, 1881-11-06
"Cfiica@o School SyAtcnl.ss

CHICAGO, Nov. 5.-In last Sundays paper
81 Progress takes the system Of public schools
Of this city severely to tash for its want Of icxi
biisy, accusing teachers and all school-,Rau-
ayers OF working III r,tts. aud wholly opposed to
any change that will III the least interfere with
the present " er:.ttes1 sysscsn, which is referred
to as tho teachers very ideal OF perfection, mud
any attempt 10 change that will be opposed by
Nil teachers, because they cannot rapidly work
into new channels.
. 1t is one Of the easiest things In the world to
find fault with things they urc, but to suggest
II practical remedy requires talent; and VIC looA
iny2in for nny such suggestions III the article
referred to. reference is made to the report Of
the Comnittee OF tho Citizens Association, but
ono nlorc nblc than the writer has shown how
perfectly absurd it. would he IT, Try tOadupt some
Of the suE-cs1ons nude in thilt REPORT though.
OF COURSE, the report is mol without its good
points.
There probably is not an officer or teacher con-
nccteu With our city sehuols VINO will not admit
that nearsy ercry fault referred to In tho article
Of Progress" is to certain dexrcc 4 fault in
deed, ,und would rlauly aid i'll adopting tho change
that will remedy the evil and do much to ST.
cure progress in our work as Is dhIiu in other
brauches to keep up with the times, for tirtI-
~ believe that II las!.s: NH jOrty of our tcucher5
are IT'S glad tU get o1lt Of ruts a5 the parents Aro
to get Tor their children aIl the bpnetlts that i'm
proved niethuds can furnish.
1t has been special study Of the management
Of tho Chicago system Of public graded schools
to make that system Just us flexible rs pussiDic,
aud Tor that purpose examinations rruin grade
to grade, through the Grammar and Primary
Departments, tsrv In order whenever a class Is
supposed to he prepared. rather than annually
Semi annually, and us in must eases there arc
several classes In encn gric pupils urc carried
from class to class in their =r;lde rs the ability
Of cach will warraiut, 50 that pupils Hre not
"chH,pd'' together. but while II the uniform
ngc for entering our first grade, We will finn in
the classes Of tho seventh and eighth grades
thnt the ages OF lte pupils range from u to IL
We all admit that graded system has its
faults, but our experience thus fur ~ to the
effect that it has more excellence5 thau faults.
and ,llso less fauts than nny other system by
which tho schools Of large towns and cities cnn
bc managed. Tell us how to remove those faults
and II VIC ,r2nl do it, then ill our places with
thnse who Will.
Our school rooms ARE each Furnished with
sixty-thrce school-dcsks, ana in most cases every
the few hours per day that she has charge Of
TINT number Of children to arrange classes to
the various intcilccts of the rooms and allow the
work in tue different subjects to he SO arranged
that hardly any two pupils will work togcther2
In su,al! country schools, Of twenty pupils or
less we used III do that to a certain extent. and
!he : number %'feif''D Of pupils 70 a toaehe1 er
Just in that proportion will the rigid
itr OF the graded systcm he broken up
and the Special talents uf cncl pupil will be
catered to, and individual needs supplied. 1t
has always Dcen our theory that, untlcr the
must favorable conditions Of -ciassiicattons,
forty pupils is the maximum number for ono
teacher to hnve in Charge, and when the time
shall como that Cummings advice ITO straiten
IN a ho osaSr ssipre! ;, gt S sn IN provalns
where adopted NC may hope to see much tlllt
is NOW dee:nCt1 faulty removed und other excel
Icnces adopted in their places.
For ollc who has not suggestion to make i'll
The way Of improvements, and whose article
makes piain the flcs that he is aimt,st perfect
graded city schools to pronounce the Whole srs-
tcnl 81 SiuH Sccus tO lis both unrcnsUr1-