Improving the High School 153 



deavor to have the length of the school term extended 

 and the school attendance made more regular. In- 

 stitute a series of red-letter days for the school dur- 

 ing the year. It may be practicable to have a 

 "parents' day," an occasion on which all will be 

 invited to come out and join the pupils in a noonday 

 lunch and learn more about the progress and the 

 needs of the school. Provide a half day for free and 

 open discussion of school matters and if possible or- 

 ganize among the patrons a sort of "boosters' club." 



Another form of endeavor in behalf of the schools 

 is that of striving for improvement of the high school 

 facilities of the neighborhood. Perhaps there is not 

 a high school within riding distance of the homes. 

 Cannot one be instituted, say, for the township ? 

 Or, what can be done to improve the present neigh- 

 borhood relations to the high school that may be 

 already within reach ? Is there a prohibitive tui- 

 tion fee ? Does the high school now in existence 

 actually serve through its courses the best interests 

 of young people who come in from the neighborhood ? 

 Again, perhaps it would be feasible to organize the 

 grown boys and girls who have dropped out of the 

 country school into a neighborhood group and pro- 

 vide a daily conveyance for taking them to and from 

 the town high school. By this means, many may be 

 induced to go to school who are idling away the valu- 

 able winter months. 



During the last decade, what has been the trend of 



