it was brought out that the other children at school were getting credit for such attendance. The parents dressed the little girl for Sunday school, and sent her off, determined that their child should not be left out in the home credit game.
A boy's record was perfect, except that he did not have a church attendance recorded. On inquiry the principal found that Albert's family was of the Seventh Day Adventist faith, and that the boy was at church as regularly as Saturday came. He was at once given credit. The children of the Catholic faith are given credit for attending the catechism class that meets in the schoolhouse Tuesday afternoons.
"The people took hold," said Mr. Calavan. "The Parent-Teachers' Association is enthusiastic over the plan, and is doing all possible to help. Two decided results that home credits have brought about are that we have a much neater, better-kept class of pupils, and our boys are off the streets. Several persons have remarked to me that the school was doing something with the boys, surely, for they all seemed to be busy after school."
* * * * *
The system introduced in Portland, Oregon, schools, is the daily record and weekly report plan. The following suggestions were sent out early in 1914 by the Portland office:--
_Suggestions for using the "Home Record Slip"_
The regular monthly report card should contain two extra columns, one entitled "Home Work" and one "Personal Care," and in these columns the pupil should be marked on the scale of 100.
One hundred per cent in the "Home Work" column would be secured by a daily record of not less than one half-hour of approved work for seven days each week.
One hundred per cent in the "Personal Care" column would be secured by daily practice of numbers A, B, C, and D for seven days of the week, and for attendance upon some religious service. Twenty per cent could be allowed for each number and twenty per cent for attendance at church or Sunday school.
The matter of bathing should not be interpreted to refer strictly to tub baths, since in large families daily tub baths are sometimes impracticable, and inability to make a good showing on the card would have a tendency to discourage.
Different plans of reward for a given number of minutes devoted to work during a week are outlined in the pamphlet, "School Industrial Credit for Home Industrial Work." These, however, may be modified or enlarged to suit. All time, including the half-hour a day and the amount allowed for all other operations, should be counted toward a specified total necessary to earn the reward.
These rules are printed on the back of each home credit record card:--
_Rules governing Credit for Home Work_
Every Friday afternoon a home work record slip will be given to each pupil. Beginning with Sunday, all time spent by the pupil in home work should be entered in the proper space.
Each Monday morning a slip filled during the previous week should be returned to the teacher. The slip must be signed by the parent or guardian as an assurance that a correct record has been kept.
Any work not listed but of value to the parents may be counted, and the nature of the work specified in the blank spaces.
At the close of the school month, when the report of school work is made out, in the column "Home Work," the pupil will be marked on the scale of 100 for actual work of not less than one half-hour each day, and in the column "Personal Care" on the scale of 100 for numbers A, B, C, and D, and for attendance at church or Sunday school.
In addition to credit on the report card, reward may be given at the option of the principal for a specified amount of time spent in useful work at home.
For purpose of reward credit of five minutes a day will be allowed for each operation listed as A, B, C, and D, and twenty minutes for attendance at church or Sunday school.
The Portland home work record slips are printed by the city office, and furnished to teachers who wish to use them. On pages 115, 117, and 119 are given home credit records of Portland children, showing the class of home work they are doing. A swift review of a child's record gives the teacher a pretty accurate estimate of his home environment.
Elsie G., whose card is shown, has kept weekly records of her work for more than a year. She and some of the other girls make it a practice to help Miss Wright, their teacher, enroll the records for the class. The method of crediting is extremely simple, but it seems to work. The pupils return the filled-out slips the first of every week; at the end of each month the girls count the slips, and for every pupil who has brought in four slips they register one credit in the book. Miss Wright looks over the cards as they come in, and often makes comment on the work, to the individual, or to the class as a whole.
* * * * *
Miss Wright began this home credit work by taking sixteen of the printed slips and laying them on her desk. The boys left the room to go to manual training, and the girls then gathered around her desk and discovered the slips. "What are these?" they inquired, and they each wanted one to take home. There were just enough for the girls, but when the boys found out about it they clamored for slips, too.
Miss Wright now leaves a pile of the blanks on her desk every Friday, and most of the pupils take them. They used to ask to have the credit applied to raise their standings on their lowest studies (they are allowed, for instance, to increase a mark of seven in grammar to a mark of eight for one month), but now they seldom ask for the increase. They do their home work and record it with no other incentive than the satisfaction of having a record and the honor and approval of their parents, teacher, and schoolmates.
The ten-year-old boy whose card is shown here goes on week-ends to the country, and brings in his record afterward with great pride to show the other fellows that he has cared for horses.
* * * * *
We find many instances, like the following, where boys who at first had nothing to do, seemingly, but to get in the fuel, have begun to assist their mothers with the dishwashing, dusting, and cooking. Not only does this work run up their list of credits at school, but it causes them to appreciate what mother has to do, gets them acquainted with their homes, and keeps them off the streets.
And it has other uses for a boy. Henry Turner Bailey says:--
Away from home, as a lonely art student and young teacher in strange and home-sickening boarding houses, maybe I wasn't thankful to be able to sweep and dust, to wash and iron and cook, upon occasion, to sew on buttons, to darn, and to mend. But perhaps my keenest satisfaction came from my ability to make a bed. The boarding-house madonnas are not, as a rule, highly skilled in that gentle art.
In view of my personal experiences I have often wondered why the advocates of Domestic Science are not more strongly co-educational. What is sauce for the goose seems to me worthy to be sauce for the gander,--certainly during the gosling stage. Every boy should know how to sew, just as every girl should know how to whittle. Every boy should know how to cook, just as every girl should know how to swim. Skill in the elemental arts is a form of what Henderson calls human wealth. All should participate.[5]
[5] _School Arts Magazine_, May, 1914.
* * * * *
A Portland woman, who is much interested in the schools, says:--
In looking over some of the cards I find that the child soon learns to do his "chores" in less time each week, that he may have more time for other work or play, and yet fill out his record card. This is a great help to the parents.
I know one boy who cannot be induced to go out to an evening affair because he wants to get to bed before nine o'clock so that his record card will be perfect. How soon could we dismiss the Juvenile Court if we could get all children to feel like that! It is worth while to try.
In Polk County, Oregon, the system has been introduced into rural schools with marked success. The plan here comprises a daily record, and monthly reports. Below are excerpts from an article written for the _Oregon Teachers' Monthly_, by Mr. R. G. Dykstra, who used home credits in his rural school at Suver, Polk County, in 1912-13. I should like to direct especial attention to his testimony on the tardiness record of the district; also to his plan of allowing credit for a long walk to school.
With the following exceptions I carried out the work as started in the Spring Valley School last year: I required the pupils to get eight hundred minutes' credit before taking the holiday instead of six hundred; the number of minutes' credit for milking cows was increased from five to fifteen for each cow and a reasonable amount of credit was allowed for all work not named in the list of chores; children living over a mile and a half from school were allowed credit for the distance they had to walk in proportion to the others, and 5 per cent instead of 10 was added to the end of the year on their final school averages for the carrying on of the work. Only two prizes were offered by the District, three dollars and two dollars respectively. Children seldom took advantage of the holiday given for eight hundred minutes' credit unless it was used for sickness or unavoidable absence, as they were encouraged in the knowledge that a day lost was a day's work lost as well. Tardiness on the part of any pupil doing the work meant a loss of so many credits already accumulated.
It would be impossible to enumerate the many things this work has done for this community, but the following facts may prove interesting to the reader. During the year of 1911-12, without home credit work, this school had a record of 95 per cent in attendance and 59 tardies. For the year 1912-13 just closed, the record is 98 per cent in attendance and 8 tardies. Part of the home credits given have been for proper care of body, sleeping with windows open, care of teeth, hair, etc., and the result of these requirements has been the showing of a healthier appearance on the part of nearly all the pupils. The parents of the district claim that the children are doing more work at home than they ever did before, and the people feel that their children are getting an education that will be of value to them and that the money is being well spent in this kind of work.
