New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-20
EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS.

THE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS ALLEGED 10 III
OVER-wORKED AND UNDERGRAD.
In the report of the Board of Education for
1872 Assistant superintendent Cakins stated that the
great needs Of the Primary Schools and Departments,
40 far as legislation by the Department OF Public In
stIuction was concerned reduction in the
required average pupils for each teacher and
great increase in the number of cassrOOms for the
children In the lower grades The classes he said were
crowded In order to keep of 50 pupils under
the Of every teacher in the entire school, The
report of 1873 not yet published, but 1t may ap
propratey refer to this subject. the abuse
sti remains of requiring each teacher III the Primary
Schools 10 keep up average OF so pupils which
register OF at least 75 Many OF the primary teachers
and others interested In these schools are much
aggeyed that the Board OF Education has not sought
10 remedy THIS evil The facts were presented 70 pre-
codng Boards aud the attention Of the present Board
has been called to the subject through memorials from
the teachers, but the Commissioners all fall back
upon the plea Of The Departments Gnshcial weakness
while acknowledging that Gnan &c ought to be made
The following statistics, winch Will appear the forth
coming report Of the Board OF Education, show great
disparity the conditions of the Grammar aud Primary
Departments The total number OF pupils ia the Gram
Departments during 1873 6l,424; number Of
teachers not including 81 of special subjects, O This
gives 20 each teacher for the year Sc different pupils TO
preserve the required average Of S. The amount OF sat
paid 70 this department, was N,ls5,776,
exclusive Of the $5O,lG7 paid 70 special teach
err OF an AVERAGE sl.O95 90 TO each teacher. In
the Primary Schools and Departments the
total number of pupils was l2s.I39 and the number
Of teachers liz each teacher therefore having 100 diff
fereut her register during the year IN order TO
preserve the required average Of 90 The amount OF
salaries paid sS2966 or an average TO each teacher
at tTife SEQ. la other words, teacher in the
Primary School who, until few months since, was
Obliged 20 TIE same examination as teacher IN the
Grammar Department aud who Is now expected to
and instruct twice the number OF pupils receives
paid to the Grammar School teacher This difference
salary 1t claimed ls the Primary Schools with mex
erenced teachers since those who become good teach
immediately seek promotion 10 she Grammar De-
parmens. IL the Primary Departments nearly al! the
and not from books and great experience and broad
intelligence IS therefore as necessary as IN higher de-
ing Of teachers is given 10 the primary schools and the
pupis who demand OF Their teachers the greatest
of skil for their proper Improvement
stanty under the care OF inexperienced and often III
competent teachers. Only 20 minutes can be employed
by the teacher IN giving instruction on each
subject 10 class averaging 90 children which
the moot experienced teacher do this properly
~ doubtful but that young girls who have never before
case, idea how their work, should be able
10 meet the requirements OF such school, Il not 10 he
expected. Miss Wright the Principal OF the Primary
School III Tweutetht who has had long experience IN
both departments and who has very earnestly urged
teacher IL bstter prepared TO teach grammar school
than primary school, because she is more conversant
with The curriculum Of the grammar school than the
primary school and she has fewer govern the
Than the Others. Both departments, she says, should
have ther share OF the training Of inexperienced teach
err. and the pay of each should be same so that
experienced teachers could he retained both. They
only leave the Primary Department after having be-
attached 10 II, because better else where IL
IL not that grammar school teachers have little to do
or are palu 700 huch Dut thst primary teachers
too much work aud are paid too little.
THE NORMAL SCHOOL IN 1873.
President Hunter of the Normal School will
submit his annual to the Board O, Education
next week GleaBngs from its most important features
given below:
On Jan l. 1873 there 9l students the register
anu curing the year l97 admitted aud 4G7 dis.
charged leaving 0I register day, Dec 81 1873 In
June. IS graduated, and during the same month col
OTed students were admitted. In the Model Primary
School Az pupils taught, and ZS9 were on the reg
sor tue last day Of the year The Class OF students
who graduated last juno was though the smallest de-
coeoy the best since the establishment OF the colege
They the first class that could fairly claim the IN
tered in the lowest grade, and after strin-
gent examination promoted step by step
nnui they graduated. Only slight alteration bas
been mace IN the course Of study. During the FIRST
years oil the existence Of the Normal College the neces
atty Tor oopthua reviews owing 70 the great diversity
OF attalnInept consequent forty fifty different
methods OF teaching created great and
delay Teachers we're forced subjects supposed
nstanees 70 unteAoh before correct teaching
could be begun. There four recitations "a dev or
twenty per week. The different branches of natural
science have been taught hitherto in bare outline and
by q lectures. The important department OF
Psychology. ANATOMY, and hygiene has suffered
slDee the late Prof. Redheld's niness inter.
puptsd bis iabors. The Aealtn OF the seboar.
and teachers demands that this branch OF study
aksn bold no secondary place In the college