Daily Republican., 1879-09-02
WILMINGTON, DEL, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER O. 1879.

)EL., TUESDAY,
BOARD OF EDUCATION.
An AdJOurnsd Meetlng Last Might
Report OF the Committee en De.
vision or stadies-KeslgnatfeM Of
Norris Tayl0r-nesslutisss, slc.
This is An sdjournsd msssiaxlOs ths
purpose Of hearing the report Of the
Committee on Revision Of Stndiss, and
acting on the same, said President
Bckel, 1t the opening of the meeting Of
the Board Of Public Education last
evening, and then supplemented the
report by asking, rs the committee
ready TO report :" "In Q moment, !"
said a voice, and then after very long
moment DR.. Grimshaw arose and pre-
sented the following report:
The committee ON Revision Of studies
reported that they have examined the
course Of studies in the different
grades Of schools in this city, they be-
lieye that much time is lost by the use
Of several text books by the same and
different authors. Thus in tho llth
grade Of the Primary schools the New
American Arithmetic, part 2, is used,
from pages 74-l20 covering Denominats
numbers and decimal fractions, these
branches again come in the second
grade Of the Grammar schools, in
Brooks Written Arithmetic. Each
course requires five months. A pupil
not merely rensws but re.learnS' from .
new book the same branches, the re-
view consuming as stated five months.
The committee further recommend,
that change be made in the course Of
study, in Arithmetic, in the Gramma.
schools, also in Geography and History,
so that the period Of study shall be
shortened at least one year.
The committee believe that the high
school course can be cut down one year.
Chemistry cannot be taught during the
period allotted, therefore It may be
dropped. Trigonometry cannot be taught
in Eve months, and can also be dis
pensed with.
In place of Latin some more useful
study may be substituted. More at
tention should be paid to the study Of
the English language, and the history
Of other countries besides the United
States and England.
A. H. Grimshaw, Chas. Baird, Henry
c. Conrad, Henry P. Grubb, Commit
tee. l.....,.
Mr.. Kenny moved that the report be
adopted. We s
Col. Heisler wished. before he voted
upon the report to understand just
what the adoption Of the report would
carry with it. The Committee recon-
mend several changes and make mum
Der Of suggestions, and if the report
was adopted he wanted to know how
those changes would be made and who
would make them.
Mr.. Belts wished to know II these
changes were made and suggestions
adopted, who were to be the judges Of
when they should go into effect, etc.
Mr.. Baird said that the committee
simply recommended certain changes,
and If the Board saw fit to adopt their
recommendation the committee could
be continued. The committee wanted
to make the work thorough as far as
they went.
Mr.. Courad said he knew very little
about the course of studies when he vas
assigned on the committee, bat after
examining into it little it struck him
very forcibly that it was too long, and
might be considerably shortened with
advantage to the scholars and the com
mittee agreed with him. "A graduate
of our high school gets through when
he is too old to learn q trade and too
young to 20 to college. He was in favor
of good solid English education in our
schools and no more, what q scholar
may wish to get beyond that should be
got by personal efforts.
Mr.. Kenny agreed with Mr.. Conrad.
Mr.. Heisler said there were several good
things in the report, but what he wish
ed to know was who is to carry cut the
changes.
Mr.. Grubb thought that the report
presented was but a partial one and il
it is adopted it should be referred back
to this committee or some other one as
basis TO 60 to work upon.
DR.. Grimshaw-The committee have
made report up to the present time
He did not propose to infringe upon the
duties of the committee ON books, Of
which Mr.. Heislsr was chairman; that
would bs impolite and he wished it un-
derstood his committee would do moth
ing that was impolits. 1t the report
was adopted and changes ordered to be
made, the committee having control Of
those things would make them and not
the committee on revision. The com
mittes wished to icontract the course Of
study, and if that was the sense of the
Board they would from time to time re-
commend what should be cut down.
Mr.. Taylor moved to amend the re-
port to adopt by adding "and the COM
mittee continued. This was adopted,
and after little more discussion as
to its merits, the report was adopted
unanimously.
Mr.. Kenny offered the following:
Resolued, That in view of the many children
desiring and seeking admission into our pri.
mary schools at the present time, that this
Board establish 80 as the standing average
for promotion, and
Resolved, That any pupil attaining so as
an average, be promoted at the commence
ment of the ensuing year.
This was discussed at some length,
had several amendments added to 1t,