The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-09-06
TIrE RosToN SCHOOLS.
view PROGRAM Or studies.

- StA fEul4EthlA " kstuatNAs ~
From Tie Boston TnvSllff. " 81 az
Thousands of parents who send their
children to school. to-day are unaware Of
the radical changes OF the program in the
coming year. One Of the last acts Of the
school board at the July meeting was to
adopt what is called the "New Program Of
Studies" This has been most carefully
prepared By the BOARD OF supervisors and
the present superintendent; Il is tho re.
suit OF months OF consideration and dis.
cussion. 1t vas adopted by the school
board with little discussion and without
much opposition, and yet none Of the
many changes made during the last two
yearswill produce among the scholars md
teachers more interest and comment than
this program.
To show what departure it is from the
beaten paths Of the past, we.present the
main features Of this new course Of stud
les. In the primary schools the instruc-
ton is to be almost entirely oral. Schol-
ans are to learn from objects, and from the
teacher, instead of from the book. Oral
lessons will be given upon pictures, plants,
animals or whatever the ingenuity OF the
teacher may suggest, III order to accustom
the scholars to express what they know i'll
words. This exercise will be called Ian
g,iagc..t Other oral instruction will be
given upon form, color, measures, animals
grouped BY habits, traits or structure, veg
etables, minerals, the human body and ny
giene. Fables, anecdotes and simple pc
etry will receive proper attention? The
metric system will taught from the met
rio apparatus. Heretofore much time has
been given to spelling and many hours
spent over the primary speller; that book
is TO beentirely discarded, and Some easy,
common words from the reading lessons"
substituted in its place. Twonew studies
are introduced called Recreation" and
miscellaneous to which an hour and n
half week is to be given. Whether this
means work or play, teachers and scholars
are yet to learn. iHl
In the grammar grade, equally impor-
tant changes are indicated. Grammar Is
abolished, ut least in name, and the spel.
ling-book goes with it. How the eyes OF
the boys will glisten when they learn this
fact. Language takes the place OF gram.
mar, which means less than technical
grammar, such as pansing, etc, and more
attention given to composition, structure
OF sentences, use Of capitals, letter-writing
and analysis. Spelling is to be from the
reader and other Textbooks The amount
OF writing in cOpy-booGs isreduced more
than. one.half. and more writing in blink
books and in other exercises required.
The great amount OF time previously devo.
ted 10 geography is reduced, and natural
philosophy md physiology Is to be taken
up in the third class. Music and drawing
receive the same attention as during pre-
yious years. The most important change
here, rs in the primary grade,is in refer
ence to oral instruction. 1t is not to be us
in the old program, merely mentioned
and rarely attended to by the teachers for
want OF time, but a specified amount OF
time per week is to be allotted TO it
rs well as to arithmetic or reading. In the
| two lowest classes the instruction will be
almost entirely oral. In the fourth class
it will DO largely SO, and in the other class
es from one to two hours per week will be
given to this exercise. In the lower classes
the subject for oral instruction will be nat
ural history, plants from May to Novem-
Der, animals from November to May,
trades, occupations, common phenomena,
stories, anecdotes, mythology, metals and
minerals. In the upper classes, physiol.
ogy, life in the middle ages, biographical
and historical sketches, and experiments
in physics. Every study has It's specified
time assigned to ii. 30.