The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-11
SCHOOLS TOO CROWDED.
MORE BUILDINGS NEEDED FOR EFF
FICTENT SCHOOL WORK.

Yesr-Nearly 6, 600 Pupils Enrolled
in the County-The Cost of Their In
structioa a Little More Than SO a
Pupl-The Total Cost OF the Schools
S71,6Oo-The High SCHOOL Consoli-
dation-A Commercial Department
Recommended - Condition OF the
Country Schools.
Supt. Baker has completed his annual
report of the public schools for last year,
and it was read before the board of educa-
ton Monday night.
There we're 1856 pupils in the city
schools and 2.O2l in the country schools
during the year. OF this number 2,7S3 in
the city schools were white pupils and
l,073 were colored. In the country schools
there were 455 white pupils and 1896
colored
The total number of pupils attending the
public schools in the county wss 5,S77-
5,23S whites and 1853 colored. The aver
age attendance was 4, S91. These were taught
by 1l3 teachers, 70 in the city schools and
"a in the country. The white schools had II
teachers and the colored schools A. The
county has at present 80 schools, s in the
city and 81 in the country. The total cost
of maintaining them was ST., Cos -.
THE CITY. SCHOOLS.
The city schools are in a prosperous con-
dition. No white children of school age
were excluded from the schools at any time
during the year for want of room. Many
of the lower grades in the grammar schools,
however, were too crowded for comfort,
health or efficient instruction. In the col
ored schools several hundred children were
turned away for lack of accommodation.
This must continue, the superintendent
says, until more school buildings are erected
for the colorei people.
The board of education has now under its
control seven buildings, all of which are
crowded to their capacity. and some of
them overcrowded. The Chatham academy
is under lease from the trust ees for ten
years. The Massie building is owned by
the city, and was built from a fund left by
a benevolent gentleman for educational
purposes The Barnard street building was
built many years ago by the justices of the
inferior court of Chatham county, and was
the first public school building
in Savannah The Cathedral and st.
Patrick's school buildings are owned
by the Catholic church, and are controlled
by the board Of education only so long as
the contract with the church authorities
continues to be in force. The West Broad
street building is the gift Of the late G.. w.
the education of colored children. The
East Broad street building, also used for
colored children, is the gift of the widow of
Mr.. DeRenne. The original building was
lily adapted for school purposes, and was
torn down six years ago and replaced by the
present building, which cost the school
board $4,000.
THE NEED OF NEW BUILDINGS.
The superintendent points out the neces-
A. &c Il HHNsa Ill
population increases. TIE people have
been at very little expense in providing for
the school accommodation of their
children. In other cities large sums of
money are spent annually in erecting
new buildings increasing the APP
preparation much beyond what the
tuition of the children would require. The
case has been different in Savannah. and,
there can be no complaint of extravaganza
When the board of education, in order to
meet the requirements and actual needs
of the people, asks for an appropriation to
erect buildings for the accommodation of a
rapidly increasing population. 1t Is reason
able to believe, the superintendent says,
that there will be general re-
Spouse. A system Of public education must
necessarily be general, and not par
tial. The schools are for all.
and not for few. When,
therefore, the population increases, adj
dltlonai facilities must be furnished There
can be no schools without school houses,
and to have the latter, money must be pro-
vided.
$40 FOR EACH PUPIL.
The actual cost OF educating each pupil
In attendance on the schools last year is a
little more than $40. The general work
done in the schools during the
year was satisfactory. The teachers
were faithful aud their instruction
IN the main was intelligent and thorough.
The discipline generally was good WHAT
to do with exceptionally unruly and per-
versa boys, IS question which agitates the
minds of teachers. The superintendent saws
that 1t IS but truth to sta that the number
OF difficult cases of discipline, compared
with the large attendance, is infuitessi-
mally small.
Last year was the first year of the consol-
idatlon of the high schools, and the engraft-
ing of the department s. stem
upon the general plan. 1t is
the superintendent opinion that
so far as thoroughness OF instruction on the
part of the teachers and diligent study on
the part of the pupils, are concerned, a
great advantage has been realized from the
change. Another year, it is thought, will
Iutiy demonstrate the wisdom of the new
plan. The number of pupils enrolled was
greater than that of the two schools con-
Jointly at any period in their history. The
superintendent recommends the establish
ment of stric ly commercial
department., which, he believes,
would be a valuable adjunct to
the system. A knowledge of Snort hand
and type-writing is no considered an es-
sential part of a boys or girls education.
The superintendent urges the establishment
of such department upon the consdera-
ton of the board. The department has
been engrafted On the system of schools in
many cities and has proved successful in
every case.
The superintendent, in referring to the
grammar schools, which are the schools Of
the people-their main dependence being III
the education of their children, saws that
they have done efficient work. There are
eight grammar schools, six for white chill
dren and two for colored children The
teachers have generally been faithful and
successful.
THE COUNTRY SCHOOLS.
The superintendent's report upon the
country schools takes up an interesting ques-
ron. How to improve the character and
efficiency Of these schools, he says, is a
question which for many years has en-
gagged the earnest consider alton Of himself
and the school board. Tie difficulties in
the way OF bringing them up to the stand
ard Of the city schools are very Formidable.
ana at the present time are almost insrnor-