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THE DAILY COOS BAY TIMES, MARSHFIELD. OREGON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1908.
PUBLIC S
-A Statement from Parents of the Pupils in
the Seventh Grade and One from
Prof Golden The School
Board's Decision
GHOOL PROMGTONS
1
tEdltor Times:
An unfortunato misunderstanding
having; boon created in tho minda of
some of the parents as to the recent
promotions In the school, I deem it
-advisable to make the following ex
planation in the columns of your
paper:
Tho promotions that were recently
made are not the regular annual pro
motions, based on final examinations.
They are simply extra promotions,
made to equalize the various grades,
and to permit the few In the several
grades who have manifestly worked
ahead of their grades, to be promoted
to the next. These promotions are
not governed by the rule under which
the final examinations are conducted.
That rule is as follows:
RULE 3, EXAMINATIONS. Be
sides monthly written tests there
shall be final examinations at tho
close of the school year to determine
tho promotion of pupils whose work
has left doubt as to their fitness for
"honorary promotion." These finals
shall be given on a schedule fur
nished by the principal and shall
commence the second Wednesday be
fore the close of the school year.
Note particularly, this rule specific
ally refers to the examinations "at
the close of the school- year."
The rule under which these extra
ordinary promotions were made is as
follows:
RULE 5, EXTRA PROMOTIONS
Promotions may be made at other
times by the principal In cases of
marked advance beyond the grade."
It Is naturally impossible to keep
a class of forty or fifty boys and girls
exactly together for a period of nine
months, and it would be manifestly
unjust to tho exceptionally bright and
industrious pupils who have worked
ahead of their clats to hold them
back for the entire year. The pur
pose of this Inst rule Is to meet these
cases. It was under this rule that
the recent promotions were made. The
same practice has been in vogue for
some time, and has worked satisfac
torily. Tho conditions wero ex
plained to all tho teachers beforhand,
and were exnetly complied with in all
but one room, and only in this room
lias complaint arisen. In this room
there were thirty-three to thirty-six
pupils rated by th teacher for promo-
tlon.
Most of these pupils had been
out of tho former grado only about
four mouths, and anyono can easily
see what would be tho demoralizing
effect of promoting this largo num
ber of pupils to a higher grade, at u
time when this higher grado had
completed over a half of tho year's
work. If tlioro wero no other rea
sons than the injury resulting to the
promoted pupils themselves, as a re
sult of attempting to talto up tho ad
vanced year's work already half com
pleted, and also the demoralization
of those already In the higher grado
caused by tho accession of almost
enough now pupils to start a now
grade, tho physical impossibility of
crowding tho number of pupils that
-would thus have boon combined Into
one under tho care of a single teach
er, Is justifiable reason for using
tho discretion conferred on tho prin
cipal by tho rules, in making these
extra-ordinary promotions.
Tho principal is anxious, fully as
much so as nro parents, to build up
tho higher grade. Particularly is
this tho case now, when extra efforts
aro being mndo to get a good full,
four year high school organized. Ho
however, realizes, ns should every
one, that a successful school can re
sult only from thoroughness on tho
part of its pupils.
If Individual injustice has beon
done any of tho pupils as a result of
the recent promotions this will bo
corrected as soon as it has been dis
covered. Uesp.
F. A. GOLDEN, Prin.
Curd From' School lloaul.
To tho Editor:
Alter carefully considering all tho
facts in tho caso as sot forth by
Prof. Golden and tho teacher of tho
Sevoiith Grado, tho directors decided
that action taken in limiting tho
number of promotions to tho Eighth
Grade was in tho intorests of both
the pupils and tho school; and whllo
it would appear that an injustice had
ueon done soino of tho pupils, wo be
llovo that tho rovilt will show that
such is not tho case.
Wo earnestly urge all friends of
our school to rofrain from hasty
criticism of tho action of the princi
pal in this matter, and to rest assured
Editor Times: The accompanying
article is not intended to open a
long drawn out controversy, nor
written for the purpose of "getting
into print." What It covers appears
to Interested parties as rightly pub
lic property, and ns such they be
lieve Its dlsseminlnutiou will do no
harm.
The parents of twenty children at
tending tho seventh gride of tho
Marshneld public school Believe they
have a grievance against the super
intendent, Prof. Golden,, and like
wise against the board ot education
for its decision in the matter of
hold-up promotions in that grade.
Recently, examinations were held in
the various grades of the grammar
school. Prof. Goldvn, according to
tho evidence of teacher and pupils
in the seventh grade, came into the
room and announced tho require
ments each pupil would have to
meet in order to pass into the eighth
grade. These were an average of
SO per cent and no minimum below
70 per cent. Thirty-six pupils met
these requirements. When tho ex
aminations were over and tho re
sults became known, tho superin
tendent informed the pupils that
none would bo promoted who had
not attained an average of 90 per
cent or more.
i Questions were immediately put
to tho superintendent and the ex
cuse was given that there was not
room for so many students in the
next room. But such argument was
assailable, for rooms and grades
could be changed to accommodate a
larger eighth grade. Consequently,
a mo'ro tangiblo reason was demand
ed. Hints were then thrown out of
"cribbing" having been practiced
during the examinations.
