MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOLS. RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF CALIFORNIA. [Adopted by the State Board of Education, in accordance with subdivision one of section fifteen hundred and twenty-one of the Political Code, and required to be enforced in all public schools, according to subdivision one of section sixteen hundred and ninety-six of the Political Code.j SECTION 1. Teachers are required to be present at their respective school-rooms, and to open them for the admission of the pupils, at fifteen minutes before the time prescribed for commencing school, and to observe punctually the hours for opening and closing school. SEC. 2. Unless otherwise provided by special action of Trustees or Boards of Education, the daily school session shall commence at nine o'clock A. M., and close at four o'clock P. M., with an intermission at noon of one hour, from twelve м. to one o'clock P. M. There shall be allowed a recess of twenty minutes in the forenoon session-from ten-forty to eleven o'clock-and a recess of twenty minutes in the afternoon session-from two-forty to three o'clock. When boys and girls are allowed separate recesses, fifteen minutes shall be allowed for each recess. In graded primary schools in which the average age of eight years, the daily session shall not exceed four hours ve of the intermission at noon, and inclusive of the re opened at nine o'clock A. M., they shall M. In ungraded schools, all children I be either dismissed, after a four hours' r play, of such length that the actual om shall not exceed three hours and a etained in school during the intermis- eld responsible for the general man- ral direction SEC. 6. Teachers are particularly enjoined to devote their time faithfully to a vigilant and watchful care over the conduct and habits of the pupils during the time for relaxation and play, before and after school, and during the recesses, both in the school buildings and on the playgrounds. SEC. 7. It is expected that teachers will exercise a general inspection over the conduct of scholars going to and returning from school. They shall exert their influence to prevent all quarreling and disagreement, all rude and noisy behavior in the streets, all vulgar and profane language, all improper games, and all disrespect to citizens and strangers. SEC. 8. Teachers shall prescribe such rules for the use of yards, basements, and out-buildings connected with the school houses, as shall insure their being kept in a neat and proper condition, and shall examine them as often as may be necessary for such purpose. Teachers shall be held responsible for any want of neatnesss or cleanliness about their school premises. SEC. 9. Teachers shall give vigilant attention to the ventilation and temperature of their school-rooms. At each recess the windows and doors shall be opened for the purpose of changing the atmosphere of the room. Teachers are required to exercise reasonable supervision over the text-books of the pupil, to inspect the same from time to time, and prevent their defacement or wanton destruction. SEC. 10. Teachers shall enter in the school register, in the order of their application, the names of all those applying for admission. to the school after the prescribed number of pupils has been received. Such applicants shall be admitted to seats whenever a vacancy occurs in any class for which they have been found duly qualified, in the order of their registration. SEC. 11. Teachers are authorized to require excuses from the parents or guardians of pupils, either in person or by written note, in all cases of absence or tardiness, or of dismissal before the close of school. SEC. 12. No pupil shall be allowed to retain connection with any public school, unless furnished with books, slates, and other utensils required to be used in the class to which he belongs; provided, that no pupil shall be excluded for such cause, unless the parent or guardian shall have been furnished by the teacher with a list of books or articles needed, and one week shall have elapsed after such notice without the pupil's obtaining said books. Books may be furnished to indigent children by the Trustees, at the expense of the district, whenever the teacher shall have certified in writing that the pupil applying is unable to purchase such books. SEC. 13. Any pupil who shall in any way cut or otherwise injure any school house, or injure any fences, trees, or out-buildings belonging to any of the school estates, or shall write any profane or obscene language, or make any obscene pictures or characters on the school premises, shall be liable to suspension, expulsion, or other punishment, according to the nature of the offense. The teacher may suspend a pupil temporarily for such offense, and shall notify the Trustees of said action. Pupils shall not be allowed to remain in any of the rooms that are provided with improved styles of furniture, except in the presence of a teacher or a monitor, who is made especially responsible for the care of the seats and desks. All damage done to school property by any of the pupils shall be repaired at the expense of the party committing the trespass. Within one week of any dam age to school property, teachers shall notify the Trustees, or be held personally responsible. SEC. 14. All pupils who go to the school without proper attention having been given to personal cleanliness, or neatness of dress, shall be sent home to be properly prepared for school, or shall be required to prepare themselves for the school-room before entering. Every school-room shall be provided with a wash basin, soap, and towels. SEC. 15. No pupils affected with any contagious disease shall be allowed to remain in any of the public schools. SEC. 16. The books used and the studies pursued shall be such, and such only, as may be authorized by the local Board of Education; and no teacher shall require or advise any of the pupils to purchase for use in the schools any book not contained in the list of books directed and authorized to be used in the schools. SEC. 17. It shall be the duty of the teachers of the schools to read to the pupils, from time to time, so much of the school regulations as apply to them, that they may have a clear understanding of the rules by which they are governed. SEC. 18. In all primary schools, exercises in free calisthenics and vocal and breathing exercises shall be given at least twice a day, and for a time not less than from three to five minutes for each exercise. SEC. 19. The following supplies shall be provided by the District Clerk under the provisions of section one thousand six hundred and fifty-one of the Political Code, on the written requisition of the teachers, viz: clocks, brooms, dusting brushes, wash basins, water buckets, tin cups, dust pans, matches, ink, ink bottles, pens, pen holders, pencils, crayon chalk, writing and drawing paper, hand bells, coal buckets or wood boxes, shovels, pokers, soap, towels, thermometers, door mats, and scrapers. SEC. 20. Trustees are required to employ a suitable person to sweep and take care of the school house, and they shall make suitable provision for supplying the school with water. SEC. 21. It shall be the duty of teachers to report to the County Superintendent the books used in their schools, together with the number of pupils in the several divisions of each grade. This report must be made at the beginning and close of each school session or year. SEC. 22. The District Clerk, at the close of each term of school, or whenever a teacher is discharged, shall certify on the back of the order for the last month's salary that the State School Register has been properly kept. RULES FOR PUPILS. 