The card issued by County Superintendent Seymour is here reproduced filled out by a pupil. It shows daily records for two weeks on each side of the card. The five school days only are counted.
* * * * *
The card given on pages 122 and 123 came from Miss Veva Burns, the teacher at North Dallas, with the following letter, dated April 26, 1914:--
I am pleased to explain the home credit system as we use it. I am sending some of the cards filled out by the pupils. We secure these cards from Mr. Seymour, the county school superintendent, and are allowed to use them as we think best....
We have a two-room school, and have divided it into two divisions, the smaller pupils having five thousand credits as their aim, while the larger ones work for ten thousand. Of course the number to be obtained would vary with the opportunity the children would have to earn credits. On the average, it takes our pupils about three months to earn the required number. When they have secured the number, some prize, such as a book, is given, and they are allowed to start again. Then, at the end of school, the one who has earned the most is given a special prize. Also, Mr. Seymour allows us to give ten points on each child's lowest grade, at the close of school, if he has kept up his home credit work during the school year. Some teachers give a holiday as a reward instead of a prize.
The cards are taken home by the pupils and filled out each evening. If the pupils are too small to attend to the cards, some member of the family looks after them. We see to it that the system is thoroughly understood by each family. As each card is filled out, it is returned to us.
We have a school of over sixty pupils, and all but four are working on the credit system. We did not urge any one to take it up, but allowed them to decide for themselves.
This letter is from Miss Miriam H. Rarey, who has taught near Dallas, in 1914:--
Work done on Saturdays and Sundays does not count with the exception of bathing. Pupils, as a rule, when they bathe at all, bathe on Saturday. So I told them they could take thirty minutes' credit for that, and put it down in Friday's space, in the hope that it would induce them to bathe at least once a week. It worked pretty well with some of the pupils, but others would rather do without the credits than do anything so unusual. When a pupil gets five thousand credits (every minute counts one credit) he gets his grade on his poorest study raised 5 per cent, or if he does not need that, he gets a holiday without being marked absent. The pupils have all worked pretty hard for credits, and only a few have asked for holidays. The people in the district have all been pleased with the results of home credit and I think it is a good thing. I have seventeen pupils, and they are all using home credits.
The Idaho plan as sent out by the State Superintendent, Miss Grace M. Shepherd, in a bulletin to teachers is as follows: Miss Shepherd issued two mimeographed sheets, one of rules, and one a list of credits. The blank has a place for a daily record and a report for several weeks.
_Rules governing Home Work_
1. No pupil is obliged to enter the contest.
2. Parent must sign statement of work done by pupil.
3. Contest closes when school term closes.
4. Unexcused absence forfeits all credits. Unexcused tardiness forfeits 25 per cent of credits per month. Less than 90 per cent deportment, 20 per cent of all credits forfeited.
5. Suggested awards:
Names of the six highest at the close of school will be published in a county paper.
Three highest at the close of school to be offered prize by the School Board or some citizen.
Five per cent credit to be added to final examination results of all pupils who enter and continue in the contest.
_Urge the hearty coöperation of the parents_.
* * * * *
In Charleston, Washington, Superintendent H. W. Elliott, of the city schools, put into successful operation, in 1913-14, a plan with several special features, to which I am glad to call attention. The plan comprises daily markings by the tally system, monthly reports, cash prizes to those showing the largest number of home credits, and some reward to every pupil with credits above a certain specified number. For the purpose of raising a fund to meet the cash prizes, his school gave a play; and an autumn fair, in October, was arranged for the distribution of the prizes for both school and home work. The credit card is different from any other; it seems to be the most simple of all the monthly systems.
* * * * *
Mr. Elliott sent out a mimeographed sheet explaining the rules to be observed in the contest, giving a list of the credits, and also a list of the articles to be exhibited at the fair. The rules, and the list of articles are given here.
_Rules_
All boys and girls now in one of the eight grades of the Charleston public schools, District No. 34, may enter in one of the four classes; D, first grade; C, 2d and 3d; B, 4th and 5th; A, 6th, 7th, and 8th. Home credits for each month must be reported to the school for record on or before the 10th of each month. Records to be confidential. We hope that every home will enter into this, and that the _parent will be very careful and conscientious in the marking_. Credits to be kept by parents.
_A List of Articles to be exhibited_
For School Fair Exhibit--To be determined by Judges
_Household Economics_--
1. Domestic Science: Best loaf of bread, cake, pie, dozen cookies, dozen doughnuts.
2. Domestic Art: Best made plain dress, plain apron, shirt-waist, sofa pillow, handkerchief, patchwork pillow, darning or repairing specimen.
3. Canning: Peas, peaches, apples, pears, cherries, string beans.
_Agriculture_--
Best 5 ears of corn, 5 potatoes, 5 selected apples, 5 carrots, 5 onions, 5 turnips, squash, pumpkin, raised by pupil.
_Horticulture_--
Nasturtiums, pansies, sweet peas, each 10 sprays; asters, dahlias, chrysanthemums, each 5 sprays--raised by pupil. Best 5 roses cared for by pupil.
_Poultry_--
Best cockerel, or pullet, or cockerel and pullet reared from a setting of 15 eggs.
_Manual Training_--
Best mechanical drawing, joined work, tabouret, small piece of furniture, large piece of furniture, basket, bookbinding, etc.
_School Work_--
What teachers see fit to make it--drawing, etc.
_Music_--
Best played selection on piano, violin, cornet, or other instrument: or orchestra or band: solo singing or chorus. In band or orchestra work pupils may be judged collectively or singly. Same judgment for all chorus work.
Something more may be added later.
Yours for a good fair,
THE TEACHERS. H. W. ELLIOTT, City Superintendent.
Mr. Elliott writes: "I believe there is nothing that will link the home and school more closely than the system of credits. There is one danger, however, of cultivating dishonesty on the part of the over-anxious one. This we watch, but this tendency is sometimes noticeable. Occasionally we find a youngster attending Sunday school or church fifteen or twenty times a month."
Examples of the scheme of a weekly record with monthly report are plans in operation in Jackson County, and in Weston, Umatilla County, Oregon. The rules and schedule following were published by Mr. J. Percy Wells, county superintendent of Jackson County.
_Rules governing Home Credit Work_
1. No pupil shall be required to enter the home credit contest, and any pupil shall be free to quit the contest at any time, but if any one quits without good cause, all credits earned shall be forfeited.
2. Once each month the parent or guardian shall send to the teacher, with signature affixed, an itemized statement containing a record of the work each child has done during the preceding month. The child may make out the list, but the parent or guardian must sign the same.
3. At the end of each school month the teacher shall enter on the pupil's report card the total number of credits for home work during the month, as certified to by the parent or guardian.
4. Any pupil who has earned at least two hundred credits for home work during any school month shall be entitled to have 10 per cent added to his grade in any subject, or distributed among several subjects, and 1 per cent additional for each twenty additional credits up to four hundred credits.
5. All pupils who shall have earned four hundred credits or more during any month shall be entitled to a half-holiday, and shall have their names entered on a roll of honor.
6. Forfeitures--Dropping out of contest without cause, all credits earned; unexcused absence, all credits due; unexcused tardiness, 25 per cent off all credits due; less than 90 per cent in deportment for any month, 10 per cent off all credits due.
These rules may be modified by teachers to suit local conditions. If the half-holiday system of awards is not satisfactory, some other system may be substituted.
_To parents and guardians_:
In this plan for giving school credit for home work it is not the intention of the school to intrude upon the domain of the home, but to coöperate with the home in the interest of the boys and girls. Here is a splendid chance for the school and the home to come closer together, and we believe both will be improved thereby.
