Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-08
sCHOOL-ROOaf TALK.
Rece ntEducationalylovsmentsThroush
out the Country.

SCHOOLrROOM TALK.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
out the Country.
THE PEDAeooIo cRusApR A0AusI s1f1euSAvra
AND NARcoTIcs-woNRN A pRrNorpArs OF
scHooLs-rHE sUcckss or SCHOOL sAvuos
BANKS IN EUROPE AND THE ExpzRrxENrs ulnx.
From the advance sheets Of the forthcoming
report for the year 1aas-'s7 of Mr.. Dawson, the
commissioner Of education, some interesting
facts are obtained. II is stated that instruction
in physiology and hygiene, With special rsfsr-
ence to the effects Of stimulants and narcotics,
ismsde compulsory by statute in some part Of
their school life onan pupils in twenty-nys out
OF the thirty-eight states, Wig: Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, South
Carolina, Florida, Alahsma, MICHIGAN, Wiscon-
sin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nsbraska, Kansas, Colo
RADIO, Nevada, Oregon and California; reference
has been made TO the statute Whenever it could
be found by the bureau. The same compul-
trict of Columbia BY United States statute. In
Missouri the instruction under consideration is
compulsory upop the demand of patrons Of the
public schools and forbidden otherwise"
WOVEN As PR1No4PALs.
The report has the following ON the subject
of women as principals of public schools:
In August, 1886, the board of education of
Columbus, Ohio, resolved that thereafter in
case ola vacancy in the principalship Of abuild-
Ing OF twelve or more rooms, Q man be en-
ployed. Since women had previously filed
these positions, this action was an innovation
OF considerable importance, and provoked .
great deal of discussion. Three such vacancies
have occurred since the passage of the resolu-
ton, and in accordance with the determination
them"
For number Of years only lady teachers
have been employed in the schools of Macon,
Ga. The superintendent says: give years OF
close observation and careful comparison, as
opportunity offered, of the work done by these
ladies' with that done in similar grades 0fpublic
schools in other cities, have not made me feel
that in the matter Of instruction our pupils lost
anything by the substitution Of ladies for men
IN the highest grade of our grammar schools.
these schools the directing hand and the per-
sonal presence of a man are also absolutely
necessary" He therefore asks for ftthe APP
pointment of a man whose duty it shall be to
supervise these schools and make himself felt
In every room and class"
Pawtucket, R. L, schools, believes in the super
iority of male principals, fok these reasons:
They have usually more executive ability
than women. They have larger acquaint-
knowledge Of the world Besides
it usually occurs that boys Of thirteen to Hf-
teen years of age need the strong influence
and restraining power of a man; and where
that influence is felt, the occasion for special
discipline is largely removed. In some Of our
best grammar schools it frequently happens
that there is no necessity for the infection Of
punishment for weeks or even terms at q time
and the same influence over the larger pupils
extends to the other rooms Of the building, SO
that majority Of the cases of insubordination
and serious difficulty occur in smaller build
ings where there is no male principal"
SCHOOL sAvISas-BANKs.
The following is quoted from well-known
writer: ''The Importance Of teaching children
to save, not so much for the amounts boarded
as for the educational value of the weekly les
son, has for many years been reeognized With
more or less earnestness by the managers of
charitable and mission schools. Utmost " our
cities various simple and practical methods
have been used, in connection with voluntary
school work, to help the waits Of our p0pula-
ton to acquire habits of thrft but it is rather
curious fact that the first public school (third
ward grammar school, of Long Island City,
N. " in the United States to adopt as part OF
its weekly drill the savings-bank plan only did
so in 1885, and that during 1885 but six other
public schools followed suit. Now, however,
many school boards are moving in that direc-
ton, and there seems no reason to doubt that
during this year more than one hundred
schools will have introduced the plan into their
curriculum. -,
Fortunately school banks are no experi-
ment, although a novel addition to the pubic
school system of the United States; therefore
those who advocate their general adoption in
this country can support the demand by point
ing to the experience Of a great nation, France.
The modus operandi Of a school bank is as fol-
lows: Having arranged with some savings bank
to receive deposits, the principal of the school
gives notice to the several classes that every
Monday morning their teacher, when calling the
roll, will receive their small savings Orom cent
up to so cents). On making the hrst deposit, 1
pupil is given card with his or her name,
date and amount deposited, reeeipted by the
teacher; this card the pupil keeps presenting
it every time deposit ia made, the card having
dates for the whole school year.
when pupil has saved Is cents Cor any other
sum agreed on) he is given handbook and be-
comes regular ontributor-although interest
Is rarely paid on very small sums-and until he
receives a book his name does not 60 on the
journal of the savings-ba but his savings are
kept to the credit of the principal, in what is
called general fund.- These pupil bank
books, kept by the principal, are sent to the
bank monthly to be balanced.
ION January l, 1887, schools in the United
States had adopted school savin8s-bankA 6 Of
these being in or near Long Island City, and
:>McCook, Neb. A w>>lan is principal Of the
first American school with a school bank, and
out Of 450 scholars 403 are depositors, having
saved from March, 1885, to January, 1887,
%, 3S2; Of this amount $602 was Withdrawn for
USE and 81, 100 remained due depositors,' an
average Of "a. 16 per child.
France, the only country with a national
system Of school banks, between 1874 and 1886,
established 1000 of these banks, with nearly
half million of depOsitOrs, whose savings
aggregated triAe less than 12,000 900 francs,
or about %, 400, 600.
Squared by this mar yelous example the edu-
Gators Of other nations turned their attention
to school banks. Italy has 3,456 Hungary TOO,
and various Belgian cities have adopted them
with success Great Britain, with $1,000 ele-
mentary schools, teaching 4,000, 900 children,
has only 1000 school banks, but their unprece-
dented success in towns like Liverpool. Bir-
mingham and Manchester shows that where
school boards and teachers understand the
matter their growth is certain"