The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-16
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
sUPT. BAKERS REPORT TO THE
BOARD OF DEDICATION.

the ACCESSIBILITY of Doing Away
With the Annual Oral Examinations
and Substituting Visiting Week
The Need for More School Accom-
modations-The Number OF Pupils
ID the Schools, and Their Cost to
the County-The Discipline Question
Superintendent of Schools Baker. in his
annual report to the board Of education,
recommends a number of changes in the
school system, which command the atten-
ton of the board.
The report. which was submitted at the
last meeting Of the board, is an exhaustive
one. The statistics show that according &c
the last school census Savannah has a school
population, that is children between aud
Is years old, Of SIS. The school popua-
ton OF the county outside Of the city Is
5,0S1, making total, white and colored, in
the county, of Is, 1856
There are white schools in the city
and Q in the county, outside
Of the city. The colored schools are in
the city and 81 in the country, making
total of 80 schools in the county, taught by LIZ
teachers, IS in the city and 81 in the coun-
try. OF the teachers Ga in the city are
white and "a colored, and in the country II
are white and % are colored.
CHILDREN IN SCHOOL.
The number Of pupils enrolled in the city
schools is 2,945 whites, Of which 1877 are
boys and .56S are girls, and 1,442 colored,
and of which $40 are boys and S22 girls,
making the total number of pupils IN the
city schools 1897 in school population of
S,l55. The number enrolled in the country
schools is 266 white boys ana l7S white girls
and S23 colored boys and $50 colored girls,
making total Of 2, 1O3 pupils in the country
schools. The grand total of pupils enrolled
in the schools in the entire county is 6,49O
in a school population of Is, 1856. The
average number belonging to the schools
was $500 The cost per capita per annum
for the number enrolled was 80, and for the
average number belonging to the schools
Sl1 66.
TOO MANY QUIT SCHOOL
OF the average number Of pupils in attend
ance, Supt Baker says that 50 per cent
were In the primary grades. which embrace
children Of between and s years. "a per
cent. in the intermediate grades, including
those between and 10 years, 81 per cent
in the grammar grades covering the ages Of
II, IL and Is years, and ) per cent. in the high
school. The great diminution in the num-
Der Of pupils as the grades ascend, Supt
Baker says. is explained by the pressing
exige cies Of practical life, and in the unwise
eagerness of parents to place their chill
dren, at an early age, in positions where
they will learn the art OF making money.
MORE GIRLS THAN BOYS.
The great disparity in the enrol ment
of boys and girls is very appar-
ent to any one studying the
statistical part of the report. After due
allowance has been made by the fact usually
developed by the census. that in old settled
communities number of females al
ways exceeds the number of males, it
would seem, the superintendent says, that
a difference of 400 in an enrolment of
$500 is very large. This difference, he
says, is no doubt due to the placing
of boys in positions. This
policy of withdrawing children from the
schools at so early period in life, the super
intendent adds, is Of questionable pro-
priety, even from an economic standpoint.
and if persisted in must result in a gradual
lowering of the general intelligence in the
community. 1t is the duty Of the board,
he says, to study tie cause and apply the
remedy for this condition of things.
REMEDY SUGGESTED.
The superintendent suggests two remedies.
One of them is changing the course
of study so as TO lessen the
number of years for passing through
the schools. AS the curriculum now
stands. it takes pupil eleven years,
surprising he enters the lowest grade and
passes consecutively through all the grades.
IL a pupil is admitted at years
of age ana takes the entire course.
he will be II years old at his
graduation. The long period discourages
many who would be glad to complete the
entire course. The superintendent is of the
opinion that by reduction of one year in
the grammar school course nothing would
be lost in thoroughness, and some who now
stop with the grammar school would be in
duced to take the entire course The in
grating upon the course a more practical
feature, the superintendent believes, would
retain in the schools that class Of pupils
who learn i'll order to seek in other iustitu-
tions that education which will fit them
for practical business
EQUAL ADVANTAGES TO THE RACES.
Another fact shown by the statistics is the
very small difference in the number of
white and colored children in the schools
The total enrolment shows $3.50 white
children and 3, l0l colored, an ex-
cess OF zoo In favor OF the
former. The purpose of the
board of education to reach the entire school
population without distinction of race is
evidenced by this fact, and is a refutation
of the statement that there is an unfair dis
elimination in favor of one class.
The small number of deaths in the schools
last year, the superintendent points TO as
remarkable for the large number Of pupils.
There are not many communities which
can present better record than Savannah.
Still another fact shown by the statistics
is the small per capita cost of schooling. II
this cost were estimated on the aggregate
enrolment, it would have been for the last
year 50 per annum. If it be based on the
average number of pupils in attendance, II
would be SIC.
MORE BUILDINGS NEEDED
The superintendent dwells at some length
upon the necessity for increased school &C
commodations. No white children were re.
fused admission last year, but, in order to
accommodate ali the applicants, it was
necessary to rent two private
dwellings While meeting an ur.
gent demand for accommodations
these buildings are lily adapted to the pur.
poses for which they are used. A school OF
eight grades, the superintendent says, il
greatly needed in the southern section of the
city, both for the accommodation of new
pupils and for the convenience of many
children who now have to walk long dis
lance to attend school. The board OF
education proposes to meet this want by
the erection, at the earliest possibl,
day, of a building on Henry street
The seating capacity of the colored schools
has been considerably increased by an add
A..