St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-16
GILBERT'S REPORT.

The City superintendent Exhaust
lively Reviews the Public
Schools.
Supt. c. 3. Gilbert submitted his an
nual report, which is a comprehensive
document, covering every phase Of the
school question, and reciting. as re-
view, many facts with which the public
has become familiar through the col
umns of the GLOBE. The changes of
the new law were reviewed at length,
and the past action of the board, includ-
ing the discussion of the German Ian
guage, given in eXtenSo. Considerable
space is devoted TO the course of
study Gin the public schools. and
ST. Paul people will be please
to know the board has arranged to so
simplify the course as to no longer leave
the schools open to the charge of being
colleges in their curriculum. Greater
attention will hereafter be paid to the
primary department work and better
effort made to perfect pupils in the edu-
catiOnal foundations, spelling and ar
lthmetic. \ very desirable order has
also been made with reference to the
manual training school, meeting an
objection to which Mr.. Gilbert called
attention as follows:
The wisdom Of manual training and OF
the erection Of the manual training school
building. with It's admirable equipment. is
now apparent TO most observers. The one
chief ground OF criticism has been that SO
few could profit by these fine privileges. In
stead Of rs there should be 500 boys and
girls III the manual training school. BY the
change made none are deprived of the OPP
DOrtunity OF receiving manual training, and
large number heretofore deprived of it
have this opportunity now open to them.
Formerly il was necessary for the boys
to choose between 4 full course in
the high school and shorter course
in the manual training school. and many
parents who desired their boys 10 take q
course preparatory to college, or at least the
fullest course III the high school, also de-
sired them 10 have the peneht OF manual
training They should have this benefit, and
under the new arrangement they can. Ger
tain courses IN the high school viii be more
specifically manual training courses and viii
have the maximum Of work IN the shops, as
much as possible, without Interfering with
the other studies in their course. and all will
have the privilege of some instruction"
Hereafter the elective privilege of the
manual training school will be open to
all pupils above the seventh grade of
the grammar schools and the high
schools. The idea of this is TO encour-
age bows to take a mechanical course be-
fore the time when they would natural
lv leave school TO become clerks. The
board has also made several interesting
rulings touching the night schools. Be
lieving in the encouragement OF educa-
ton the eligibility to the night schools
has been extended. and is not now con-
fined 10 the school age. Arrangements
have been completed by which clerks.
mechanics and others above the age of
twenty-One may avail themselves of the
night school privilege for the special
purpose of Derfecting themselves in any
necessary branch, chemistry, for in
stance. and the arrangements have been
/ made 50 that the taXpaying public will
be at no extra expense for the privilege.
The superintendent reports that
changes in the teachers training school
have been made that enable more thor
ouch work. The board has raised the
requirements Tor eligibility and has
raised the standard Of the school and its
examinations. and proposes hereafter