* * * * *
The following letter, dated April 20, 1914, is from Mrs. Bertha McKinney, of a district near Ashland, Jackson County.
Pupils of the first, second, and third grades, who have earned two hundred credits in a month have a half-holiday. Those of the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades must have earned three hundred credits to entitle them to the half-holiday, and of the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades, four hundred credits. When all have the required number of credits, all have the half-holiday. I have twenty pupils, and all are doing the home credit work. I keep the record of the credits earned in a notebook, and place the number earned by each pupil on the monthly report card. I think the plan a good one, though in a few cases the parents are not careful enough with their part; that is, they sign the blank form, then the child can put down any number he pleases. I have had only one such case.
Superintendent Joel O. Davis, of Weston, tells of the manner in which his school began to use home credits:--
The opportunity came in October of last year, when an unexpected influx of pupils made it necessary for us to engage an extra teacher and adopt a departmental plan for the fifth to eighth grades inclusive. This made it necessary for those grades to prepare two lessons at home, thus making the required home reading a burden. I at once offered these students the choice of reading the required books, and writing the reviews, or making the points by home work, under the conditions as shown by the accompanying card. Nearly every child accepted the home work plan, and went to work enthusiastically.
On the opposite page is one of the Weston credit cards, filled out by a pupil, Crete Allen:--
_Home Work Record, Weston Public School_
Credits will be given for the performance of the following named duties when this card is returned, at the end of the month, properly signed by the parent or guardian.
These credits will be accepted in place of the home reading heretofore required, at the rate of 100 points for each book.
The parent must check the work each day as performed.
Any evasion or falsification of the record will forfeit all claim to credit.
To obtain credit each duty must be performed by the child unaided by others, and must be well and satisfactorily done.
No credit will be given for work that is paid for by the parent or others.
Parents are requested to see that the above conditions are complied with and to encourage thoroughness and truthfulness by using care in recording so as to give no unearned credits.
Make one mark, and only one, for each duty each day.[7]
[7] All the marking is done by tallies, thus: ||||| ||||| ||||| |||| The reproduction on page 137 permits only the use of figures, to indicate the total tally marks.
* * * * *
At the close of a later letter Mr. Davis wrote:--
From my experience with this experiment I feel that the plan is worth all it costs and more, that it should be extended to include all the grades, that modifications to meet the needs of different communities can easily be made, and that the pupils and patrons of any district will appreciate and support some such plan if it is carried out faithfully. I kept a ledger account with every child, and at the end of the month posted a bulletin exhibiting the condition of each pupil's account. The interest was shown by the manner in which they gathered about the board and compared their credits. Some of the comments upon some lazy boy's or girl's lack of effort were rather caustic, but served as effective spurs to the delinquent.
In Pend Oreille County, Washington, six weeks is the unit of time for credit records. Miss Hester C. Soules, the County Superintendent, has issued the following circular:--
THE HOME WE WORK TOGETHER THE SCHOOL SCHOOL CREDIT FOR HOME WORK
In order that the school and home may unite forces, that the school may help in establishing habits of home-making, and that our boys and girls may be taught that their parents are their best friends and need their help, the following system of credits has been devised for use in the schools of Pend Oreille County.
_Certificate of Promotion with Distinction_
Any pupil who has completed the work of his grade in a satisfactory manner is entitled to PROMOTION WITH CREDIT to the next higher grade, provided he obtains 300 points for Home Work. He is entitled to PROMOTION WITH HONOR if he earns 500 points.
Six weeks' faithful and regular performance of the home duties listed below will entitle the pupil to credit as indicated.
Points
1. Sawing, splitting, and carrying in wood and kindling 25 2. Building fires or tending furnace 20 3. Caring for horse or cow and doing other barn chores 15 4. Caring for poultry and gathering eggs 10 5. Working in the school or home garden, or on the farm 20 6. Delivering milk or carrying water 20 7. Running errands cheerfully 10 8. Doing without being told 20 9. Mowing the lawn 20 10. Feeding pigs 10 11. Making a bird-house and feeding the birds 20 12. Making useful piece of woodwork for the home 25 13. Cleaning barn 20 14. Churning 15 15. Turning Cream Separator 10 16. Retiring at nine o'clock or before 10 17. Bathing at least twice each week 15 18. Sleeping in fresh air 15 19. Getting up in the morning without being called 10 20. Preparing one meal alone daily for the family 25 21. Blacking stove 10 22. Helping with the breakfast, and with the dishes after breakfast 15 23. Preparing smaller children for school 10 24. Not being tardy 10 25. Cleaning teeth daily 20 26. Making own graduating dress--Eighth Grade 30 27. Writing weekly letter to some absent relative--Grandmother preferred 20 28. Reading and reporting on one approved library book 20 29. Reading aloud fifteen minutes or longer each night to some member or members of the family circle 20 30. Practicing music lesson thirty minutes daily 25 31. Building fence, 10 rods 20 Fence may be built at intervals during any one period of six weeks. 32. Clearing 1/4 Acre of land 30 Land may be cleared any time during the school year and at different times provided the 1/4 A. is completed before school closes. 33. Care of younger children 20 34. Raising one fourth acre of vegetables 20 35. Taking sole care of plants and flowers 15 36. Sweeping floor and dusting furniture 10 37. Making beds 10 38. Mopping and caring for kitchen 10 39. Scouring and cleaning bath tub and lavatory 15 40. Helping with the washing 20 41. Sprinkling and ironing clothes 25 42. Making and baking bread, biscuits or cake. Exhibit 25 43. Setting table and serving 15 44. Helping cook supper and helping do the dishes after supper 20 45. Doing own mending 20 46. Learning to knit or crochet 15 47. Raising six varieties of flowers 15 48. Making piece of hand-work for the home 25 ---- Total 840
_Certificate of Promotion with Distinction_
---- having completed the work of the ---- Grade in the Pend Oreille County Schools, in a satisfactory manner, and having earned ---- points in our Home and Outside Industrial Work Plan, is hereby promoted to the ---- Grade with ---- ---- and is commended for Industry, Fidelity to Home and Cheerful Helpfulness.
Given at Newport, Washington, this ---- day of ----, 191 .
--------------------- ----------------- _Superintendent_. _Teacher_.
The city of Los Angeles, California, uses a plan of marking home work on the report card and giving no other incentive. Notice that a certain number of minutes daily for ten weeks is the unit, and that the number of minutes varies according to the age of the child. Observe the emphasis on care of yards and streets, also on care of little brothers and sisters.
_Report of Committee on Home Credits, Los Angeles Schools_
The Committee on Home Credits makes these recommendations:--
1. That the "Home Credits" be not used as a substitute for other work, and also that they be not applied to increase the grade of other subjects except as any work well done necessarily improves all work of the child.
2. That the words "Home Credit" be written on the new cards just published, and that in the future these words be printed as a regular part of the card, with space for inserting the number of credits.
3. That in the several grades the following constitute one credit:--
(_a_) First and second grades, 10 minutes of daily work for 10 weeks.
(_b_) Third and fourth grades, 15 minutes of daily work for 10 weeks.
(_c_) Fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, 20 minutes of daily work for 10 weeks, and that multiples of such work in 10, 15, 20 minutes be allowed so that a child may earn several credits each ten weeks.
