The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-06-14
Official Report Of the Examining Board Of the
CITY Schools.
w1cu1rA InnaI ]


City Schools.
WICHITA. June 4, 1871.
To the Board Of Education Of TIE City, of Wichita
GENTLENEN-The undersigned, committee
appointed by your board to visit the public
schools OF our city and witness the examina-
tions and report on the discipline, the appar-
emit results Of teaching, the condition OF the
buildings, and to make such recommendations
and suggestions as in their opinion would be
necessary and beneficial to the future welfare
and education Of the pupils OF our schools,
would respectfully submit the following re-
port as the result of their observations and
Investigation:
First, the school taught by Miss Thomas,
located on Main street near First street: we
consider its location unsuitable for school,
having bad surroundings and no playground
for the children.
We next visited the school At the main
buildings on Empsria Avenue. Prsfssser
McKim, Miss Stewart, Miss Psrham, Miss
Sharon, Mrs. Sites and Mrs. Warmer were
the teachers in charge. We found the exam
nations in progress. We visited the several
\ departments of the school and witnessed part
of the examinations, but owing to tine system
adopted aud the manner in which they were
conducted, we were unable to form any accu-
= rate conclusion for the reason that larger
proportion of tho examinations we were una
bic to witness. There are six rooms or de-
partments in which the examination exercises
| were conducted, and all at the same time, so
that we were unable to be present at all of
them, and are unable to form an accurate
opinion as to the proficiency and attainments
OF the school, taken as 4 whole.
/ AS to apparatus: We found no maps or
charts, and but one globe used in teaching
geography. The furniture, as regards seats
for the pupils, with little repair, are passa-
BILE; but teachers desks and other necessary
appliances are in diiapidated condition; the
ceilings and walls bear evidences of having
been severely tested by many Kansas zephyrs
and that portion of the wall used for the black
board exercise had more the appearance OF
the outlines OF map Of the seat of the Turk
| ish and Russian war Than OF blackboard for
pupils TO practice on. Ali the plastering on
the walls OF these buildings we found TO be in
bad condition, with large seams and cracks
extending over the greater portion OF the sur
| face. The approaches and board walks lead
ing TO the buildings are in bad condition
and hardly pas:ablo without danger of acct
| dent.
As TO the sanitary cendiusn, we observed
quite number of pools OF water about the
| front and sides OF the building which must
necessarily render the place unhealthy as well
as repulsive. The outhouses are also in bad
condition. and require renovation and repairs.
In point of discipline, we found the school,
to some extent, deficient, and not up to the
average standard that could reasonably be de-
manded. But in this connection, we would
state that a great degree of allowance must
be made which will, to a great extent, account
for the apparent lack in this department. TAX
| ing into consideration the Interruption Of the
schools during the prevalence OF the scarlet
fever, the entire lack of proper and necessary
apparatus and furniture, the condition of the
buildings, together with the surroundings,
we are of opinion that VIC could not reasona-
bly, expect to find the school in much better
condition in point of proficiency in the sever
al branches of study, apparent result Of teach
ing, and of discipline, although there is ap-
parent room for improvement. Still another
hindrance TO the progress might be taken INTO
consideration in this connection, and that is,
that the number of pupils is composed largely
of the representatives from different States
and portions of our country where they have
received instruction in the several branches
OF study from different text books and under
different systems, so that massing them in the
schools of our city under our system and text
books, must necessarily experience q cheek
in their progress until they shall have become
familiar with our present system and text
books
! We would say, that in eur opinion, the
! school, taken whole, has progressed to a
point where the greatest care is demanded
and where the best judgment should be exer-
clsed in its management, by selecting teachers
who are fully competent to do the work as
signed them, in the several departments. We
also recognize the fact that hitherto our popu-
laiion has been subjected to many changes, so
that it leaves smaller proportion OF the more
advanced pupils in our schools than the usual
average.
Recomneaiatiens.-W would recommend
that in addition to the present school grounds
all the lots be secured or purchased for school
purposes SO as TO include the grounds from
the street on the north down to Mr.. Kcmpin-
sky's north line, south Of the present school
building, and that immediate steps be taken
to grade the grounds about the school house
so as TO afford drainage. We would also rec
ommend the planting OF shade trees on the
grounds, and that steps be taken to render the
premises mere inviting, also that the build
! ings be renovated by liberal application of
paint on the wood work Kaiscmining on
the ceilings, and most OF the walls rcpla-tered,
especially that portion used Tor blackboard
exercise. A supply of suitable charts, maps
and other apparatus is an absolute necessity.
/ We would recommend different location
| for the school on Main street We would al
so recommend TO your consideration the pro-
prety of building ward school house in
suitable location to accommodate the smaller
pupil. in the south portion of the city. And
that in future the examination OF our schools
be conducted SO that the committee, as well
as the friends, can be present and hear each
teacher examine his or her pupils, and be en-
abled TO witness the examination OF the entire
school.
We would further suggest to the board the
propriety OF appointing competent commit
tee of examiner. at tho commencement OF the
| school year. This would enable them TO visit
the schools frequently during the year, and
enable them to form a more correct judgment
of the progress of the pupils, the discipline
of the school, and the efficiency OF the teach
ers, and at the closing exercises OF the school
year they would be enabled to make report
that would be OF interest TO the board, and
more satisfactory to the teachers and parents.
J. Z. HARsEN,
d. MITCHELL, Committee
". S. JENKINS.
JOHN KIRBY,
Steele Levy's Land Sales.
The late rainy weather has not in the least