1. Every pupil is expected to attend school punctually and regularly; to conform to the regulations of the school, and to obey promptly all the directions of the teacher; to observe good order and propriety of deportment; to be diligent in study, respectful to teachers, and kind and obliging to schoolmates; to refrain entirely from the use of profane and vulgar language, and to be clean and neat in person and clothing. 2. Pupils are required in all cases of absence to bring, on their return to school, an excuse in writing from their parents or guardians, assigning good and sufficient reasons for such absence. 3. All pupils who have fallen behind their grade, by absence or irregularity of attendance, by indolence or inattention, shall be placed in the grade below, at the discretion of the teacher. 4. No pupil shall be permitted to leave school at recess, or at any other time before the regular hour for closing school, except in case of sickness, or on written request of parent or guardian. 5. Any scholar who shall be absent one week without giving notice to the teacher, shall lose all claim to his particular desk for the remainder of the term, and shall not be considered a member of the school. 6. Each scholar shall have a particular desk, and shall keep the same and the floor beneath in a neat and orderly condition. INSTRUCTIONS TO TEACHERS. 1. Teachers will endeavor to make themselves acquainted with parents and guardians, in order to secure their aid and coöperation, and to better understand the temperaments, characteristics, and wants of the children. 2. Teachers shall daily examine the lessons of their various classes, and make such special preparation upon them, if necessary, as not to be constantly confined to the text-book; and instruct all their pupils, without partiality, in those branches of school studies. which their various classes may be pursuing. In all their intercourse with their scholars they are required to strive to impress on their minds, both by precepts and example, the great importance of continued efforts for improvement in morals, and manners and deportment, as well as in useful learning. 3. Teachers should explain each new lesson assigned, if necessary, by familiar remarks and illustrations, that every pupil may know, before he is sent to his seat, what he is expected to do at the next recitation, and how it is to be done. 4. Teachers should only use the text-book for occasional reference, and should not permit it to be taken to the recitation, to be referred to by the pupils, except in cases of such exercise as absolutely require it. They should assign many questions of their own preparing, involving an application of what the pupils have learned to the business of life. 5. Teachers should endeavor to arouse and fix the attention of the whole class, and to occupy and to bring into action as many of the faculties of their pupils as possible. They should never proceed with the recitation without the attention of the whole class, nor go round the class with recitation always in the same order or in regular rotation. 6. Teachers should at all times exhibit proper animation themselves, manifesting a lively interest in the subject taught; avoid all heavy plodding movements, all formal routine in teaching, lest the pupil be dull and drowsy, and imbibe the notion that he studies only to recite. DISTRICT LIBRARIES. The Library Fund is deducted from the State School Fund annually apportioned to districts and cities, in accordance with sections. one thousand seven hundred and thirteen and one thousand seven hundred and fourteen of the Political Code. Boards of Trustees and of Education must expend this fund in the purchase of apparatus, and of such books only as are adopted by the State Board of Education, and for no other purpose whatever. The Library Fund is sufficient to create the nucleus of a library. which, if judiciously chosen and protected, cannot fail to add greatly to the intellectual resources of the districts. Every district library should provide itself with a suitable bookcase and Librarian's book; the school teacher should act as Librarian during the school term, and a report of the conditions and wants of the library should accompany each annual report. Every district library should contain a bound copy of the school law, the reports of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and a school record book, to be kept permanently in the library, containing the names of school officers and teachers, the names and standing of scholars, with notices by teachers or pupils of any memorable incidents in the history of the school.* Those districts which already have a fair collection will do well to purchase sets of standard authors. As a general rule, however, the aim should be to make the library do the greatest good to the greatest number. We advise that the first purchase should be of books of reference only, which are to the scholar what the railroad guide is to the traveler. Next to knowing a thing is knowing where to find what is known about it; and books of reference, though they seem costly, are the most valuable and the cheapest for small libraries. RULES FOR DISTRICT LIBRARIES. 1. The Librarian appointed by the Trustees shall properly label and number each book in the district library, and keep a catalogue of the same, showing the title and number of each book. 2. The library shall be open for drawing and returning books [here insert such time as may be determined by the Trustees and Librarian.] 3. Every child attending school shall be entitled to the privileges of the library; but when the number of books is insufficient to supply all the pupils, the Librarian shall determine the manner in which books may be drawn. 4. No person shall be entitled to two books from the library at the same time, and no family shall draw more than one book while other families wishing books remain unsupplied. 5. No person shall loan a library book to any one out of his own house, under a penalty of fifty cents for each offense. *Superintendents will cheerfully give any desired assistance to District Trustees in making selections. |