4. That the following subjects be selected for the initial trial of the plan:--
1. Taking care of the baby. 2. Bathing baby. 3. Washing or wiping dishes. 4. Washing or ironing clothes. 5. Washing windows. 6. Scrubbing floor. 7. Sweeping floor. 8. Setting table. 9. Dusting and putting room in order. 10. Sweeping or cleaning yard. 11. Sweeping sidewalk. 12. Cleaning street in front of home. 13. Care of garbage can. 14. Getting meals. 15. Making beds. 16. Mending clothes. 17. Making new or making over old clothes for family. 18. Working in shop or store. 19. Working in and caring for garden. 20. Running errands, going to market, store, etc. 21. Driving delivery wagon. 22. Selling papers. 23. Taking little brothers and sisters to school, clean and on time. 24. Clean hands, faces, clothes. 25. Clean heads. 26. Raising poultry or rabbits. 27. Any other outside work peculiar to particular district if approved by Supervising Superintendent.
WEEKLY RECORDS, THREE OR MORE MONTHS' REPORTS
Mr. F. W. Simmonds, superintendent of city schools, Lewiston, Idaho, has instituted a plan for daily and weekly records with a report for three months, which he writes is "working out most successfully." The statement of his particular scheme which he gives in his home credit record folder is accompanied by an excellent presentation of the nature and scope of the home credit plan in general:--
_A Plan for School and Home Coöperation_
One of the vital problems of school administration to-day is that of securing closer coöperation between school and home life. When the child learns that _education is living and working the best way_ he has made considerable progress on the educational road. Our school curriculum should encourage this wholesome attitude toward the everyday tasks.
Children must have time for real play and plenty of it, but let us not forget that real work is also a part of the child's rightful heritage, and that when rightly directed, children like to work--they are eager to take part in some of the real activities of life. However, they must not be permitted to attempt too much--a reasonable amount of _work well done regularly_ and suited to the child's age and ability is what is desired.
_Filling out this card is optional with the parent_, no grade on the quality of the work done by the child is asked for, merely the approximate time regularly devoted to that task. Note the time; one half-hour, one hour, two hours, etc., in the proper column on this card. Your filling out and signing this card will assure us that the work was well done, regularly and satisfactorily.
The work may include any one or more of the multitude of home tasks, or any work done regularly, as sewing, ironing, washing dishes, preparing meals, baking, cutting kindling, gardening, milking, caring for poultry, feeding stock, making beds, music lessons, tending furnace, etc.
Some tasks occur daily (others weekly, as regular Saturday chores, music lessons and the like). Nothing less than a _half-hour_ is to be recognized, though two or more tasks may be grouped to make a half-hour daily or weekly. The average child will be anxious to figure his home service in the large; but a reasonably conservative "statement of account" will have a greater disciplinary value, and will make for efficiency.
The _unit_ of home credit will be _one half-hour's daily work throughout the month_. Time spent on regular weekly tasks will be adjusted by the teacher to this basis. If the work in quantity, quality and regularity is deemed worthy, the teacher will credit the pupil with the number of home credits earned, which will be added to the pupil's standing at the end of the semester in determining promotion. Each _unit_ of credit in home work will have the effect of raising a monthly grade in some subject one step as from _poor_ to _fair_, or _fair_ to _good_, etc. By means of home credits, a pupil has an opportunity to raise his promotion standing to "Promoted with Honor," or "Promoted with Highest Honors" as the case may be, if he should lack a point or two, and have earned enough home credits to offset this.
In the Borough of the Bronx in New York City, Mr. Frederick J. Reilly began to give school credit for home work in the fall of 1914. He issues two cards of different colors, one for the girls and one for the boys. The cards are alike except for the words "he" and "she." Notice that the cards are well planned for use in city homes. At present they are used by the children of seventh and eighth grades. Mr. Reilly says, "The important thing is not the amount of credit the child receives in school, but rather the amount of influence this may have upon the training of the child at home."
* * * * *
Superintendent E. B. Conklin, of Ontario, Malheur County, in 1912, was the next in Oregon after Mr. O'Reilly to send a letter to parents, and to arrange for giving credits on home work. On page 149 are the inside pages of the folder that Mr. Conklin devised; it was the first of the printed home credit report cards. Notice the entries of manners, of "doing before told," and of "kindness to animals."
* * * * *
Mr. E. G. Bailey, superintendent of Ontario, 1913-14, writes that they have been using home credits continuously there, and that the system has proved to be a wonderful help. "It gets parents and teachers together as nothing else can, and gives the superintendent a show. The home work is to the teacher what the school work is to the parent. The teacher is enabled to get an insight into the home life of the pupil, which in turn enables her the better to deal with whatever situation may arise. In the main the parents make an effort to let the teacher know what the pupils are doing at home. We have very few failures from parents not doing their duty in this matter; where they fail, we refuse to send any report home. Since adopting the system our attendance has been better, and the punctuality has been better; in fact, things have been greatly improved in every respect."
* * * * *
Early in December, 1913, a large meeting in the interest of social center work was held in Roslyn, Washington. At this meeting the city superintendent, Linden McCullough, explained the school credit for home work idea. He advised that a vote be taken as to whether the schools of that town should adopt the plan. The vote showed that parents, teachers, and pupils were enthusiastic over the idea and eager to try it. The Woman's Club of the city volunteered to assist in every possible way. The following from letters from Mr. McCullough gives the result of the trial:--
Seventy-five per cent of our seven hundred and fifty pupils are taking advantage of the scheme. Our truant officer says that every parent he has talked with has praised the plan, for the reason that all the children do their chores with more spirit. Our police officers have noticed a falling-off in the number of children on the streets; so much so that juvenile court cases are much fewer in number. The teachers notice an improvement in school work along all lines.
One boy in the fourth grade who was disagreeably indifferent about his personal care now takes baths regularly, and always brushes his hair, and keeps his clothing clean and neat. Roslyn has a large number of foreign people. Teachers in the first three grades say that parents of foreign children do not grasp the idea very well, but that older brothers and sisters explain its workings, and attend to keeping tab on the reports of the little children.
On the next two pages is a copy of the Roslyn folder. Notice the entries of mending, cleaning yard, putting away playthings, work done for wages, work "in father's place of business," home study (school work), and reading good books.
* * * * *
In Wilbur, Washington, a scheme providing for a credit report for the semester is in successful operation. Here Superintendent E. O. McCormick carries on the plan by means of two report cards, the one sent from the school to the home, the other from the home to the school, every six weeks. The home card is reproduced below.
Descriptions of parts of the work of a few high schools are given here.
In the High School of Santa Monica, California, two credits for home work are allowed out of the total of sixteen required for graduation, and pupils with a certain average standing who earn eighteen credits, two of them for home work, may graduate _cum laude_.
Below is given a list of tasks for which school credit will be allowed:--
_One-half credit per year_:--
Regular music lessons, instrumental or vocal, under a competent instructor.
Making own clothes for school.
Doing family darning and mending.
Preparing one meal a day for a year.
Carrying paper route.
_One-half credit for half-time for a year, or for full time for summer vacation_:--
Clerking in store, bank, or office.
Cement work, or work in any local trades or industries.
Regular work on a farm.
_One-half credit_:--
Raising one-fourth acre of potatoes, melons, onions, strawberries, or similar products.
Employment in a dressmaking or millinery establishment for summer vacation.
_One-fourth credit per year each_:--
Sleeping for one year in the open air.
Retiring at 10 P.M. five days per week for one year.
Taking a cold bath every morning five times per week on an average for one year.
Walking three miles per day for a year.
Credit will be given for the following according to the amount of work:--
Public speaking or reciting. Reading aloud to family or to invalids.
Horticulture. Gardening. Poultry-raising. Bee-culture.
Taking care of cows or other animals. General dairy work.
Sewing for the family. Doing the family laundry. House-cleaning, bed-making, dish-washing, or any other useful work about the house.
Getting younger children ready for school every day. Caring for a baby.
Nursing the sick.
Making a canoe or boat. Taking full care of an automobile. Perfecting any mechanical contrivance for saving labor about the home.
