----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+-_School Credit for Home Work

|Credits| 1st| 2d | 3d | 4th| Total

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Building fire | [6]1 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 27

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Milking cow | 1 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 53

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

in wood (12 hours' supply) | 2 | | | | |

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Turning cream separator | 2 | | | | |

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Grooming horse | 2 | | | | |

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Gathering eggs | 1 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 22

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Feeding chickens, pigs, horse, or cow | 1 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 47

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Churning or making butter | 3 | | | | |

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Blacking stove | 3 | | | | |

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Making and baking bread | 10 | | | | |

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Making biscuits | 2 | | | | |

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Preparing meal for family | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Washing and wiping dishes | 4 | | | | |

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Sweeping floor, each room | 1 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 50

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Dusting furniture, each room | 1 | 4 | | 5 | 2 | 11

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Scrubbing floor, each room | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Making bed (after school) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

clothes, worn to school each week | 30 | | | | |

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Bathing, each bath | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 16

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

face, teeth, nails, and hair combed | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 20

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Practicing music at least 30 minutes | 2 | | | | |

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Retiring on or before 9 o'clock | 1 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7| 28

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Bathing and dressing baby | 2 | | | | |

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

window-boards | 2 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Work not listed, per hour | 6 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 23

----------------------------------------+-------+----+----+----+----+-------

Total 364

L. S. TREFREN,

_Parent or Guardian_

[6] A task counting 1 done each day, gives seven credits for the

week. ]

* * * * *

The following letter, dated April 20, 1914, is from Mrs. Bertha

McKinney, of a district near Ashland, Jackson County.

Pupils of the first, second, and third grades, who have earned

two hundred credits in a month have a half-holiday. Those of the

fourth, fifth, and sixth grades must have earned three hundred

credits to entitle them to the half-holiday, and of the seventh,

eighth, and ninth grades, four hundred credits. When all have

the required number of credits, all have the half-holiday. I

have twenty pupils, and all are doing the home credit work. I

keep the record of the credits earned in a notebook, and place

the number earned by each pupil on the monthly report card. I

think the plan a good one, though in a few cases the parents are

not careful enough with their part; that is, they sign the blank

form, then the child can put down any number he pleases. I have

had only one such case.

Superintendent Joel O. Davis, of Weston, tells of the manner in

which his school began to use home credits:--

The opportunity came in October of last year, when an unexpected

influx of pupils made it necessary for us to engage an extra

teacher and adopt a departmental plan for the fifth to eighth

grades inclusive. This made it necessary for those grades to

prepare two lessons at home, thus making the required home

reading a burden. I at once offered these students the choice of

reading the required books, and writing the reviews, or making

the points by home work, under the conditions as shown by the

accompanying card. Nearly every child accepted the home work

plan, and went to work enthusiastically.

On the opposite page is one of the Weston credit cards, filled out

by a pupil, Crete Allen:--

_Home Work Record, Weston Public School_

Credits will be given for the performance of the following named

duties when this card is returned, at the end of the month,

properly signed by the parent or guardian.

These credits will be accepted in place of the home reading

heretofore required, at the rate of 100 points for each book.

The parent must check the work each day as performed.

Any evasion or falsification of the record will forfeit all

claim to credit.

To obtain credit each duty must be performed by the child

unaided by others, and must be well and satisfactorily done.

No credit will be given for work that is paid for by the parent

or others.

Parents are requested to see that the above conditions are

complied with and to encourage thoroughness and truthfulness by

using care in recording so as to give no unearned credits.

Make one mark, and only one, for each duty each day.[7]

[7] All the marking is done by tallies, thus: ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||

The reproduction on page 137 permits only the use of

figures, to indicate the total tally marks.

[Illustration:

-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----

| 1st | 2d | 3d | 4th |Total

-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----

1. Carrying wood | 1 | ... | ... | 1 | 2

| | | | |

2. Feeding horse | ... | ... | ... | ... | ...

| | | | |

3. Feeding cow | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 56

| | | | |

4. Feeding pigs | 5 | 3 | 14 | 14 | 36

| | | | |

5. Feeding chickens | ... | ... | 1 | 3 | 4

| | | | |

6. Milking cow | 42 | 56 | 43 | 50 | 160

| | | | |

7. Cleaning stable | 7 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 22

| | | | |

8. Washing dishes | 1 | ... | ... | ... | 1

| | | | |

9. Drying dishes | 2 | 1 | ... | ... | 3

| | | | |

10. Making bed | ... | 2 | ... | 2 | 4

| | | | |

11. Sweeping room | 3 | ... | ... | 5 | 8

| | | | |

12. Setting table | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 19

| | | | |

13. Clearing table | 1 | 1 | ... | 1 | 3

| | | | |

14. Tidiness | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 25

| | | | |

15. Brushing teeth | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 13

| | | | |

16. Cleaning nails | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14

+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----

Total | ... | ... | ... | ... | 370

-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----

No. 14 includes general tidiness, hanging hat and coat, putting

away clothes, shoes, stockings, etc., and will be given

more credit than any other one duty. Parents should use care

in marking this number, as the aim is to inculcate habits of

neatness and thoughtful consideration of others. This end

can easily be defeated by careless or unfair marking.

