L. R. Alderman

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.

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

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.

---

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:—

credit

Home Credit Blank
School........... Dis't No..... Teacher...............
Name........................... Age.......... Grade.....
Object: To secure the cooperation of the Home and the School

...Day of ... 191..		Credits	Monday		Tuesday		Wednesday		Thursday		Friday		Total
		for
		each.	a.m.	p.m.	a.m.	p.m.	a.m.	p.m.	a.m.	p.m.	a.m.	p.m.
1.	Bath	5	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
2.	Teeth cleaned	1	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
3.	No. loaves of bread baked	15	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
4.	No. of cakes baked	10	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
5.	No. of meals prepared (alone)	15	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
6.	Wiped dishes (all for one meal)	5	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
7.	Washed dishes (all for one meal)	5	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
8.	Set the table	2	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
9.	Gathered up dishes	2	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
10.	Churning butter	10	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
11.	Making butter	10	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
12.	No. of rooms swept	2	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
13.	No. of rooms dusted	2	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
14.	No. of beds made	2	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
15.	Blacking stove	5	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
16.	Gathering the eggs	2	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
17.	Carried in the wood	2	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
18.	No. of fires built	2	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
19.	Split the wood	3	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
20.	Fed the chickens	2	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
21.	Fed the pigs	2	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
22.	No. of horses fed grain	1	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
23.	No. horses hayed	1	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
24.	No. horses watered	1	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
25.	No. horses bedded	1	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
26.	No. cows milked	5	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
27.	No. cows bedded	1	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
28.	No. cow stalls cleaned	1	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
29.	No. of horse stalls cleaned	1	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	....	.......
											TOTAL..........

Reasonable credit may be given for other work. When the answer is Yes or No as
in 8 and 9, etc., write 1 for yes and leave blank for no.
Parent:—As one who insists upon absolute honesty being taught, my signature
below certifies that to the best of my knowledge this report is correct.

.....................Parent.

---

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.

potato

O. H. BENSON POTATO CLUB, MORAN, SPOKANE COUNTY, WASHINGTON

The members are receiving school credits for club work carried out regularly. The president is "talking potatoes" to the members of the club

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 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.

Home Credit Work
Dist. No.......
Name, Jessie Jones.Age 12. Grade 6th.

Chores or work done	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thur.	Fri.
Washing dishes	1	1	1	...	...
Sweeping floor	...	...	1	1	1
Making cake	1	...	...	...	...
Making bed	1	1	1	1	1
Cleaning teeth	1	1	1	1	1
Dressing baby	...	1	...	1	1
Getting breakfast	1	...	1	...	...
Music lessons	...	...	2	...	...
Making biscuit	...	...	...	...	1
	——	——	——	——	——
Total for week	5	4	7	4	5

(Signed) Mrs. Mary A. Jones,
Parent's Signature.

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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:—

clara

Home Credit Work

Dist. No. 18.

Name, Clara Louise Peterson.Age 9.Grade 4th.

Chores or work done	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thur.	Fri.
Personal cleanliness	2	2	2	2	2
Cleaning teeth	1	2	2	2	2
Wiping dishes	1	1	1	1	2
Caring for baby	1	1	2	1	2
Carrying Water	....	1	1	1	1
Sweeping floor	....	2	3	1	....
Gathering eggs	1	1	1	1	1
Going for mail	1	....	....	....	....
Making beds	....	2	3	4	3
Churning	....	1	....	1	....
Setting table	....	1	1	1	1
Retiring before nine o'clock	1	1	1	1	1
	____	____	____	____	____
Total for week	8	15	17	16	15

(Signed) Mrs. J. C. Peterson,
Parent's Signature.

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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.

vouchers

---

lemon

Home Credits
Alberta LemonMarch 30-April 4.

	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thur.	Fri.	Sat.
Slept with window open	5	5	5	5	5	5
Cleaned teeth	10	10	10	10	10	10
Swept floors	15	...	10	5	5	25
Wiped dishes	5	5	...	...	...	...
Washed separator	...	15	15	...	...	...
Made beds	10	5	10	10	5	5
Dusted rooms	10	...	10	5	...	25
Got supper	30	...	...	...	...	...
Wiped milk pails	5	5	...	...	...	...
Peeled apples	30	...	...	30	...	...
Made lunches	...	...	20	...	...	...
Washed milk pails	...	...	10	...	...	...
Washed dishes	...	...	5	...	...	...
Retired at 9	...	5	5	5	5	...
Mended garments	...	20	...	...	...	...
Studied	10	30	...	10	...	20
Ironed garments	...	...	50	...	215	75
Helped with meal	...	10	10	10	...	...
Went errands	5	...	5	10	...	5
Scrubbed	...	...	...	...	...	40
Took bath	...	...	...	...	...	80
	——	——	——	——	——	——
	135	110	165	100	245	290
	110	...	...	...	...	...
	165	...	...	...	...	...
	100	...	...	...	...	...
	245	...	...	...	...	...
	290	...	...	...	...	...
	——
	1045	...	...	...	...	...