Recognizing and describing twenty different native birds, trees or flowers.
Summer vacation travel with written description.
Playing golf or tennis. Sea-bathing and swimming.
Keeping a systematic savings bank account, with regular weekly or monthly deposits.
Keeping a set of books for father or some merchant. Doing correspondence for father or other business man.
Running errands. Delivering groceries.
Singing in church choir. Teaching in Sunday school.
Carpentry work. Cabinet-making, furniture construction.
Working as forest ranger.
* * * * *
In the High School at St. Cloud, Minnesota, great attention is paid to vacation work as well as to work done during the school year. At the beginning of the fall term the following questionnaire is sent to high school pupils, and to elementary pupils above the fourth grade:
_Vacation Report--Grades Five to Twelve_
School.
NOTE--Teachers are requested to have pupils fill out this blank carefully. It is very important. Explain each question. Caution children not to over- or under-estimate.
1. Name ............. Age ............. Grade or Class ................
2. Did you help at home during the summer vacation? ....................
3. Did you take music lessons? ..... Travel? ..... Attend Summer School?
4. Did you do any work along the line of agriculture, horticulture, gardening, bee-culture or poultry-raising? If so, what? ............. ........ Estimate carefully the net profit ................... $.....
5. Did you have a flower garden? .............. Name six or more of the leading flowers that you raised. .................................... ..................................................................... .....................................................................
6. Name wild flowers, birds, or trees you have observed this summer. Flowers ............................................................. Birds ............................................................... Trees ...............................................................
7. What pieces of hand-work, if any, did you do during vacation? Wearing apparel ..................................................... Household art ....................................................... Wood ......................... Iron.................................. Cement .............. Give estimated value of such hand-work $.......
8. What electrical contrivance or other home accessory did you make to save your mother work? ......................................
9. Which of the following home tasks did you do this summer? Prepare one meal alone daily? ...... Bake the bread? ................ Bake a cake? ....................... Make the beds? ................. Do the washing? .................... Do the ironing? ................
10. Are you sleeping in the open air or with open window? ...............
11. Can you swim 300 feet or more? ..... Did you learn this summer? .....
12. Were you employed elsewhere than at home? ...........................
13. State kind of work done ............ Employer .......................
14. Number of weeks employed ........... Amount earned per week. $.......
15. Total amount of cash earned during vacation. $.......
16. Fair estimate of the value of your home work. $.......
17. Total cash value of your summer work (items 15 and 16). $.......
18. Have you a savings bank account? ... Amount of your deposit. $....... Principals ascertain amount of deposit for lower grades. $.......
The financial results of this vacation work are summarized as follows:--
_Total_ _Deposit_ _Cash_ _Home Work_ _Earnings_ _in Bank_
High School $6,393.01 $1744.45 $8137.44 $2793.36 Total for city 16,422.00 3666.15 9559.25 3144.92
Highest individual earnings -- High School $260.00 " " " -- Grades 200.00 Average " " -- High School 76.00 Highest " deposit -- " " 300.00 " " " -- Grades 500.00
Pupils may graduate with honor from the St. Cloud High School by attaining certain standings and by offering two credits for home or continuation work. One of the sixteen credits required for regular graduation may be a credit for home or continuation work.
The list of credits is divided into two parts, outside work and home work. Among the many outside activities mentioned in the St. Cloud list, we find:--
Literary society work, or rhetoricals, debate, public speaking, or expressive reading, one-fourth unit per year.
Granite or paving-block cutting, or work in any of the local trades, shops, factories, or industries, one-fourth unit for each summer vacation.
Steady work on a farm, followed by a satisfactory essay on some agricultural subject, one-fourth unit for three months.
Raising one-fourth of an acre of onions, tomatoes, strawberries, or celery, one acre of potatoes, two acres of pop corn, five acres of corn or alfalfa, one-fourth unit.
Running a split road drag or doing other forms of road-building for three months, one-fourth unit.
Judging, with a degree of accuracy, the different types of horses, cattle, and hogs, one-fourth unit.
"See Minnesota First" trip under approved instructor, with essay, one-fourth unit.
Among the home tasks are mentioned:--
Shingling or painting the house or barn.
Making a canoe or boat.
Swimming 300 feet at one continuous performance.
Cooking meat and eggs three ways and making three kinds of cake. Exhibit.
Doing the laundry work weekly for three months.
Recognizing and describing twenty different native birds, trees, and flowers.
The Ames, Iowa, High School course outlines out-of-school work in three departments: agriculture, manual training, and home economics. I quote from the home economics prospectus:--
Unless the work is ... made to connect with the work in the home it loses much of its vitality. Our aim is to relate the home and the school and permit each to contribute its share in making the work vital, really worth while. The girl ... may carry into the home some new ways of working, and there will be an exchange of ideas between mother and daughter as to hows and whys ... that will result beneficially to both. As the girl carries these ideas and discoveries back into the school we shall be able to know better the needs of home and social life, and hence so plan our work that it may "carry over" into her out-of-school life.
A total of two credits to apply on graduation may be earned in home economics at the Ames High School. Three hundred points equal one credit.
Two hundred points each are offered for cookery, general housework and sewing.
Cooking is to be done for the family at home, and whenever possible a sample brought to the school for examination, together with the recipes giving itemized cost, and a signed statement that the entire work was done by the girl herself. A list of things to be cooked is given: ten dishes are required, the other five are to be chosen from the list. The list for the first year follows; dishes required are marked with a star and receive seven points credit, the others receive six points.
Some fresh vegetable cooked and served in a white sauce.
Potatoes in some form.
Tapioca.
Rice.
Macaroni.
Muffins.
*Baking powder biscuit.
*Plain cake, with or without frosting.
*Drop cookies.
*Rolled cookies.
*Pastry.
*Gelatin with soft custard.
Cottage cheese.
Scalloped dish.
Custard, or some kind of custard pudding (bread, rice, tapioca).
Steamed brown bread.
*Prune whip. }
Marguerites. } One of these required; either may be chosen.
Fondant candies.
Salad with cooked or French dressing.
*Sandwiches--three kinds of filling.
*Bread.
*Baked beans.
General housework includes making girl's own bed each day; daily and weekly care of bedroom, helping with general housework one-half hour each day and one hour on Saturdays (sweeping, dusting, ironing, washing dishes, washing windows, etc.). The total credit for this is 12-1/2 points for one month.
In the course in sewing, the home work is brought to school for examination and grading. The list for second year sewing follows:--
One-third credit--100 points, open to girls who are taking, or who have completed second year sewing.
Princess slip 50 points. House dress 75 Shirt waist 50 Woolen skirt 75 Made-over dress 75 Nice dress 100
The High School at North Yakima, Washington, gives credit for work in music under approved teachers; for practice-teaching (coaching) by normal students in the grades; and for work in agriculture.
The summer work in agriculture is planned before the close of the school in the spring.
Each pupil informs the instructor in agriculture as to the kind of work he intends to do. The instructor visits each pupil several times during the summer, discussing methods of work, results, etc., with him and his employer, and designating pamphlets, bulletins, and magazine articles for him to read. In 1914, fifty-four pupils applied for credit for work in agriculture.
_Rules for Summer Agricultural Work in North Yakima, Washington_
1. Students may earn one credit in agriculture toward graduation by work completed outside of school during the vacation period.
2. At least 250 hours of work must be completed before any credit will be given.
3. Complete records and systematic reports kept by the applicant, giving all information required, and signed by the parent or employer, shall be filed with the instructor in agriculture every two weeks.
4. Applicants shall secure such information as a result of reading, study, and questioning experienced workers, as may be necessary to convince the instructor in charge that the work has been of sufficient educational value to justify the granting of a credit.