I hereby certify that the above record is true and correct.

MRS. J. E. ALLEN (_Parent or Guardian._)]

* * * * *

At the close of a later letter Mr. Davis wrote:--

From my experience with this experiment I feel that the plan

is worth all it costs and more, that it should be extended to

include all the grades, that modifications to meet the needs of

different communities can easily be made, and that the pupils

and patrons of any district will appreciate and support some

such plan if it is carried out faithfully. I kept a ledger

account with every child, and at the end of the month posted a

bulletin exhibiting the condition of each pupil's account. The

interest was shown by the manner in which they gathered about

the board and compared their credits. Some of the comments upon

some lazy boy's or girl's lack of effort were rather caustic,

but served as effective spurs to the delinquent.

In Pend Oreille County, Washington, six weeks is the unit of

time for credit records. Miss Hester C. Soules, the County

Superintendent, has issued the following circular:--

THE HOME WE WORK TOGETHER THE SCHOOL SCHOOL CREDIT FOR HOME WORK

In order that the school and home may unite forces, that the school

may help in establishing habits of home-making, and that our boys

and girls may be taught that their parents are their best friends

and need their help, the following system of credits has been

devised for use in the schools of Pend Oreille County.

_Certificate of Promotion with Distinction_

Any pupil who has completed the work of his grade in a satisfactory

manner is entitled to PROMOTION WITH CREDIT to the next higher

grade, provided he obtains 300 points for Home Work. He is entitled

to PROMOTION WITH HONOR if he earns 500 points.

Six weeks' faithful and regular performance of the home duties

listed below will entitle the pupil to credit as indicated.

Points

1. Sawing, splitting, and carrying in wood and

kindling 25

2. Building fires or tending furnace 20

3. Caring for horse or cow and doing other barn

chores 15

4. Caring for poultry and gathering eggs 10

5. Working in the school or home garden, or on the

farm 20

6. Delivering milk or carrying water 20

7. Running errands cheerfully 10

8. Doing without being told 20

9. Mowing the lawn 20

10. Feeding pigs 10

11. Making a bird-house and feeding the birds 20

12. Making useful piece of woodwork for the home 25

13. Cleaning barn 20

14. Churning 15

15. Turning Cream Separator 10

16. Retiring at nine o'clock or before 10

17. Bathing at least twice each week 15

18. Sleeping in fresh air 15

19. Getting up in the morning without being called 10

20. Preparing one meal alone daily for the family 25

21. Blacking stove 10

22. Helping with the breakfast, and with the dishes

after breakfast 15

23. Preparing smaller children for school 10

24. Not being tardy 10

25. Cleaning teeth daily 20

26. Making own graduating dress--Eighth Grade 30

27. Writing weekly letter to some absent relative--Grandmother

preferred 20

28. Reading and reporting on one approved

library book 20

29. Reading aloud fifteen minutes or longer each

night to some member or members of the family

circle 20

30. Practicing music lesson thirty minutes daily 25

31. Building fence, 10 rods 20

Fence may be built at intervals during any one period of six weeks.

32. Clearing 1/4 Acre of land 30

Land may be cleared any time during the school year and at

different times provided the 1/4 A. is completed before school closes.

33. Care of younger children 20

34. Raising one fourth acre of vegetables 20

35. Taking sole care of plants and flowers 15

36. Sweeping floor and dusting furniture 10

37. Making beds 10

38. Mopping and caring for kitchen 10

39. Scouring and cleaning bath tub and lavatory 15

40. Helping with the washing 20

41. Sprinkling and ironing clothes 25

42. Making and baking bread, biscuits or cake. Exhibit 25

43. Setting table and serving 15

44. Helping cook supper and helping do the dishes after

supper 20

45. Doing own mending 20

46. Learning to knit or crochet 15

47. Raising six varieties of flowers 15

48. Making piece of hand-work for the home 25

----

Total 840

_Certificate of Promotion with Distinction_

---- having completed the work of

the ---- Grade in the Pend Oreille County Schools, in

a satisfactory manner, and having earned ---- points

in our Home and Outside Industrial Work Plan, is

hereby promoted to the ---- Grade with ----

---- and is commended for Industry, Fidelity to

Home and Cheerful Helpfulness.

