, 1881-11-20

Letter from Mr. James HANNAH ffAn-
cIpAi OF the L~ Sale $chool.
IN the EdNor Of The ChlcaRo 1FlbnM<.

Letter from Mr. James Hannah, f1Ah-
cIpAi o1 The L~ Sale School.
10 the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune
SALE School. CHICAGO, Nov. ID
venture to profess some interest I'll some OIL
xour recrnt discussions of educational mat
ters in this city. feel that your crltlclSills
and those which sou have fathered are some
what harsh. have been for neaFIy 1welSe
wears employed IN Chicago as Pfincipa! ol q
grammar school, that having also 1ull PR
mary department. have been IN syhpaths
with the work going On, and accustomed 10
regard the schools and school system OF tne
citv very highly. 1 all not satlsned tl'a'
there is any just basis for the charges u'at
Tvs TRIBUNE and ''Progress'' make against
them, against their teachers, anu aea'hst
teachers and SuperintendeHts . III general
! propose, therefore, with your per'nls-
xjou and i'll accordance with your lne'ta1'o'''
tn occupy portion OF your space i'll tie o1s
cus,ion Of these three topics L am aware
that in alleging your invitation, am tech
nicalIy amenabie TO charge OF pe'ne HIS
t,Een. for you only stated that 1.-THE columns
of Tur TRIBUNE are open for the agitation
of 1he subject Of reform i'll methods OF edu-
carion.'' And sou have limited that Simply
DENYING and special pleading WILL hot SUI
6cr.'' But | am sure that i'll this matter you
did not merely mean that the constitutional
erumblers and educational "cranHs u lno
community should make display OF tnenl.
selves for the amusement OF your reaoe1s'
assume that YOU would like TO secure ao
hnnest discussion Of the poln{S li'olseo'
and that you will not, upon renectiol'' plo'
nounce an adequate denial bad defense IL
serious accusation.
1.-THE first charge to be considered 49, tna'
in the graded scinuis If Chicago pupils are
..kr,,t hnck Upright pupils must walt 1oi
dni ones. 1t is. very familiar charge
There are a great many teachers IN TINS coull
try vno never saw a graded school IL
the world. but who can be depended on &c
make it, whenever graded sch"ol Il
mentioned. as promptly as Tristan oha1lo}s
used to commence that story about the s'ege
Of Namur. L do not remember, however. Il
have ever heard it more plainly stated thar
in YOUR editorial of last Sunday IN Keep
tnc Back Pupils at the Public Schools" oC
speak of "trainng a class Ut Slxty-1out
pupils, under the idea that they Will al
progress alke,'' and that each shall pc 1or
eyer tied TO the same class, ano never W
advanced u %until he equals the "hoH
- class " and '.until the whule class equaE
him. If you had only introduced tU'
crustean bed you would have touched ti'
ii sensibililies of many, without detractlng IL
any degree from the SENSE or tFuth1ulness u
the accusation. Being barred from slinpI'
ieuyinx." YOU will pardon me Tor ln'1o
luclng for the Information Of honest seeset:
Tor the truth Of this mater st'ne coEnat;;
matters of personal knowledge anu eApe''
ence. .
There is not grammar school in Chlcass ::'!:.
In which you will not find pupils ID eve !;
grade as young as II years. lhere IS no.
mouth In ti1e year i'll which exaullnatloa's ~
p1ontotion do not occur: !hefc !; !!
not a schnol i'll the city N Why, !,
bright pupils are mol HtIu.a4: I.n..:
taken out 0f their classes ana Advancet
70 higher r1asses. This school was 4pgneu e,4
Jan. II, Isl, and up to the cl"se ot Juts n.,4,
twenty three examinations occurred. iesu.e ~
Ing IN ~ productions Instead OF utese e &c &c
Liz all required to reach exactly u!ts sa.n 81 =!
standard. i4S of them fell belo" tne stanua'u ~
and ATE nuw working in their new g1aoeSs Is " ~
triaL There are also l5o pupils WI" ria. Ha'
betn lnure than year in their Erades iHes 'e:'
perhaps may be said TO be - Kept oack; w. ~
you STE they cauuot with any propt1ets ~ ~
called blight pupiis. Neither are u1elc ~
bright putils waiting for thtul.. nave !.
scGO0l now q uupil Is years OF age why Sa1n
in from the country and WHOM was oo1'se' &C.
tnpiace low because OF inferior ausahaake>
though she had not been " KEPT oack ~
grated school. have been able IN aD1o y
six weeks 10 move her uu four classes nlEne
. than al first ufared. Last week 1o1ue