5. Pupils wishing to receive credit for this work shall make application for the privilege before beginning the work. Lists of reference books, kinds and character of notebooks, shall be designated by the instructor in agriculture.
6. An examination covering the work may be given by the school authorities.
7. Work may be done along the following lines:
_a._ Vegetable gardening work; keeping results of work done in complete form.
_b._ Feeding of stock, poultry, etc.; keeping records of foods used, amounts and results obtained.
_c._ Thinning, picking, packing, marketing, cultivation and irrigation of fruits, etc.
_d._ Eradication of blight, other orchard diseases and pests; complete records of attempts to reduce damage done by these causes.
_e._ Growing of cereal, grass, or forage crops.
_f._ Keeping records of dairy animals; milk testing records for monthly periods.
_g._ Care of bees, handling of honey, etc.; complete records.
APPENDIX
KANSAS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE BULLETIN
Mr. John C. Werner, of the college extension division of the Kansas State Agricultural College, wrote in 1914 a very valuable bulletin entitled "School Credit for Home Work," the essential features of which are given.[8] Notice that he recommends that pupils furnish the reports themselves over their own signatures, as putting them on their honor is considered valuable, and in justice due them.
[8] For other quotations from this bulletin, see pages 46, 50, and 51.
In a letter Mr. Werner says: "My idea of giving credit is to use the old laboratory method of requiring the student to do a reasonable amount of work in a reasonable length of time. This allows for many of the variable factors that enter into the problem; I think it is better than to give so many points of credit for each piece of work done."
In the first six grades of the elementary school, where so much depends upon using the child's knowledge which he has gained from actual experiences about home, and the environment with which he comes in contact which is really a part of himself, we have the best basis for his further education. In these grades it will be raising and not lowering our standards when we give credit for home work and add it to the school credits for passing grades. All of the subjects of these grades should be so closely affiliated with the home life of the child as to warrant our doing this. It is so important that the child be engaged in the actual doing of things that the perfect grade of 100 per cent should be divided into two divisions: (1) A maximum of 90 per cent for school work. (2) A maximum of 10 per cent for home work when proper records and reports are kept.
In the seventh and eighth grades and in the high school, work corresponding to the age and ability of the pupils should be introduced and made part of the laboratory work, giving two fifths of a unit of credit. Here written reports of the operations performed should be worked out by the pupils and presented as class work. Classes should visit the dairy barns, feeding pens, gardens, corn or grass fields, orchards, etc. Pupils should carry on considerable individual home work, which should continue throughout the summer as well as winter season. This credit should be counted in agriculture, domestic arts and manual-training courses.
The various contests among the boys and girls, that are conducted in all parts of the state, certainly should be counted worthy of school credit. These contests are directly or indirectly under the auspices of the Agricultural College, and numerous bulletins are sent to the contestants. Many children actually receive in these contests almost the equal of a year's course in school.
_Suggestive List of Subjects for Credit for Home Work_
1. _Agriculture_
Milking cows. Feeding horses. Cleaning cow barns. Cleaning horse barns. Feeding cows. Feeding sheep. Feeding beef cattle. Feeding hogs. Feeding poultry. Watering stock. Churning. Turning separator. Tending fires. Running errands. Digging potatoes. Hitching and unhitching horses. Beating rugs. Hauling feed. Pumping water. Cutting wood. Carrying in fuel. Getting the cows. Gathering eggs. Tending to the poultry house. Tending pig pen. Bedding of stock. Preparing kindling. Miscellaneous.
2. _Domestic Arts_
Preparing meals. Making biscuits. Baking bread. Baking cake. Baking pie. Washing clothes. Ironing clothes. Caring for baby. Overseeing home while mother is away. Scrubbing floor. Washing dishes. Wiping dishes. Making beds. Sweeping the house. Dusting rugs. Airing bedclothes. Ventilating bedroom. Dressing the baby. Canning fruit. Caring for milk. Sewing. Dusting furniture. Care of self. Making dress. Making apron. Care of teeth. Setting the table. Care of sick. Miscellaneous.
3. _Manual Training_
Making farm gate. Making peck crate. Making chair. Making clothes rack. Making pencil sharpener. Making T-square. Making towel roller. Making ruler. Making picture frame, halved together joints, end and center. Making mortise and tenon joint. Making bookrack. Miscellaneous. Making ax handle. Making hayrack. Making ironing board. Making cutting board. Making tool rack. Making staffboard liner. Making vine rack. Making sandpaper blocks. Making mail box. Open mortise and tenon joint (end). Making halving joint, or angle splice joint. Making feed hopper. Making whippletree. Making wood rack. Making bench hook. Making coat hanger. Making nail box. Making table. Making flower-pot stand. Making key board. Making pen tray. Making mortise and tenon joint (center). Making dovetail joint. Making panel door. Making work bench.
4. _Home Contests_
Corn acre contest. Poultry and pig contest. Sewing contest. Potato plot contest. Tomato contest. Canning contest. Garden contest. Bread-baking contest. Miscellaneous.
_Plan for Allowing Credit_
It is absolutely essential in taking up this work that the teacher make a careful survey in her neighborhood of the kinds of home work that the pupils have opportunity to do. The pupils should be put on their honor in reporting their work, and the teacher must work out the amount of credit time the various items are to receive, and from the pupils' reports grade the work. A large number of items should be included and given their relative weight. Quality as well as quantity must be judged by the teacher. This supplies a working basis for coöperation between home and school.
Besides the credits earned in the particular subjects of agriculture, domestic arts and manual training, where 216 hours will add two fifths of a unit, other work may be given some additional credit up to say 10 per cent, as physiology and geography. It is also possible that subjects such as English and arithmetic may be so correlated as to be at least partially considered in connection with the agriculture, domestic arts, and manual training by the composition required and the problems furnished.
It is not expected that any boy or girl will enter all of the contests. Contests which require 216 hours' work should be given two fifths of a unit credit in the subject to which it belongs. If the child in the contest is below the seventh grade, the work should add to his entire school grade up to 10 per cent. The fairness of this plan will appeal to the boys and girls, for the girl or boy who has third, fourth or fifth place in the contest deserves credit as well as the one who wins first place.
It is the object in the credit for home work both to recognize and give credit because of the educational value to the child of such work which he does with his hands, and it is also hoped to develop the child into a better worker, so that the work performed will be constantly of a higher order as the child grows older. In other words, we have a constantly changing variable as the child grows older as to the time necessary to do certain work, and the proficiency with which the work is done. Speed in doing things is not the only consideration, and yet all work should be done with reasonable dispatch.
In inaugurating this work it seems that the ordinary laboratory method for giving credit is quite as well adapted to home laboratory work as it is to school laboratory work. If the perfect grade, 100 per cent in the elementary school in grades 1 to 6, inclusive, be divided into two parts, i.e., a maximum of 90 per cent for school work and a maximum of 10 per cent for home work for all pupils who desire to do the home work, then one tenth of the number of hours in the school year may be taken as the basis for credit. Counting the double period, as should be done, 216 hours or 6 hours per week would be the required time for the nine-months' term of school to receive full credit. The pupil would, therefore, need to work at home six hours per week. This work should be scattered throughout the week as evenly as possible, with the opportunity of doing not to exceed three hours' work in any one day, as, for example, on Saturday. As in the laboratory system, the pupils, regardless of the overtime put in, could only receive full credit for any year. Pupils who do not have the chance for home work will not be affected in their work, as the usual method of grading will apply to them. Conditions must determine the time necessary for any given piece of work. For example, if one boy feeds a team of horses in ten minutes, another in fifteen minutes, another in five minutes, and another in thirty minutes, under similar conditions, perhaps one boy is working too rapidly and another too slowly. From such reports it seems that twelve to fifteen minutes should be allowed for feeding a team of horses.
