The daily gazette., 1880-09-04
THE SCHOOL BOARD.
SPECIAL MEETING TO CONSIDER Re
VISION OF STUDIES.

SPECIAL MEETING TO CONSIDER RE
VISION OF STUDIES.
The Board of Education held spec
ial meeting, last evening, to receive the
report of Prof. Harlan upon the plan for
the revision of the public school studies,
as presented by special committee, last
Monday night. The report was as fol-
lows
WILMINGTON, Sept. =, 1850.
TO the Board of Public Education:
GENTLEMEN The adoption of the
report of the Committee Oh Revision, as
| understand il, struck out of the Course
of Study the matter under the headings
Language" and "Drawing," in the pri-
mary schools, the Oral Instruction in the
Natural Science III the grammar schools,
Latin in both high schools, and Trige-
nometry in the Girls High School.
Mr.. Belts resolution requests me TO
inform you in what way the studies of
the different schools can be still further
sholt med.
In answer to the resolution l would
recommend the following additional
omissions
l.. That all of the New American
Arithmetic after page IA be omitted, and
that the Union Arithmetic, Part 2, be
given to pupils as soon as they reach
page IA of part 2 Of the New American
Arithmetic.
2. That pages 144-170 of Swinton's
Language Lessons be omitted. The sub
jects treated in these pages-analysis OF
complex and compound sentences-are
fully presented in Harvey's Grammar,
later in the course.
| 3. That uarvey's Grammar from page
224 TO the end be omitted in the gram
mar schools, and studied in the high
schools.
4. That the parts Of the arithmetics
that give problems i'll mensuration be
omitted in the grammar schools. Men
suration is put as study in the high
schools.
). That Algebra be studied only two
half years, instead Of three, as hereto
fore.
q. That "Norton's Elements of Phys
les" be used in Natural Philosophy, in
stead of "Norton's n atural Philosophy"
These two books are by the same author,
but the "Elements of Physics" is a
smaller and less difficult book.
Chemistry has never been taught in
the girls school. According to your ac-
| ton at your last meeting, Trigonometry
| is not TO be taught in the girls school.
am sure that | speak the mind of the
girls, their parents, and their teachers,
when l say that the gIls should have as
long course, if not the same course as
the boys. | would therefore recommend
that the girls have physiology at the time
the boys have chemistry, and that the
girls have mental philosophy while the
boys have trigonometry and mensura-
ton.
The studies stricken out at your last
meeting, together with those here sug-
gested to be stricken out, will Il estimate,
reduce the time for the course about a
year and half.
As it is very important to have the re-
vision, in tie main features, completed
this week, have prepared schedule of
studies, with the omissions and substitu-
tions required by the action at your last
meeting aud the suggestions that | have
made above. The schedule is herewith
presented.
The report was considered at some
length but its final consideration was
postponed until next mepting.
ne lOllOWluS TeSOluJlOH was OHeIeu
by DR.. Grimshaw and adopted:
Resolred, THAT the Book Committee
be and are hereby instructed to examine
the text books on grammar and language,
and also the books on arithmetic, now in
use in the public schools of this city, and
report whether any changes should be
made; and also that the Committee on
Books be instruct to report whether a
more condensed algebra can be intro
duced.
Mr.. Lobdell offered the following:
ReSolred, That for the present, Object
Lessons and Oral Instructions be strick-
en- from the list of studies, and that
committee be formed to Investigate and
report to the Board the progress made by
the pupils in this particular study, and
the advisability of discontinuing it.
The resolution was adopted, and
Messls. Lobdell, Belts and Palmer were
appointed as the committee.
On DR.. Grimshaw's motion the Com
mittee on Revision of studies was increas-
ed by the addition of two members
Messrs Lobdell and Pusey. Adjourned.