Given at Newport, Washington, this ---- day of

----, 191 .

--------------------- -----------------

_Superintendent_. _Teacher_.

The city of Los Angeles, California, uses a plan of marking home

work on the report card and giving no other incentive. Notice that

a certain number of minutes daily for ten weeks is the unit, and

that the number of minutes varies according to the age of the child.

Observe the emphasis on care of yards and streets, also on care of

little brothers and sisters.

_Report of Committee on Home Credits, Los Angeles Schools_

The Committee on Home Credits makes these recommendations:--

1. That the "Home Credits" be not used as a substitute for other

work, and also that they be not applied to increase the grade of

other subjects except as any work well done necessarily improves

all work of the child.

2. That the words "Home Credit" be written on the new cards

just published, and that in the future these words be printed as

a regular part of the card, with space for inserting the number

of credits.

3. That in the several grades the following constitute one

credit:--

(_a_) First and second grades, 10 minutes of daily work for 10

weeks.

(_b_) Third and fourth grades, 15 minutes of daily work for 10

weeks.

(_c_) Fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, 20 minutes of

daily work for 10 weeks, and that multiples of such work in

10, 15, 20 minutes be allowed so that a child may earn several

credits each ten weeks.

4. That the following subjects be selected for the initial trial of

the plan:--

1. Taking care of the baby.

2. Bathing baby.

3. Washing or wiping dishes.

4. Washing or ironing clothes.

5. Washing windows.

6. Scrubbing floor.

7. Sweeping floor.

8. Setting table.

9. Dusting and putting room in order.

10. Sweeping or cleaning yard.

11. Sweeping sidewalk.

12. Cleaning street in front of home.

13. Care of garbage can.

14. Getting meals.

15. Making beds.

16. Mending clothes.

17. Making new or making over old clothes for family.

18. Working in shop or store.

19. Working in and caring for garden.

20. Running errands, going to market, store, etc.

21. Driving delivery wagon.

22. Selling papers.

23. Taking little brothers and sisters to school,

clean and on time.

24. Clean hands, faces, clothes.

25. Clean heads.

26. Raising poultry or rabbits.

27. Any other outside work peculiar to particular

district if approved by Supervising Superintendent.

WEEKLY RECORDS, THREE OR MORE MONTHS' REPORTS

Mr. F. W. Simmonds, superintendent of city schools, Lewiston, Idaho,

has instituted a plan for daily and weekly records with a report for

three months, which he writes is "working out most successfully."

The statement of his particular scheme which he gives in his home

credit record folder is accompanied by an excellent presentation of

the nature and scope of the home credit plan in general:--

_A Plan for School and Home Coöperation_

One of the vital problems of school administration to-day is

that of securing closer coöperation between school and home

life. When the child learns that _education is living and

working the best way_ he has made considerable progress on the

educational road. Our school curriculum should encourage this

wholesome attitude toward the everyday tasks.

Children must have time for real play and plenty of it, but

let us not forget that real work is also a part of the child's

rightful heritage, and that when rightly directed, children

like to work--they are eager to take part in some of the

real activities of life. However, they must not be permitted

to attempt too much--a reasonable amount of _work well done

regularly_ and suited to the child's age and ability is what is

desired.

_Filling out this card is optional with the parent_, no grade

on the quality of the work done by the child is asked for,

merely the approximate time regularly devoted to that task.

Note the time; one half-hour, one hour, two hours, etc., in the

proper column on this card. Your filling out and signing this

card will assure us that the work was well done, regularly and

satisfactorily.

The work may include any one or more of the multitude of home

tasks, or any work done regularly, as sewing, ironing, washing

dishes, preparing meals, baking, cutting kindling, gardening,

milking, caring for poultry, feeding stock, making beds, music

lessons, tending furnace, etc.

Some tasks occur daily (others weekly, as regular Saturday

chores, music lessons and the like). Nothing less than a

_half-hour_ is to be recognized, though two or more tasks may be

grouped to make a half-hour daily or weekly. The average child

will be anxious to figure his home service in the large; but

a reasonably conservative "statement of account" will have a

greater disciplinary value, and will make for efficiency.

The _unit_ of home credit will be _one half-hour's daily work

throughout the month_. Time spent on regular weekly tasks

will be adjusted by the teacher to this basis. If the work in

quantity, quality and regularity is deemed worthy, the teacher

will credit the pupil with the number of home credits earned,

which will be added to the pupil's standing at the end of the

semester in determining promotion. Each _unit_ of credit in home

work will have the effect of raising a monthly grade in some

subject one step as from _poor_ to _fair_, or _fair_ to _good_,

etc. By means of home credits, a pupil has an opportunity to

raise his promotion standing to "Promoted with Honor," or

"Promoted with Highest Honors" as the case may be, if he should

lack a point or two, and have earned enough home credits to

offset this.

