The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-21
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

rs SESSION observation-disclosures TRANsAc-
TED, ETC.
The first session of the State Board of Ed
ucation began yesterday forenoon. There
were present Messrs. Alex. NJ Cow, Cyrus
Mutt, President State University, j. III.
Stewart, Superintendent OF Fort Wavne
Public Schools; Milton b Hopkins. Super
lntendent of Public Instruction chairman
ex officio; George p. Brown, newly elected
superintendent of indianapolis Public
schools.
Alex. NJ. Cow was elected secyetarv-
Blank certificates of proficiency was pre-
sented. emitting the holder to enter the
y ate University. Ordered, that said com
missioned High School be supplied with
blanks
On motion, Mr.. Cow was appointed a COM
mlttee TO prepare a circular TO CITY Schools.
asking che nge in its nomenclature OF grades
in public schools
On motion of Mr.. Stewart it was ordered
tnat committee of two be appointed to
attend to the preparation of a series of ex-
animation papers exhibiting the school
work, said papers to be sent TO the Indiana
Exposition of 1875.
On motion, the board adjourned till Tues
day, July IA.
SECOND SESSION.
Board met at p NJ
Present, Alex. NJ Cow, George p. Brown.
u" IL o1hoAsf n. jules, GT6Slu6nt OF
State Normal School,
On motion, President Jones was appointed
to act as chairman of the board
Mr.. Cow, from the committee on recomeu-
dations of grades, made the following report.
which was adop,ed and ordered printed in
the educa' ional journals:
To the Su0erinteadentS and PRINCIPALS of
Grade Schools:
GENTLRMEN-A great diversity appears in
el..au Il -.....x IL
as TO the terms employed TO designate the
various grades of pupils Reference is
made to primary, intermediate grammar
preparatory and high school grades, unac-
companied with any key or clue to enable
the reader to determine the relative rank of
the scholars. These terms are not used to
express the same idea In every place. In
some schools the grades are designated bv
letters and in others by numbers Sonae
number or letter the grades from the lowest
to the highest; while Others reverse the order
| ana letter or number them from the highest
to the lowest. If the same system of NOM
enclature can be generally adopted il will
save the annoyance and pefplexity arising
from the present confusion of terms and
render the reports more valuable as a means
of comparison between the schools.
! For the purpose of securing a greater de-
gree OF uniformity, the Board of Education
respectfully suggests that the lowest grade
of pupils be designated the First year
Riducs b0db tnilSo WHO nave passed the flrSt
year and entered the second In regular
course shall be known as the Second wear
grade" and so on. Thus, if a pupil is in the
Eight year grade" it VIII be readily un-
derstood that ne has passed seven years of
school instruction and has entered upon the
eighth.
1t 1t be deemed desirable to retain the old
terms OF distinction for the sake OF local con-
venience, the change may easily be effected
by afhxlng to the present name the term
first year or second year, as the case may
be. The term "Grammar SCHOOL, may be
made clearly intelligible to every reader by
a slight addition determining the year occu-
pied in the course; thus. "A Grammar eighth
year," "B Primary, third ear" etc.
The board recommends that the proposed
change be made during the coming school
year, and that in all reports courses of study
and other documents, the grades be so desig-
, I mated.
On motion Colonel James Thompson. of
the Bloomington State University, James A .
Young, OF Covington, and William L. Har-
ris were appointed visitors to the Rural
school," vii b James Thomps as chairman
to serve one year.
Walter l. Smith, A c. Goodwin and J. M,
. Wallace were appointed committee to pre-
pare course of study for the public schools,
to draft blank for trustees reports to county
superintendent, with instructions 10 sub.
init the same TO the state bO ard of education
Mr. Smith, chairman of the commit tee. ap-
? pcdfou DciOTc ZIG DOdTu dl0 SUBMITTED the
! report of that committee. On motion COM
mittee was appointed on the subject of the
blanks submitted by the committee from the
superintendent convention before adjourn
ment.
George p. Brown and A. NJ. Cow were ap-
pointed.
, WHEREAS, A communication is received
from committee appointed by the cOnven-
, lion of county superintendent having ref
, erence TO adopting a course of instruction
> for public schools.
WHEREAS, The consideration OF the sub
Ject of the said communication is of the
greatest importance to the schools, there
! fore,
Resolved, That a committee of three be
appointed to consider the subject of the com
: munication, and report to this board at it's
next meeting.
These resolutions were adopted, and A. NJ.
, Cow, j. III. Smart and William A. Jones were
! appointed a committee.
Adjourned till Wednesday morning at 8
O'Clock.