The best and most profitable division of time for the home work would be about thirty minutes, both morning and evening, each day. During these work periods different things should be done, and during the year it is to be hoped that a large variety of different kinds of work may be included. If the home is in sympathy with the child's work it can help very materially in setting tasks for the child that are of the most profitable nature.
_Reports to Teachers_
The pupils should furnish the reports themselves over their own signatures for the home work. Putting them on their own honor is valuable and in justice is due them. Since results must be produced in most kinds of work, the teacher can judge quite accurately as to the value of work.
* * * * *
Credit for seventh and eighth grades and high school grades should be allowed for efficient home work when properly reported as laboratory requirement in agriculture, domestic arts and manual training. In these grades all careful, systematic work during the summer season, as well as the regular school year, such as corn acre, garden, potato plot, tomato, poultry, pig, canning, sewing, cooking, and butter-making contests, should be used for laboratory credit. Of course accurate records of the work must be made at the time the work is performed. Schools that have an agricultural teacher during the entire year will directly supervise this work. In other schools the reports will be used as part of the next year's regular class work. Suitable report blanks should be used by the pupils and kept in laboratory notebook form.
The pupils of seventh, eighth and high-school grades who do 216 hours of acceptable home work should be given two fifths of a unit of credit in the subjects of agriculture, domestic arts, or manual training. Here again the pupil should do some different kinds of work and make the experience somewhat varied. In the home laboratory the teacher will determine a standard amount of work of any kind to be performed in a given time.
CALIFORNIA REPORT ON OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES
At the January, 1914, meeting of the California Teachers' Association the following report on credit for work done outside of the school was submitted by Mr. Hugh J. Baldwin:--
_Credit for Work Done Outside of School_
Fulfilling the wishes of this organization, your committee sent communications to the heads of departments of large manufacturing and commercial interests, to managers of railroads and educational institutions, requesting information on lines of work upon which you wished a report. Not only were the circulars answered promptly, but, in many cases, the answers were remarkable. Some of them suggested in definite language how outside activities might be made harmoniously supplemental to our regular school work, better articulated therewith than had been planned.
* * * * *
Many strong reasons were given; one of the most potent was that the innovation would change the present attitude of the average person towards labor--in other words, to dignify the labor of the land, to honor and respect the woman who can prepare nourishing food in the kitchen or the man who can contribute to the world's wealth from his garden.
Another strong thought from this compilation of opinions resulted in the contrast between the systems of American and German polytechnic or manual training education. The German schools secure the coöperation of the factories and shops and stores where there is particular industrial training given, all without cost to state or municipality for the tuition. On the other hand, in the United States, the only manual training that has been attempted by the school authorities has been at greater expense to the people.
In communities where there is no special educational industrial training the subject of this committee work is very important. "Outside Activities," or credit on school reports for work done by school children at home, has now a place in the course of study of San Diego County. The plan has passed from the experimental stage, having been given a thorough tryout in all the schools. From all parts of the county reports have come full of enthusiasm telling of the excellent working of the plan. To be sure there are a few adverse reports. We find that communities largely Mexican in complexion evince little interest in the plan.
INDEX
Agriculture, 19, 131, 156, 162, 164, 165, 168.
Alderman, Superintendent, 17.
Algebra, 8, 9, 24, 25, 34, 35.
Algona, Wash., 42, 107, 110.
Ames, Iowa, 162-64.
Arithmetic, 27, 30, 31, 47, 58, 61.
Ashland, Ore., 135.
Auburn, Wash., 28, 29.
Bailey, E. G., 148.
Baldwin, Hugh J., 174.
Banks and banking, 13.
Banner, school, 13, 14.
Bathing, 41, 42, 51, 107, 125.
Belknap, Mrs. E. H., letters, 48, 49, 69, 70.
Bellingham, Wash., 104.
Benton County, Ore., 6.
Blanks, home credit. _See_ Cards.
Bread-making, 8, 10, 65.
Bulletin for teachers, Spokane County, Ore., 89, 90.
Burns, Miss Veva, 124.
Burnt Ridge, Wash., 84, 85.
Cake-making, 22, 92.
Calavan, C. C., 110, 111.
California Report on Outside Activities, 174, 175.
Canning, 130.
Cards, home record, 71-172.
Care of language, 41.
Certificate of Promotion with Distinction, 138-41.
Charleston, Wash., 128, 130.
Cheerfulness, 41.
Cheney, Wash., 92.
Chores, 17, 36, 120, 121, 151.
Church attendance, 110, 111, 132.
Clackamas County, Ore., 14, 32, 154.
Claxton, Mr., Commissioner of Education, 6.
Cleaning yard, 151.
Cleanliness, 11.
Commerce, 156.
Conklin, Superintendent E. B., 6, 148.
Consolidation of schools, 25.
Contests, rules of, 73-80, 83, 103, 104, 113, 114, 126, 130-33; for summer agricultural work, 165, 166. _See_ Prizes.
Cooking, 8, 10, 34, 48, 118, 163.
Coöperation, of parents and teachers, 39, 46-48; plan for school and home, 143-45.
Courtesy to parents, 41.
Cowlitz County, Wash., 102.
Credit for home work, system of, author's article on, 3-6; the case of Mary, 7-10; in O'Reilly's school, 11-23; revitalizing effect of, 25-33; honors labor, 34-38; illustrative cards of, 71-155; in high schools, 156-66.
Credits, prizes for, 11-13, 19-22, 32, 37, 88, 90, 97, 124, 128.
Credit-vouchers. _See_ Vouchers.
Crook County, Ore., 6.
Daily reports, 73-172.
Dallas, Ore., 125.
Davis, Superintendent Joel O., 135, 136.
Dish-washing, 9, 34, 118.
"Doing before told," 41, 148.
Domestic arts, 48, 51, 130, 169.
Domestic science, 22, 49, 50, 130.
Drawing, 36, 37.
Dudley, W. E., 30.
Dunlap, Oscar L., 88.
Dykstra, R. G., 120.
Elliott, Superintendent H. W., 128, 130, 131.
Eugene, Ore., High School, 47.
Eveline, Wash., 96.
Fairs, school, 19-22, 128, 130.
Farm labors, 28, 30-32, 52.
Feeding the poultry, 42.
Fitchburg, Mass., 30.
Forfeitures, 79, 80.
Garage work, 28, 29.
Gary, T. J., article by, on O'Reilly's school, 14-18.
General housework, 163, 164.
Geometry, 29.
Grades, 36.
Habit-building, 39-45.
Harrowing, 31.
Health, care for, home duty, 11.
Heath, Harry F., 96-98.
High schools, home credit in, 156-66.
History, 9.
Hoagland, Mrs. Sarah J., story by, 60-65; letter from, 65-68.
Holidays, 16, 37, 70, 84, 90, 121, 124, 125, 135.
Holton, Kansas, 77.
Home contests, 169. _See_ Contests.
Home credit plans, illustrative, 71-175. _See_ Plans, Rules.
Home economics, 130, 156, 162, 163.
Home study, 151.
Home work, newspaper article on, by author, 3-6; inception of idea, 7; Spring Valley School, 11-23. _See_ Plans.
Hopewell High School, 23.
Horticulture, 131.
Housekeeping, 51.
Hover, Wash., 47.
Idaho plan, 125.
Illustrative home credit plans, 71-175.
Immorality among children, 44.
Industrial work, 4, 5, 21.
Industry, 40.
Interest in work, 26.
Jackson County, Ore., 132, 134, 135.
James, William, quoted on habit, 39.
Jefferson, Ore., 48.
Jenkins, Lucia, 104.
Kansas State Agricultural College, 50; Bulletin, 72, 167-73.
Keeping temper, 41.