In the Borough of the Bronx in New York City, Mr. Frederick J.

Reilly began to give school credit for home work in the fall of

1914. He issues two cards of different colors, one for the girls and

one for the boys. The cards are alike except for the words "he" and

"she." Notice that the cards are well planned for use in city homes.

At present they are used by the children of seventh and eighth

grades. Mr. Reilly says, "The important thing is not the amount

of credit the child receives in school, but rather the amount of

influence this may have upon the training of the child at home."

[Illustration:

PUBLIC SCHOOL 33, THE BRONX FREDERICK J. REILLY, Principal

_Home Record of_.......... _Class_........ _Term, 19_........

===========================================================================

This record card is part of an effort to bring the home and the school

closer together; pupils will receive credit in school for the things they

do at home.

Parents are invited to answer any or all of these questions as they see

fit, leaving blank any that they prefer not to answer. There is nothing

compulsory about this: children will not lose in class standing if the

parents do not choose to fill out this card. _Please return the card

in the envelop, sealed_.

===========================================================================

Answer I to V, Yes or No |1st Mo.|2d Mo.|3d Mo.|4th Mo.

---------------------------------------------+-------+------+------+-------

I. Does he get ready for school on time, | | | |

without constant urging? | | | |

---------------------------------------------+-------+------+------+-------

II. Is he careful about having his hair, | | | |

neck, hands, shoes, etc., _clean_? | | | |

---------------------------------------------+-------+------+------+-------

III. Does he keep his books, clothes, etc., | | | |

in the places assigned for them? | | | |

---------------------------------------------+-------+------+------+-------

IV. Does he prepare his school work at a | | | |

regular time and without constant | | | |

urging? | | | |

---------------------------------------------+-------+------+------+-------

V. Does he go to bed regularly at a | | | |

reasonable hour? | | | |

===========================================================================

Answer VI to X more fully

------------------------------------+--------------------------------------

VI. Is he willing and helpful in |1st Mo.

little household duties? What +--------------------------------------

does he do regularly for which |2d "

he deserves credit? +--------------------------------------

|3d "

+--------------------------------------

|4th "

------------------------------------+--------------------------------------

VII. Does he attend faithfully to |1st Mo.

any extra lessons, as music, +--------------------------------------

dancing, gymnasium, religious |2d "

instruction, etc.? If so, what? +--------------------------------------

|3d "

+--------------------------------------

|4th Mo

------------------------------------+--------------------------------------

VIII. Has he any hobby at which he |1st Mo.

spends a considerable part of his +--------------------------------------

time, as music, drawing, |2d "

photography, electricity, gardening,+--------------------------------------

collecting, etc.? |3d "

+--------------------------------------

|4th "

------------------------------------+--------------------------------------

IX. Does he read much? |1st Mo.

What does he read? +--------------------------------------

|2d "

+--------------------------------------

|3d "

+--------------------------------------

|4th "

------------------------------------+--------------------------------------

X. Does he do anything else, not |1st Mo.

already mentioned, for which he +--------------------------------------

deserves credits? |2d "

+--------------------------------------

|3d "

+--------------------------------------

|4th "

------------------------------------+--------------------------------------

SIGNATURE OF PARENT:

1st Mo......................... 3d Mo.........................

2d Mo......................... 4th Mo.........................

]

* * * * *

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."

[Illustration:

-------------------------------------------------------------------

E--Excellent. G--Good.

-------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----

Sewing and mending.................. |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Bread-making........................ |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

General cooking..................... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Setting and serving table........... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Washing and wiping dishes........... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Washing and ironing................. |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Sweeping and making beds............ |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Mopping and care of kitchen......... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Care of younger children............ |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Making fires........................ |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Getting water, coal, kindling, etc.. |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Feeding stock or poultry............ |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Milking cows........................ |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Barn or yard work................... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Garden or field work................ |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Errands............................. |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

-------------------------------------------------------------------

F--Fair. P--Poor.

-------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----

Cheerfulness, kindness.............. |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Order and care of clothes........... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Cleanliness, bathing, etc........... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Table manners....................... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Politeness.......................... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Keeping temper...................... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Doing before told................... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Care of language.................... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

At home--off streets................ |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Courteous to parents................ |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Kindness to animals................. |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Care of playthings.................. |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Home study.......................... |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

| | | | |

Ambition to succeed................. |.....|.....|.....|.....|.....

-------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----

]

* * * * *