Those who believed they had just
cause of complaint said as much to
the board of education and a meet
ing was set for Thursday afternoon
and they wero Invited to bo present
and state their grievances. They
went to that meeting and were re
quested to wait with patience in an
outer room, whllo tho meeting pro
gressed in an inner room. These
parents remained for an hour and a
half and wero then informed that
tho affair was settled; that tho pu
pils in the seventh grado whoso av
erages wero below 90 per cent and
above SO per cent would not bo pro
moted. They were not given a hear
ing. This decision was reached after
Prof. Golden declared that tho ex
amination papers wero marked too
high.
Plainly, and beyond any reason
able doubt, there has been discrim
ination against tho seventh grade.
Tho list of promotions published In
Thursday evening's Times shows SO
per cent to have been sufficient in
every other grade. There is no de
fensible reason for such discrimin
ation, unless, as Prof. Golden claims,
tho papers havo been marked too
high, and then only where, on re
vision, they may bo found to have
fallen below requirements. There is
no dispute as to the questions of the
soventh grado examinations being
appllcnblo to tho occasion, for they
wero approved by tho superintend
ent. Thoso who passed tho require
ments laid down by tho superintend
ent at tho outset aro as much enti
tled to promotion as any others in
the school averaging abovo SO per
cent, providing their papers will
show an average of 80 per cent and
no minimum below 70 per cent.
Those pupils who havo been hold up
boliovo that their examination papers
should bo submitted to an Impartial
comniltteo of threo and the truth
learned as to whether tho markings
aro too high, and It is their right
that such action bo taken. It Is an
easy matter to say, as If tho Incident
wero closed: "Tho papers wero
marked too high," but It doesn't
convlnco those most vitally Interest
ed that such is a fact.
Let uo seo how much a teacher
would bo obliged to boost tho mark
lugs of Buino pupils who wero
plucked. Several had r.verages be
tween 89 per cent and UO per cent,
that iho directors and principal have
only tho bo6t intorests of tho school
ut hwt i.iid will uso their utmost
endeavors to see that no injustice be
dono anyone. Respectfully,
J, T. McCormac,
W. B. Curtis,
Directors School District No. 9.
j SB
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I For Particulars See
CRYSTAL
THEATRE
a clear steal, we must believe, of at
1 least nine credits on each study,
'others were as low as 83 per cent,
land It was necessary to give even
these four credits to each study.
Tho result of this agitation is that
the seventh grade is without a teach
er, whether justly or unjustly, the
public will learn. It remains a fact,
however, that of late' there has been
earnest and studious endeavor on the
part of seventh grade pupils. They
wero interested in their studies;
They were making more than satis
factory progress and were anxious
to pass the examinations and be duly
promoted. There aro those In the
seventh grade who have spent a year
in it, and likely, under existing cir
cumstances, see themselves growing
gray-haired in tho same grade.
Tho matter of "crl'uing" was
passed over with a wor i, but it de
serves more. Those of us who havo,
passed through the public schools, '
tho academies or tho collces know i
there was never an examination held
where it was not practiced to some '
extent. Somebody gets information i
from somebody else. Tho teachers ,
may be horrified. If so, then they
do not see nil which goes on about .
them during examinations. No, this '
is not a defense of tho practice; i
only a cold truth. It cannot bo sue- I
cessfully .denied. It has always been
with us and always will be. There I
are many pupils with a strict sense !
of honor who scorn assistance and '
would prefer failure in examinations.
And there aro those who would- not
impart tho Information sought. And
then, there aro others. It doesn't
follow that teachers seo these things
and condono them. They are ac
complished too expeditiously for the
busy eyo of tho teacher to detect.
And it is only just to say that every
precaution Is taken to prevent them.
But they happen, notwithstanding.
Now tho question arises: Shall
twenty-three pupils suffer for the
misdeeds of a few? Tho main con
tention, and tho point of justice In
this matter Is this: tho pupils who
havo averages above SO per cent
have a right to know if tho papers
aro marked too high; if thoy are
found to support tho averages of
SO per cent and over, then there is
uo example or criterion In the pres
ent series of examinations to justify
stifling their ambitions to move on.
Some, perhaps, will say this ar
ticle would bo received with more
consideration If it came from a dis
interested source. Perhaps so. But
a threo years' experience in Oregon
has taught us that disinterested peo
plo find great satisfaction in pas
sivenoss, and thoso who havo com
plaints must fight their own battles
and bo content with a smile for their
pains.
But thero Is coming a tlmo In Ore
gon when old thlugs will bo sub
merged, and It Is not far distant.
Rospectfully submitted,
O. W. BRIGGS.
Having tried several brands of
flour I find lUULLIANT far SUPER
IOR to all others. Every sack sold
with a guarantee.
Q. E, COOK,
.W. ..!,-. Corner Grocery.
l
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