Mrs. A. C. Lemon.

---

rosa

Home Credits

Rosa C.

	6	7	8	9	10	11
Made fires	...	...	5	5	10	...
Preparing meals	60	30	30	30	60	60
Set table	10	5	5	10	10	10
Washed dishes	5	10	10	10	10	10
Wiped dishes	5	10	10	10	10	10
Washed milk pails	20	20	20	20	20	20
Carried in water	10	10	10	10	20	20
Turning separator	10	20	20	20	20	20
Washing separator	15	15	15	15	15	30
Fed pets	10	10	10	10	10	10
Ironing clothes	...	35	...	100	...	400
Making beds	15	10	10	10	10	10
Cleaned my teeth	5	5	5	5	5	5
Slept with window open	5	5	5	5	5	5
Retired before nine	5	5	5	5	5	5
Washed baby	5	5	5	5	...	5
Dressed baby	5	...	5	...	5	5
Sweeping floors	...	...	...	...	...	30
	——	——	——	——	——	——
Total	185	195	165	270	215	655
Total ... 1685

Chas. F. Conradi.

---

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:—

fowler

Work of Home Record

Lavita Fowler [age 12]

For week ending March 13, 1914.

		Sun.	Mon	Tues.	Wed.	Thur.	Fri.	Sat.
		——	——	——	——	——	——	——
		Min.	Min.	Min.	Min.	Min.	Min.	Min.	Total
1.	Work in garden	...	...	...	30	...	60	...	90
2.	Splitting and carrying in wood
3.	Milking	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
4.	Care of horses or cows	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
5.	Cleaning barn	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
6.	Care of poultry or pigs	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
7.	Turning separator	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
8.	Churning	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
9.	Sweeping or dusting	25	...	20	30	10	...	20	105
10.	Washing or ironing	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
11.	Preparing meals	...	30	60	...	...	...	40	130
12.	Washing dishes	60	55	45	20	30	45	90	345
13.	Bedroom work	...	...	30	20	...	...	...	50
14.	Sewing	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
15.	Caring for little children	30	90	60	...	...	...	60	240
16.	Building fires	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
17.	Bathing	...	...	...	...	...	...	10	10
18.	Brushing teeth	5	...	...	5	...	...	6	16
19.	Sleeping with open window	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	70
20.	To bed by 9 o'clock	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	70
21.	Attending Church or Sunday School	10	...	...	...	...	...	...	10
	Getting sister ready for school	...	15	10	15	15	20	...	75
	Washing floors	...	...	...	...	...	...	40	40
		...	...	...	...	...	...	...	160
		——	——	——	——	——	——	——	——
	Total	35	35	30	40	35	40	76	451

I certify that the above is a correct record.

Mrs. Fowler,
Signature of Parent or Guardian.

---

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
February 9	210	100
February 16	210	97
February 23	210	97

---

leon

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.
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.

Home Work Record of

Elsie G——.

For week ending December 19, 1913.

		Sun.	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thur.	Fri.	Sat.
		—	—	—	—	—	—	—
		Min.	Min.	Min.	Min.	Min.	Min.	Min.
1.	Work in garden	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
2.	Splitting kindlings	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
3.	Bringing in fuel	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
4.	Milking cow	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
5.	Care of horse	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
6.	Preparing meals	...	25	15	25	25	25	20	135
		1	1+	3	3	2	2
7.	Washing dishes	20	25	15	15	15	20	...	200
8.	Sweeping	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
9.	Dusting	15	...	...	...	...	...	15	30
10.	Bedroom work	...	...	10	10	15	10	20	65
11.	Washing	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
12.	Ironing	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
13.	Care of baby	30	60	45	60	60	45	60	350
A.	Bathing	x	x	x	x	x	x	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	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
		——	——	——	——	——	——	——	——
	Total								790

I certify that the above is a correct record.

Mrs. G. H. G——,
Signature of Parent or Guardian.

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]

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.

Record of Home Credit Work

Month beginning ........................ Ending................
..................... School...................... County......
Pupils or parents will fill in the following blanks each day and return to the teacher each month signed by the parent.

Signature of parent.

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]

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 HOMEWE WORK TOGETHERTHE 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.

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:—

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.

Mrs. Elizabeth Sterling, of Clarke County, Washington, was one of the first county superintendents to get out a card suitable for use throughout her schools. She strongly urged the teachers of her county to try the plan, and in 1914 eighty-five teachers were operating it. This card provides a record for the whole school year, with a general average for the nine months. To secure credit the pupil is required to average eight hours per week, or thirty-two hours per month, at "real honest, helpful labor that relieves the father and mother of that amount of work." This done, the teacher is to add three credits to the average gained by the pupil at the school during the month of his or her studies. Additional credits are to be given for more than thirty-two hours per month at the rate of one credit for every ten hours' work. The parent or guardian is cautioned to keep track of the number of hours that the boy or girl actually spends per week at any of the kinds of work named on the credit report card, or any other real work that is not there listed. The printed list comprises:—