The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-11-23
schoois--A New Departure.

It is barely possible that even our
school teachers can learn something from
the new departure in the public schools of
Boston. However for the information of
the large number of the readers of The
ARGUS who are interested in Schools we
copy the folloping from the Boston Trap
eIler: To show what a departure it ia
from the beaten paths of the past, we pre-
sent the main features of this new course
of studies. Iu the primary schools the in
struction is almost entirely oral. Schol-
ars are to learn from objects, and from the
teacher, insted OF from the book. Oral
lessons will be given upon pictures, plants.
animals or whatever the ingenuity of the
teacher may suggest, in order to express
what they know in words. This exercise
will be called Language" Other oral in
structions will be given upon form, color,
measures, animals grouped by habits
traits or structure. vegetables, minerals.
the human body. and hygiene. Fables,
anecdotes, and simple poetry will receive
proper attention. The metric system will
be taught from the metric apparatus.
Heretofore much time has been given to
spelling, and many hours spent over the
primary speller; that book is TO be entirely
discarded, and some easy, common
words from the reading lessons" substitute
ed in Its place. Two new studies are in-
troduced. called Recreation" aud Mis-
cellaneous," to which an hour and half
a week is to be given. Whether this
means work or play, teachers and scholars
are yet TO learn.
Iu the grammer grades, equally i'm por-
tant changes are indicated. Grammer is
abolished, at least in name. How the
eyes of the boys will glisten whom they
learn this fact, ''Language" takes the
place of grammer, such as parsing, etc.,
and more attention given to composition,
structure Of sentences, use of capitals, let :
ter writing and analysis Spelling is to
be from the reader and other text books
The amount of writing in copy-books is
reduced more than one-half, and more
writing in blank books and in other exer-
cises required. The great amount of time
previously devoted to geography is re-
duced and natural philosophy and physi-
ology are to be taken up iu the third
class. Music and drawing receive the
same attention as during previous years.
The most important change here, as in the
primary grade. is 10 reference to oral iu-
struction. 1t is not to be. as in the old
programme, merely mentioned and rarely
attended to by teachers for want of time,
but specific amount of time per week is
to be allotted to it. as well as to arithmetic
or reading. ln the two lowest classes the
instruction will be almost entirely oral.
In the fourth class it will be largely so,
and in the other classes from one to two
hours per week will be given to this ex-
ercise To the lower Glasses the subjects
for oral instruction will be natural his
tory, plants from May TO Novem Der, ami
mails from November to May, trades. oc-
cupation, common phenomena. stories.
anecdotes. mythology, metals and miner.
ais. In the upper classes, physiology, life
10 the middle ages. biographical aud histori
cal sketches. and experiments in physics,
Every study has its specified time assigned
to it.