The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-18
THE CITY SCHOOLS.
The Showing Made in the Twenty Second
Annual Report.

The twenty second annual report of the public
schools of this city for the year ending June 80,
1888, shows %, 257 children of school age-six to
twenty one-of whom IL, 37s are enrolled for the
year The average daily attendance is 10, 442.
There are 12,2S2 sittings, 224 teachers having
charge of rooms 259 teachers in all, of whom Is
are men. The school year is 100 days, of which
1856 were taught, There were 5000 cases of tar
diness, and 1899 tardy pupils; 500 cases of tru-
ancy, and 422 truants
Of the $4,000 enrolled, "a per cent, attended
ten months, rs over eight months, IL six, 8 over
four, 10 over two, and per cent. less than
two months. Two thousand four hundred and
sixty pupils studied German, These are about
equally divided as to sex and nationality. Two
thousand, eight hundred and thirty-three pupils
are attending private schools in 1883, as against
1853 in 1882 The report is neatly printed
pamphlet of ffty-eight pages, but like a mum
Der of the reports and documents issued from
the office of the school board, the report for
1883 is fair sample of English as she is spoke
The first few pages are replete with errors
verbs not agreeing with subjects, singular in
place of plural form, typographical errors and
forceless construction. Of the list of juvenile
books appended, the most thai can be said is
that it will do no harm. The secretary's
report shows total expenditure
for the year of 1903, 500, with
total receipts of 1894 642 The total indebted
ness is $15l, GA, which paid $l0 1874 interest
Tuition cost for the year, $159. SIG; janitors,
So, 1872 fuel, Sc, 56l furniture, $1,000; repairs,
$6,000 library expenses, "a, 040; new buildings.
1923, $50; supplies, 81, 097; library fund, $9,342
officers salaries So 053; Office expenses, s. 003.
of or4
fund reports that it amounts to &c., POI, of
which SO, 843 has been loaned to the special fund
The body of the report-twenty pages-is Su-
perintendent Tarbelrs report to the board, and,
besides the customary tables and details, is a
clear statement and shrewd defense, both from
the educational and economic side, of the present
unique method of school supervision in vogue in
indianapolis alone of all American cities Lucid
explanation is also given of the methods by
which So, 300 is annually saved by the method
adopted two years ago of having all German
studying pupils of grades 6, Z, and assembled
at the highschool, or at No. 2, No. G. or No. O.
eight rooms in ALL two in each building-where
they have instruction in German by one teacher,
and in English by another. They thus, it is
claimed, learn German without detriment to
their progress in English, and will, entering
the High-school know more German than the
present High school graduates aa Go Ng0
Mr.. Tarbel calls attention to the very few
changes made in text books in the past twelve
years-the substitution of Ridpath's History of
the United States for Anderson's, in 1877, and
the throwing out of Ridpath's last June for
Miss Talheimer's Eclectic, being the most nota-
Bile e. ~. lastl1a y lll-l,l 3v
Other changes are the reduction of the school
year from forty to thirty eight weeks, of the
daily session from five and onehalf hours to five
hours and ten minutes, and in having half day
sessions the last two weeks of the year,
in June. Prof W. W. Grant, of the High-school,
has report explaining the value Of the elective
system, by which pupils may be prepared for the
eastern colleges m inf
pupils complete the course in three years. His
report has appeared in substance in the journal.
Lewis ii. Jones, principal Of the Normal School,
explains the great advantages accruing from the
recent action, requiring ten months of the study
of the theory of teaching instead of five, as of
old in addition to five months of practice teach
ing under the care of a supervising principal.
The pupils graduate from the High-school into
the theory school, then to the practice
rooms thus securing to the city ian efficient
corps of resident teachers related in every social
way and business interest to the welfare of our
city" Over half the city teachers are graduates
of the High and Normal Schools.
The report closes with the statements of Lii
brarian w. De M. Hooper, showing that the com
bined circulation of the library, by card, reading
room and schools, is nearly quarter of a million
annually. MIR. Hooper speaks in the highest
terms of the amount of persistent labor and ex
haustive research bestowed upon the catalogue
by his predecessor, Mr.. A. W. Tyler, which
he says is deserving of higher APP
says the work on the catalogue is being pushed
forward, but gives no ifltimation when the pa
tient public may expect its completion.
The twenty-second report of the public schools
is concise and not lacking in information. 1t
has the usual statistical tables and is Indicative
as whole, and in its parts of general harmony
and good feeling between the board, the officers,
supervision and various departments. ~ -
The cost of tuition, based on the average daily
attendance of lO,442 is $40 per pupil. The sa
pervision of the schools costs between $40, 900
and $22, 900 annually iiof fps