The Leavenworth weekly times., 1878-10-17
THE SCHOOLS.
4 Reform Inausurated in the Pubic
Schools Regarding Promotion.
Whereby a Pupil esn 90 Upward in
Proportion to His Abilities,
The Number Enrolled This Year in
the Schools az Compared With
Previous Years.
REFORMS rNyTHE SCHOOLS

During the short period that Prof Franl
! 4. Fitzpatrick, the present Superintendent
of our city schools has been in ofice, he
has inaugurated seversl reforms, which
promise to not only increase the efficiency
| Of our schools but t-nd to infuse into each
and every pupil worthy ambition which
will in time rebound, not only to the bene.
fit Of the pupils and to the schools but to tbs
city itself. The Idea which has hereto
fore
PERvADED THE SCHOOLS,
the idea which has been ingrafted into the
pupil until it seemed almost an impossi-
bi,y to eradicate it, was, that if he. the pu-
pill, at the end of each term could succeed.
either by the favoritism Of his teacher, or
by the process, so much in vogue at the lat
ter end Of the term, known as 'crammiDg''
for examination, could succeed in passing
the required examination successfully and
obtain
THE NECESSARY STANDING
in order to secure a promotion, nothing
else was re9uired-the fact of securing the
promotion being all that was necessary.
This mode of procedure, or whatever 1t
may be called, has tended to render the
pupil simply an automaton, mere ma
chine into which was to be infused suffi-
cIent knowledge of his studies to carry
him through, and further than that nothing
was necessary No ambition was excited
BY THIS Process,
no spirit of emulation or competition was
aroused, the simple fact OF passing the
required examination being the only thing
to be thought Of. In order to remedy this
state Of things, in order to render the
schools more efficient, Prof. Fitzpatrick has
inaugured plan which promises to be emf
nently successful, and which has met with
THE APPROPRIATION OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
According to the old classification of the
schools there we're ten grades, composed of
two classes each, from the tenth TO the first
grade inclusive. BY the new classification
there is still the .ame number of grades,
but with four classes each, and arranged a.
follows: The first grade, or year, includes
the ninth and tenth grades the second, the
seventh and eighth grades; the third, the
sixth gr ,de and five L; the fourth, grade
five A and four b; the fifth, grade four A
and three l.; tn sixth, rr de three \ and
Two B; the seventh, grade two, class A.
Again,
~ L oBsb hE-'lNf,
there were examinations ',ut twice year,
and nc matter how bright o. iorwaai q !u
ii! might have beel lie was iOIced 10 re-
L. 4;u tue allotted five months in =, = class
tefnre the examination cane arCrId, and
he rcood GRANGE OF rising hiehe-. ac-
curding TO the New pisn, if pupil be an-
bitiuus or er:trprisIEg, re cau, uy passing
an examina 10. at any tine, Use 10
HIGHER CLASS
or grade, and it is understood HAT Whenev-
er pupii ihinks lie is reaay for Il highsr
grade tie privilege OF an examination viii
he accorded hin, AMI IL il trus eu-blci 10
rise at once instead OF waiting fJG the regu-
lar and periodical examination TO cucle
arUubG. Prof Fitzpatrick has adopted
THE SAroLEoSIC PLAN,
ind it will win. The frs, Emperor OF the |
french said tina: every soldier in his army
carried a IN irshal's baGoD in his knapsack |
by this Rev plan in the schools any pupil, |
who is at all ambitious, Can enter the Iii |
school at least four or five years earlier |
H. IN bv ;te old met hod, and can graduate |
so much earlier in proportion. The dull |
scholar ctn do As he cHoo-es; the bright |
one has the some privilege; the former can
take his examination |
EVERY FIVE MONTHS
and rise by the regular promotions, while |
The latter can go up in his classes as fast AS |
his ability will allow. No pupil can COM
plain of being kept back, for he will be al
lowed to go forward just as fast as he chooses,
and in his ambition will be aided by his |
teacher. The pupil who sees promotion be-
lore him as the success of his efforts, is slim
ulated the same as is private soldier who
knows that the epaulettes are the
REWARD OF BRAVERY
upon the field the desire OF distinction is
he stimulus, and is the lever which moves
he world. Every pupil in the Leavenworth
'chools has something to work for, and
here can be no reasonable room to doubt
hat Prof. Fitzpatrick's plan will prove a
'uccess. Leavenworth has always prided
herself upon the efficiency of her schools,
md any plan to improve them adds to their
reputation.
THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
The attendance at the present time upon
he schools of the city il about 1900 daily,
he largest number attendant upon the
chools tor seven or eight years past.
In 1871 the attendance averaged about
!, ,,O4O daily; in 1872, 1859; in 1878, 1900;
q 1874, 1,S6O. Leavenworth has probably
more children in her schools, in proportion
o her population, than any other city in
he United States. The school census of
he city is something over 5000.
TWO SESSIONS.
In order to accommodate the large num-
'er of pupils now in attendance upon the
Tenth Grade in the schools, it has become
Necessary to divide the grade, one half of
he pupils attending in the morning ard the
ther half in the afternoon. For instance,
n the North Leayenworth Colored School
re ITO pupils in the Tenth Grade, under
he
CHARGE OF ONE TEACHER.
This is too great a number FOR one teacher
0 manage, and so, in order to obviate the
ono half the grade attends in the
norning and the other half in the after
oon, 20 that the teacher has bat 55 pupils
nder her care at one time The number
{ pupils in the Teeth Grade at the Third
venue school il 81, and at the South Leav-
Colored School Sc.
THE KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
he Meeting ~ the Grand Leage as