Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-24
LOCAL SCHOOL WORK
Report Of Supt, IuCkey for
the Last Two Years.
A FLATTERING SHOWING.
Remarkable Growth Of Pltttburg
Schools Since 1856,
A BALANCE OF $4,000 LEFT OVER

A neat tasty little volume, Issued from
the Central Board rooms yesterday, contains
the annual reports Of the Superintendent Of
Public Schools, for tho last two years, end
ing with August 81, 1899, which includes
many facts aud figures that are interesting
10 the public. beside suggestions and Ideas
relative 10 the further advancement OF the
public school system Of PittEburg,
These schools have become noted through
out the United States, under the direction
Of Superintendent George D. Luokey,
for the high standard attained by
the pupils and the efficient work
done by the teachers. They have from their
opening, lp 1885. had q uni form and healthy
growth. La 1896, when the entire
system was placed under the supervision
of the Central Board, the teachers en-
ployed numbered 100, while Rt the present
time el3 are employed. The total number
Of pupils enrolled In 1886 was 0,72li tho
present enrolment 2D,BDl. The amount
paid for teaching In 1885, including the
kuperintendents salary, was t3D, 594 7bi Tor
the year ending 1889, S3bl, iOB IL was ca
pended for teachers salaries.
SOME or Mr., LucKEY's VIEWS.
In hfs report Superintendent Luckey says
In detAil
"Mueh has been said Of late years by
educators throughout the United States
against the too frequent examination.
OF pupils In the graded schools
Most persons who have given the
matter proper consideration agree that
the examinations, as they have gener-
ally been conducted, have resulted In evil;
but there is a very general disagreement
among teachers as to what is proper sub
stitute. To abandon examinations alto
gether would be tantamount to CIV
ing up the graded school sys-
TEN and returning 10 individual, in
stead of class instruction. My desire at
present is to adopt plan that will rob the
examination OF is rigor by taking away the
mental strain which accompanies 1t when
ever promotion is based upon the results,
Let the examination remain in the hands OF
the judiciouS principal ard teacher, but or
dain that the general fitness Of the pupil, as
determined by his class standing, shall be
the basis Of promotion. 1t is not the exami-
nation that Is an evil, but the abuse of IT;
Il came with the graded school system and
ID has grown in frequency and Importance
until Il is considered by many teachers as
the summuBl bonuDi of all methods.
WILL BE A WINNER.
1.-THE sure, slow-ploddinV, faithful
worker in the schoolroom mail fail TO reach
the goal by the examination route, but he
is more likely 90 be n winner In lies great
battles than the prPoocious lad with a
memory for retaining the dry facts Of the
text book. The boy who reasons out his
conclusions may not and will not make no
high q percentage in answering given lot
Of questions as the one who Eipply stores
his memory with the rules in grammar aud
a.. I..a L.. 11Hgs a
IN class and command tie respect OF his
classmates and teachers"
OF the work done in the school kitchen
the Superintendent says ''Oa the 18th Of
December, 1897, Mr. Henry Phrps, Jf,,
offered 10 furnish q teacher for school kitohz
en- on condition that the school authorities
would provide suitable room aud pay iheiu
dental expenses, On February 10, follow
ing, the board Of Education accepted the
Offer OF NJ. fhipps, aud one month later
accepted the offer OF the Grant kph06 Hoard
10 give the free use Of room, aud the school
was opened February ~ under the charge
Of Mish II. IL, Torrey,
A GOOD oHdAbIEEH.
"MiH Torrey proved not only an efficient
tsHohsT, but good organizer, and ~ n con
sequence the school became al once efficient
aud popular, The pupils are taken from
aud receive Que lesson q week i6f len weeks,
The Glasses consist Of 10 pupils eaeh tfve
CLASSES y wssh)I this blah gives instruction
10 20 pupils per term ol ten weeks, 6f ~ 500
pupils year, This seems like a short lime
IN which 10 study the AT Of cooking,
but experience has shown that al
elementary knowledge of the subject
creates such love and enthusiasm
ier tbe work, on The part of the pupil, that
good and lasting results are ACCOMPLISHED,
Aiss ToHey resigned la July, 1850, aud
Miss Charlotte Bailou was elected 10 sue
ased her, Under Miss Baiiou's manage
meHt the school continues 10 meet the APP
provAl Of our people, We sincerely hope
that the advantages In this line, which are
now In the reach Of only few OF our girls,
may be 20 extended as 10 be ln rsaoh of all"
la concluding his report MIR, Luekey aaysi
WOULD BE A BABEL,
"It would be hard 10 realize the condition
Ia which our people would be to-day II the
public school had never existed. Hundreds
Of thousands ofpeople annuallyIthrown upon
our shores from every cline aud Of every
tongue, organizing themselves into different
communities based on language and ma
tionalitiea, would make very Babel in-
deed. Without the public schools these
communities would exist aud each would
propagate its own language and customs
and keep alive the love Of the iatherand
and the traditions Of It's ancestors. The eX-
istenee Of the public school has made this
impossible; the ehj ldren Of the English, the
Irish, the German, the swede, the Hun, the
Italian and the Russian learn 20 speak the
same language adopt the same customs and
love the same flag. No system Of private
instruction can do this.
"The immigrant cannot be expected to
give up at once the habits, customs and
language OF his youth and manhood but his
children should be taught to ignore class
distinctions based on language OF nation
Rlity, and they should have the privilege of
sitting, studying and playing with those
who are TO be their business companions in
manhood. The American idea, that parents
must look after the bodily needs OF their
children, the church their spiritual welfare
and the State their intellectual and patriotic
training, must be maintained"
PRINCIPAL WOODS REPORT
Principal c. b. Wood, of the High
School, under the head of general remarks,
makes the following interesting statement
about the study of the sciences:
1.-The method of teaching science which
we are endeavoring to carry out, and which
was described at length in my report for
1887, viz, by individual investigation and
work, has proved not only practical, but
efficient and popular. 1t requires more
time and work on the part OF the teachers,
and more room and more apparatus for the
pupils than the Old-time method of hearing
reeitations. Our classes are SO large that it
seemed doubtful whether the plan was at all
practicable For instance, it is no small
undertaking TO arrange material for 100