Kindness, 41; to animals, 148.
King County, Wash., 107.
Labor, honoring, 34-38.
"Laboratory of the Rural School, The," 51, 52.
Lane County, Ore., 6, 22.
Letters, from teachers and school officials: Mrs. Hoagland, 65-67, 69, 70; N. V. Rowe, 83, 84; Mrs. Toman, 85; O. L. Dunlap, 88; McFarland, 91; Miss Merritt, 96; H. F. Heath, 96-98; Miss Jenkins, 103, 104; Mrs. Maynard, 106, 107; Miss Burns, 124, 125; Miss Rarey, 125; Mrs. McKinney, 135; J. O. Davis, 135-38; Linden McCullough, 150, 151; J. C. Werner, 167; other teachers, 94; from parents, 94, 95; from pupils, 92, 93, 105; from a Portland woman, 120.
Lewis County, Wash., 96.
Lewiston, Idaho, 143.
Los Angeles, Cal., 141-43.
Mack, A. R., 77.
Making garden, 85.
Malheur County, Ontario, 148.
Manners, 148.
Manual training, 131, 156, 162, 169.
Marion County, Ore., a letter from, 69, 70; card system of, 86, 88.
Marks, 37.
Mary, the story of, 7-10.
Mathematics, 29. _See_ Algebra, Arithmetic, Geometry.
Maynard, Mrs. Lou Albee, 104, 106.
McCormick, Superintendent E. O., 153.
McCullough, Linden, 150.
McFarland, E. G., 88, 91, 94.
McKinney, Mrs. Bertha, 135.
McMinnville, Ore., 7.
Mending, 151.
Merritt, Miss Lizzie K., 95.
Military drill, 47.
Milking, 30.
Minnehaha, Wash., 30.
Montana, a school in, 65-68.
Music, 131, 164.
Myrtle Creek, Ore., 48.
Neatness, 41.
Nebraska, a story from, 60-65.
New York City, 145.
North Dallas School, Polk County, Ore., 122, 124.
North Yakima, Wash., 164-66.
Ontario, 148.
Oregon, University of, 3; teachers in, 6; Mr. O'Reilly's school at Spring Valley, 6, 11-23; home credit schools in, 71.
Oregon City, 14.
_Oregon Teachers' Monthly_, 120.
O'Reilly, A. J., home credit school of, 6, 11-23, 41; his method of daily reports, 72-77.
Parents, and teachers, coöperation between, 39, 46-48, 120; letters from, 94, 95.
Pend Oreille County, Wash., 138.
Percentages, 36.
Personal care, 41, 42, 108, 112, 113.
Plan for school and home coöperation, 143-145.
Plans, illustrative home credit: Spring Valley School, 73-77; Holton, Kan., 77-83; St. John, Wash., 83, 84; Burnt Ridge, Wash., 84, 85; Salem Heights, Wash., 88; Spokane Co., 89, 90; Eveline, Wash., 96-101; Cowlitz Co., Wash., 102-04; District 61 School, Wash., 104-07; Algona, Wash., 107-12; Portland, Ore., 112-20; Polk Co., Ore., 120; Suver, Ore., 120-23; North Dallas, Ore., 124, 125; near Dallas, Ore., 125; Idaho, 125-27; Charleston, Wash., 128-32; Jackson Co., Ore., 132-35; Weston, Ore., 132, 135-38; Pend Oreille Co., Wash., 138-41; Los Angeles, Cal., 141-43; Lewiston, Idaho, 143-45; the Bronx, New York City, 145-47; Mr. Conklin's, 148; Ontario, 148-50; Roslyn, Wash., 150-53; Wilbur, Wash., 153, 154; Clarke Co., Wash., 154, 155; Santa Monica, Cal., 157-59; St. Cloud, Minnesota, 160-62; Ames, Iowa, 162-64; North Yakima, Wash., 164-66; Mr. Werner's, 167-73.
Politeness, 41.
Polk County, Ore., 6, 11, 120, 122.
Portland, Ore., 32, 36, 112-14.
Portland home credit record, 42.
Practice-teaching, 164.
Practicing music, 85.
Prizes, for credits in home work, 11-13, 19-22, 32, 37, 88, 90, 97, 124, 128.
Purpose, lacking in schools, 49.
Putting away playthings, 151.
Rarey, Miss Miriam H., 125.
Reading good books, 151.
Record cards, 71-172.
Reilly, Frederick J., 145.
Report of committee on home credits, Los Angeles, 141-43.
Reports, daily, 73-172.
Responsibilities, 36, 52.
Roslyn, Wash., 150.
Rowe, N. V., 83.
Rules of contests, 73-80, 83, 103, 104, 113, 114, 126, 130-33; for summer agricultural work, 165, 166.
Running errands, 156.
Sadie and Stella, 53-59.
St. Cloud, Minnesota, 160-62.
St. John, Wash., 83.
Salem, Ore., 11, 14, 19, 20.
Salem Heights, Ore., 88.
Santa Monica, Cal., 157-59.
Sawing wood, 85.
School and home coöperation, 143-45.
"School Credit for Home Work," 167.
Schoolhouse janitor, 95.
Schools, consolidation of, 25.
Scrubbing, 42.
Sewing, 3, 47, 51, 163.
Seymour, Superintendent, 13, 14, 122, 124.
Shepherd, Miss Grace M., 125.
Sheridan High School, 22.
Shopwork, 28.
Simmonds, F. W., 143.
Sleeping with window open, 44.
Slips, home credit. _See_ Cards.
Smith, W. M., 86.
Soules, Miss Hester C., 138.
Spelling, 32, 33; contest, 13, 14, 18.
Spokane, Wash., 32, 89, 91.
Spokane Chamber of Commerce, 89.
Spokane County, Wash., 88, 89, 91, 95.
Spring Valley, Ore., Mr. O'Reilly's school at, 6, 11-23, 72-77.
Standings, 36.
Stella and Sadie, 53-59.
Sterling, Mrs. Elizabeth, 154.
Suggestions for using "Home Record Slip," 112, 113.
Sunday school attendance, 110, 132.
Suver, Polk County, Ore., school at, 120.
Sweeping, 42.
Tardiness, 27, 57, 84, 121.
Teachers, and parents, coöperation between, 39, 46-48; a story from, 60-65; letters from, _see_ Letters.
Tidiness, 137.
Todd, Mr., 28-30.
Toman, Mrs. Verona E., 84, 85.
Toothbrushing, 41-43, 107.
Umatilla County, Ore., 132.
Vacation report, 160, 161.
Vancouver, Wash., 32.
Voice, care of, 43.
Vouchers, 77, 96-99.
Walking, credit for, 120, 121.
Wasco County, Ore., 6.
Washing dishes, 9, 42.
Washington, home credit schools in, 71.
Weekly reports, 86, 88.
Wells, J. Percy, 132.
Werner, John C., 167.
Weston, Ore., 132, 135, 136.
Weston Public School, 136.
Whitman County, Wash., 83.
Wilbur, Wash., 153.
Winship, Dr., 11.
Work, done for wages, 151; in father's place of business, 151. _See_ Labor.
Yamhill County, Ore., 6, 24.
* * * * *
Transcriber's note:
Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as printed.
The illustrations have been moved so that they do not break up paragraphs.
Mismatched quotes are not fixed if it's not sufficiently clear where the missing quote should be placed.
The cover for the eBook version of this book was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
Rather than |||||, tally marks in the book are four upright bars with the fifth bar crossing the other four diagonally. See footnote 7, and pages 130 and 181.
In addition to obvious errors, the following changes have been made:
1. Page 118: the word "a" was added in the phrase: "a lonely art student"
2. Page 133: transposed words "be will" were corrected to "will be" in the phrase: "will be improved"