Teacher and pupils to go over list and agree on time for each thing.
Distance from school more than one-half mile to be given credit for.
Any work not listed that is creditable teacher will give credit for.
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. B——,
Signature of Parents.
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.