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:--
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.