Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-08-02
sUPEaINTENDsNr,s REPoa IT.
The Annual Review of the work oil
the Public SCHOOLS.

The Annual Review of the work OF
the Public schools.
The annual report OF David W. Harlan,
saperin.endent OF schools for tho city OF
Wilmington, for tie year ending July 81,
lsSS, was submitted to the Board Of Educs-
tion ct their last meeting. The following
interesting extracts ara made from tho
report;
The number Of schoolhouses 10 use ia q.
which IL the same az last year. The num-
bsr Of school rooms used for day schools is
/ l61, decrease OF from last year. Seven
rooms are used for high school classes, 1854
FOR grammar aud primary school classes.
The decrease bang in the lattsr. There are
7SlS tittings fer study ia the day schools
which ia decrease OF l22 from last year.
The highest number Of sittiugs ~ss ia 1856,
when With tbs same number OF schools, the
number Of aIttings was 1866. There are
| 2O7 school days Ia ths ysar, on 1876 OF which
school was taught during tina past year.
Tbs school children are taught in 10 pri-
mary schools, one combined grammar and
/ primary school, three grammar schools for
boys, the sams number for girls and one
high school each for boys and girls.
Ia these schools 162 teachers teach the
young idea how to shoot. This il decrease
Of Eve from last year. Oae h ndred and
tfty FIVE Of thosa are lady teachers in the
grammar and primary schools, and six in
the High Schools There 10 one gentleman
teacher. he is principal OF the Boys High
School There were s. 69i pupils enrolled
during the year past, in the day schools,
decrease Of 100. The average number
belonging to tho schools ir G,505, decrease
OF sos. The average daily attendance has
been $500. decreases OF $751; The largest
sverige attendance for the past 10 years
was In 1886, when the number reached
o237 The largest aversgs attendance OF the
year was at school No. 10, numbering zl3.
No. 20 comes next with 376. The average at
tendance at the high schools has been. boys.
l47; girls. 22l. Corporal punishment was
inflicted on 6S pupils IN No. IL, and 90 10
No 49, One pupil only suffered Ia No. 0.
No ons was whipped in tbs high ucaoola or
in girl'0 grammar school No. l, girls gram
mar school No. aud No 90.
Schools No. 10, IS, 81, 20 and "a are col
oTed hchools One school has been added
ia the year. There are l6 female teachers
aud 10l7 pupils enrolled. The Average
daily attendance has been Gil.
Two evening schools we're open during
the winter months, one for white boys, the
other, colored youth OF both sexes Read
ing, writing, spelling ard arith mstic were
taugkt. Each pupil was charged Si.00,
which goes into a fund TO
purchase text books. etc, for the schools
Evening school No. was opened October
90, 1887 and closed January 6. 1883. Forty
nine pupils belonged to this school. The
average attendance WAS %. 500 so WAS col
locted from ths pupils. Evening school No.
10 was opened for colored pupils Novem-
Der "a. 1887 and closed February 2, 1855.
Fifty-two pupils belonged. The average at
tendance was Sc and the amount OF money
collected from the pupils $3.50.
The superintendent states that the fall
ing or il the enrolment and average at
tendance was caused by the opening Of
Catholic paroohial achools, which have
drawn OF several hundred pupils from the
public schools. Last year the schools were
about full, and by the usual increase, at
least one new school house could have been
filed tnis year, but for the reason stated
ahovs. The colored school, No. l6, was
enlarged dnring the past year, BY the cddi-
ton Of an annex containing I've rooms.
The supsfintendens describes the Gruhs
method Ct teaching arithemetic, whieh Is
used in She frs. and second priaary grades
ard sUggcsts objects which msy DO used by
teachers n telcoing mathematics. he also
gives = dieressios on tha principles o. arr
thamic aud physiological questions in
v0lved ia teaching them A compliment is
paid to the genera, diligence and
efficiency OF the teachers. Regard
irg object lessons Mr.. Hsrian
says; THE irst stages Of education con-
siss essentially OF che observations aud in
vsstiRations Of the qualities OF objects, y
ard cites q number Of the advantages TO
be gained from teaching this method thor
ouehly. The lack OF necessary Appliances
stand Ia the way OF doing as much as could
be oono Ia this line Of teaching. A number
OF the appliances used IN object teaching
are recommended as necessary.
The placing Of drawing on a footing with
other branches Is again recommended, and
copioua quotations from the report OF the
superintendent OF the ST. Louis schooIa
given.
The revision OF the course OF study for
the high schools 10 advised. Thero is too
muck in them for tne time. Proper atton-
ton cannot be given to all With
out too close application aud ex-
cessive study by the pupils The
teaching Of zoology, botany and physiol-
ogy is recommended for the high school al
necessary for the proper training OF the
teachers who are bsing educated in these
schools. A dissertation on the moral influ-
snce Of schools and character building closes
the regular report.
10 the appendix, tables OF attendance,
etc, are given for each school, the course
Of study, list Of text books, etc. Also the
cost Of school houses built since 1885. The
total cost OF the high sehool is placed al
s7S 600, and Of the annex to No. 16
$5,sSS.70. A list Of the schools with the
committees and teachers for the ensuing
year closes the report.