The daily gazette., 1880-08-31
FIRST EDITION.
THE SCHOOL BOARD.


Conrad in the chair, for the purpose of
considering the report of the Committee
on Revision of Studies.
Ihe report was as follows:
The Committee on The Revision of Stud
les, TO whom the first report was recon-
mltted, desire to state that 1t was moi in
tended by the resolution appointing the
committee, that schedule of lessons for
dltierent grades or classes should be sub
nliited. Dut that the Committee should
point out what studies should be intro
duced, and what kind substituted In cas O
OIL any change being necessary.
The undersigned do not believe that the
course OF study at present In use In the
public schools of this city is in all re-
spects such Ms will prove beneficial TO the
pupils, when they enter upon their differ
ent duties in life.
The Committee report that the time re-
quired by the present course OF studies is
too long. There are in our schools an av-
erage OF 6,9B3 pupils. commencing in the
Primary schools. only eleven OF these
pupils graduated in the High Schools In
Out of the whole number of pupils en-
rolled In 1876, ,S3l-only 2S3 pupils were
enrolled in No. | and 10 is reported that
the standard of admission to No. | has
been raised n little each half year" In
other words the mass OF children attend
ing school and pressing out into the busy
ranks OF working people have been grad
ually forced back.
Many OF the pupils In the so-called Pri-
mary Schools should be classed as second.
AIRY pupils, and the course of study regu-
lated accordingly.
Many of the pupils in the Primary
Schools leave before they can reach the
standard now set for their promotion TO
the Grammar schools of which there are
seven mixed schools on the list, some be-
Ing styled Grammar, and some High and
Grammar, and one Grammar and Pri
mary School.
The study of spelling and definition is
neglected. Under the present system in
most classes the definitions of few words
selected from such reading lessons are all
That are attempted to be taught. A text
book should be introduced which will
combine both spelling and definitions.
The Committee recommend that all
that part named Course of instruction for
the Primary Schools of Wilmingto1, 1873
20. and titled Language, be strick en- out
and that some book on definitions be in
troduced and that each pupil be taught
Writing on every school day instead of
the use of the course, title, Drawing and
Writing, and that mt least in the ninth
tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades an
elementary Grammar shall be used daily.
In the course of instruction for the
Grammar schools, strike out all under
the title of Oral Instruction In Natural
Science.
In accordance with the action of the
Board at the meeting sept. LIST, 1879, the
teachers IN the High School departments
shall be instructed TO discontinue the
study Of Latin, and substitute Rhetoric
and English Composition, and the study
Of II text book on the Constitution OF the
United States. In the girls department
OF the High School strike out Trigonome
try.
DIR. Grimshaw moved the adoption OF
the report, aud spoke in favor of the
motion claiming that the proposed change
UnnlH Ohnrfnn fhn nf In NJ ti.,t,
some two or three years, by cutting
down some studies, aud striking out
Others of useless character.
Mr.. Belts moved to amend by striking
out that portion recommending that the
study of Latin be discontinued.
DIR. Grimshaw opposed the amend
ment claiming that Latin, as taught in
the high schools was a useless study. A
course of two years in Latin was not
sufficient to give the pupil any real idea
of the language, and if il was continued
it should be introduced into the primary
schools, so that scholars could commence
The study at an early age and continue
II for several years.
During DR.. Grimshaw's remarks,
DR.. Shortledge impatiently interrupt
ed him with the remark, ooh, sit
down; you're id fool" Fortu
nately DR.. Grimshaw did not appear
to notice the remark.
President Conrad, calling Mr.. Baird
to the chair, took The floor i'll opposi-
tion to the report. He aid not agree
with the report in all its statements
He admitted the present course was
somewhat faulty, and that the yearly
number of graduates was entirely too
small, but he failed to see any recon-
mendation in the report that would
rem sdy these defects. What was
needed was a thorough revision of the
studies, which certainly was not pro-
vided for in this report. The report,
Mr.. Conrad said, was garbled and in
complete, while part of it was mere
buncombe, and as whole it did not
intelligently dispose of the subject.
President Conrad then resumed his
official seat, and DR.. Grimshaw attack
ed him quite savagcly-first, for re-
suming his privileges as President OF
the Board before he (the Doctor) had
replied to him, and second, for attack
ing the report. AS to the report being
unintelligible and incomplete, DIR.
Grimshaw produced another report,
almost identical in character, which
had been presented to the Board a
year ago, and which Mr.. Conrad had
signed. If the committee was not pos
| sessed of sufficient intelligence, said
the Doctor, it should be discharged,
and the chair required to appoint one
| that had enough intelligence to wrestle
with the subject After some further
discussion Mr.. Belts amendment was
lost, and DR.. Grimshaw's motion to
adopt the report prevailed.
Mr.. Belts offered the following reso-
luton, which was adopted:
Resolued, That the Superintendent
be requested to inform this Board, at
his earliest convenience, in what way
the studies in the different schools can
be shortened, in order that the schol-
ars can be able to graduate at an earl
ier age in our High school.
| Nos. B and 6 committees were au-
thorized to make necessary repairs to
their respective schools.
The report of the Superintendent OF
Public Schools was returned to the
Board by the committee to whom II
had been referred for examination, and
ON motion of Mr.. Baird, it was read
by the Superintendent. 1t was ther
referred to the Printing Committee, tC
be printed.
Adjourned.
Repaired.
T.oromotiye No. Ill, of the Yves