Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-09-03
LOO AL N Il :" - {.

meet at Sarepta Hall tonight for the purpose
Of organizing for the campaign 1t is to be
1,<;.p,<s meeting and it is hoped that all who
can will be present in order that full and free
sxrrcssion of opinion as to the best means of
securing the desired end, may be obtained.
Alryandria will not be behind any in her cxer
,;ons in behalf Of the great cause of conserva-
ism and the true interests OF the State.
CITY School BoARD.-When the clock
struck eight last night. Mr.. Neale was the only
member of the City School Board iu the room,
Int by $50 there were present In addition, the
Superintendent of Schools, Messrs S. L.
Erach, J. S. Beach, Hopkins, Wilmington,
WhitticScy aud Wilmer, and the Board being
,,IIcd TO order by the clerk, Mr.. S. +. Beach
was elected Chairman pro TEN, and the minutes
,f the last two regular meetings were read and
approved.
Messrs. +. Snowden, jr., and W. f. Carnc
then came in, the former taking his place as
Chairman.
Nr. j. S. Beach, from the Committee on
Studies and Discipline, then submitted the
following report
u. lie city School Board:
The Committee on Studies and Discipline, to
whom was referred the questions of tho intro
IL
schools, and the adoption of Holiness History Of
the United States, beg leave to report
s, That after due examination, they are
doubtful whether drawing can be taught upon
the plan proposed without regular teacher
and that they therefore only recommend that
such teachers us may desire to Introduce it Ivy
Way "i trial be permitted to do so.
ID That in lew of the facts developed at
,Lc last examinations they do not think any
larger history than Blackburn & McDonalds
Grammar School is needed ut present.
They also beg leave further To report that the
present grading is defective, inasmuch MS it be-
gins to number at the highest grade, and u
new grade must be of necessity created each
year for some years to come the numbers will
bc continually changing, and that they think
experience has demonstrated the fact that the
Readers are too simple Ter tho grade in which
they are used.
They, therefore, respectfully recommend that
new grading and course of stables he adopted
rs follows:
First Grade: Alphabet, Spelling, First Read
or learning to make figures, Enumeration and
Addition.
Second Grade: Second Reader, Addition and
Subtraction, with continued practice in Nulne-
ration and Spenccran Pcnmanship begun ttho
pupils using pcucls) if the teacher should think
Third Grade: Third Reader, Subtraction,
Multiplication, Division and Spencerlan Pen
manshi'.
Fourth Grade: Fourth, Reader. Long Diyis-
and Spcncerian Penmanship.
Fifth Grade: Fifth Reader, Decimals and De-
nominate Numbers, World we live in, Gram
mar, Spcncerian Penmanship.
sixth Grade: Sixth Reader, Manual of Geog
rsphy, English Grammar, Simple Proposition
a. end of Davis Arithmetic if practicable, and
Slencerian PcnmAnshlp.
seventh Grade: Continuation Of the studies Of
che sixth. John ;. BEAcH.
WIN. F. CARNE.
RICHARD L. CaRNF
TIE Superintendent said that there was, 10
uoubLedy, much dissatisfaction iu the com.
munity with the course OF study, and the com.
uittac desired the careful consideration Of the
Board CO their report. A clergyman who had,
himself, taught much, had just called upon him
and made various objections to the present ar
rsnrcuents, of which the amended course pro-
p,sei by the committee was almost transcript,
aud he knew the sentiments expressed by that
gentleman we're those Of many other persons,
for last year over hundred permits were OBJ
tanned aud not used The committee had con-
silcrcd the matter most carefully, and had
drawn up the best report they were able. but,
perhaps, some other members OF the Board
might be able to suggest improvements.
\ member asked what remedy had been sug-
uCslcd by the gentleman Of whom the Supcrlu-
lcnlcut had spoken.
The Superintendent said he had suggested
cthat seemed feasible unless the graded
system was abandoned.
Mr. s. f. Beach enqured whether graded
schools we're required by law.
The Superintendent replied in the negative,
but said they we're universally considered not
only more economical but great deal better
than the old ward schools, the only other ar
rangcmcnt to which recourse could be had, and
had been strongly recommended by the Super
inendent OF Public obstruction. The objection
made was that children were often put back 10
one study until they could master another.
Mr.. D. S. Beach said that was essential to
the graded system; no graded school could be
maintained If people could send their children
to any school, and have them taught there
without regard to their proficiency in any one
branch. There would have to be almost as
many classes as pupils, and everybody would
want TO send to one or two teachers.
The Superintendent said that he had
s4,lully studied the systems pursued IN
NcH York and elsewhere, and knew that
the $.ine course was pursued there as that
recommended by the committee, except that
the change Of teachers was much more fire.
qucnt. Our grading was mainly on arlth
nec. When it was first proposed by Mr.. }.
$ Beach, he had been doubtful Of It's wisdom,
and had acnuicsccd in, rather than approved
the plan, but since he had seen its operation
he had been fully convinced Of the wisdom Of
the suggestion. Arithmetic had been greatly
neglected by the female teachers OF the old
pirate primary schools, and girls aud female
teachers generally disliked mathematics and
Sould, 1t allowed, give more attention to Othcr
>tlllcs; it wac therefore, necessary to give to
arithmetic great prominence IN the course. Many
lersons wanted choice of teachers, and in this
lie sympathizcd with them. The want of
suct a choice, he thought defect in the pub
school system, but there Were SO many ad-
Tntages in graded schools that he did not think
they should be abandoned merely to give a
Choice. As to the small children who were ex-
Guided by the fact that our schools were scat
tered aud that they would often have too far to
70 10 reach their proper division, he did not