Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-03-12

furnished by their parents with necessary
books, states and other utensils required to be
used in the grade to which they belong.
' GRADED SCHOOLS.
An attempt is being made, by the Acting
Secretary of the Board of Education, to intro
duce uniform system of Graded Schools
throughout the entire State. Mr. Wiltse
writes me that most of the counties are enter
ing into the arrangement, and hope Floyd
County will not be behind other parts of the
State. Mr.. Wiftse has divided the branches
authorized by law, into six grades as follows
First. Spelling, Lessons in Reader; Read
ing, First Reader Writing, on Slate Arith-
metic, Nine Digits, counting to 100.
Second, Spelling. Lessons in Reader Read
ing, Second Reader; Writing, on Slate
Arithmetic, Primary. .#.#. E-5
Third, Spelling, Spelling Book to Lesson 81
Reading, Third Reader; Writing, on Slate
Arithmetic, Fundamental Operations I; Rays
Int. to p. 65; Geography, Oral Lessons.
Fourth, Spelling Spelling Book to Lesson
101; Reading. Fourth Reader; Writing, Cop
ying Books, Nos. and 2; Arithmetic, Parts
of Numbers, Fractions. Tables &c, Rays Int
page 100, Denomin. Numbers, Rays Prac. p.
l19; Grammar, Parts OF Speech from Read
er Geography, Outlines, Monteith's, No. 2
FIFTH, Spelling Spelling Book to Lesson l51;
Reading. Fifth Reader; Writing, Copying
Books, Nos. 3 and 4 Arithmetic, Factoring,
Common and De imal Fractions Ratio and
| Proportion Analysis; Rays Practical, p.
oil Rays Intellectual finished; Grammar,
Etymology, Pnneo's Analytical to Syntax,
p. l0S; Geography, North America, Monte
this, No. to page Sc.
Strth, Spelling, Spelling Book finished
Reading, Sixth Reader; Writing, Copying
! Book, No. 5; Arithmetic, finished; Gram
mar, Syntax and Prosody Geography, finish
| ed
This gradation is based upon the text books
necessary to complete any one of the above
grades is eight months, and lessons should be
arranged accordingly.
| If the course of study i'm any school ex-
the above course, the studies for each grade
may be proportionally compressed, or the
number of grades may be extended.
| Among the results of adopting course of
study and dividing it into steps or grades,
and of grading the pupils in accordance
| IHSltNitu, his w iitSC HptIttS INC lOlICNlHR.
IL. 1t compels uniformity in Text Books.
| ,. lt secures punctuality in attendance
3. While it inspires diligent pupils with
higher motives, it quickens all Others to a
degree that enables them to complete the
tchoie course--a result to which the majority
would never attain under any other system.
4. Every pupil in the school will complete
1 the course in one half the tune required i'm a
school which is not graded. ...
| 5. If a teacher finds the introduction of the
graded system above his experience or capaci-
ty, or, having introduced it, fails in enabling
his pupils to complete grade within the time
prescribed, the District Board will of course
know the fact. and know further, that the
teacher is unfit for the position. Thus a much
lneeded check upon teachers will have been
established-a criterion by which both parents
and the Board may judge of the fitness and
| efficiency of a teacher .r.....
| 6. 1t will excite ambition in pupils and en-
uation in parents, and infuse new life in the
one and increase the liberalty of the other"
When the above plan was first proposed to
me in January last, had serious doubts as to
| its practicabilty in our country schools, but
have become fully satisfied that it is entirely
feasible, and would strenuously urge your
Board to adopt this graduation, thus giving il
force of law, and making it obligatory upon
teachers to conform Herewith. BY so doing
l have no doubt the efficiency of our Schools
will be very materially increased, and that
after having given it a fair trial we shall all
| wonder why it was SO long delayed.
SCHOOL RECORDS.
have been for long time convinced that
r Al l. u
arship and department of pupils would be a
great incentive to increased attention to each
that it would, to a great extent, obviatc the
necessity of punishment, lessen the time ne
cessarily devoted to tho government of
Schools and allow corresponding increase of
time for impartng instruction. On this sub
ject Hon. VIM. II. Wells Superintendent of
Public Schools, Chicago, remarks as follows:
A judicious use of the school register, in
which a record is made Of the pupils stand
ing and progress from day to day. is one of the
most important instrumentalities that teach
ers can bring to their aid in securing punctual
attendance and an elevated standard of schol-
arship and department. No other agency has
yet been devised, which is half so effective as
this in preventing the necessity for resorting
to corporal punishment in school. The con-
sciousness that these elements of character and
scholarship are permanently recorded, is an
abiding and potent influence with every pupil
who has not lost all self-respect and all regard
for the good opinion of his friends.
The very best Record which | have ever ex-
amined is one published by kissell & Ingalls,,
Muscatine, which can be procured of the pub
fishers for two dollars. This Record will last
for years, and in no way could SO small an
of improving your schools, Us to order one of
these Records for each of the Schools in your
District. earnestly urge this upon your at
tention, and / will willingly hold myself in
readiness to transmit your orders to the pub
fishers, receive the records and deliver them
to you. In this way they can be procured at
less expense for transportation, than for each
District to order its own separately.
TOWN sUPERINTENDENTS.
I desire to call your attention to Sec. 90 of
the School Law, which gives you power to Sc
lect person who shall have a general super
vision of the Schools i'm the District and
would suggest the appointment Of such per.
son. Let the person selected be one who is
actively interested in the prosperity of our
Schools, and who will cheerfully devote the
time necessary for the fulflment of his duties.
trust IL will not be difficult to find such per-
sons in every township in the county. The in
divdual SO selected should frequently visit
each school, see that it is properly graded,
that the duties of the teacher are properly
performed and the regulations faithfully OBJ
served. I should be pleased to have such a
person appointed and a fair trial given the sys-
TEN when, if it was not successful, las it
, could hardly fail of being if the right man is
put in the place. it might be discontinued
GENERAL REMARKS.
Having called your attention specially to
} several important measures by the adoption