The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-02-02
REFORM OF THE DISTRICT
SCHOOLS.s

REFORM OF THE DISTRICT
SCHOOLS.
In speaking of the official routine for
putting the New York law for compul-
sorry education into effect, the st. Louis
Globe is little smart as follows:
'The present provision for an able
bodied truant is as follows: One super
intendent to count him, one clerk to COM
pile him, one commissioner to report
him, one policeman to catch him, one
deputy commissioner to ask his pa ques-
tiOns, one justice to commit him, one
marshal to take him to RandalPs Island,
one teacher to teach him after he gets
there, and three clerks to keep record
of the whole affair. When one considers
that every newsboy, boolblack, crossing
| sweeper, gutter snipe and street Arab
generally Of New York is truant In the
sense OF the new act, and that each
I.truant is as nimble as q flea, as restless
as q politician, enduring OF hardship,
defiant of restraint, usually an orphan
and habitually homeless, the prospect
OF tackling them with success is not
| flattering."
When it is considered that there are
about 10000 children in that city to be
counted, compiled, reported, caught, ex.
amined, and provided with school privi-
leges, it is evident that the several new
officials have considerable to do. All we
ask is that the officials do their work
thoroughly. We have not cherished
much favor for compulsory education,
because we have believed it utterly i'm
practicable to get all the children into
the schools without provision in clothes
and books for many who do not volunta.
rily attend simply for lack OF means and
because widowed mothers or poor and
sickly fathers need the. little that they
can earn. We have, however, In
sisted that it should be made
compulsory upon all school boards to
see that the means Tor attending school
were provided; and also to make cen.
sus of all truants, to know why they do
not attend, and to persuade as many as
possible to 60 to school. If compulsory
attendance is accompanied with provi-
sion of clothes and books where neces-
sary and with night schools for those that
earn something during the day, it may
be successful; in which case we shall
rejoice.
Let it be understood that every school
able person must be got into some sort OF
schools if possible. We want it to- be
further understood that the District
school must be considerably reformed.
They can be made of double their pres
ent service to those who can afford but a
short time for education. Some of the
changes needed are:
l. The free transfer of pupils from the
lower grades as rapidly as possible, SO
that every one will have something to do
all the time, and not be kept back to wait
upon the laggards. Every one should
understand that he can so up at the ear
liest possible moment; and those who
show that they can advance faster than
the average of the class should be placed
in classes little in advance Of the pu-
pills, so that they can make all the &C
QUESTION possible in the time spent.
2. The pupils should be more care
fully graded according to capacity to
learn; so that the quick-minded may not
be kept back, and the duller sort may
have more attention. At present, in a
class of thirty, there may be fifteen dull
pupils who make very little progress,
because the teacher chiefly attends to
the other fifteen. A dull pupil should
not be lost sight of, as he is apt to be, in
large class.
TO these ends, more room and more
teachers should be provided, and the
Superintendent should visit the District
schools every week, find out what the
teachers are doing, and displace those
that are not doing their work in the best
possible manner. We know that some
teachers will put class further forward
in quarter than others will in whole
year.