Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-03
OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM
Severely Criticised by a Taxpayer
Who Has Been Keeping Tab on
TIE HOURS DEVOTED TO PLAY.
Too Much Flubdubbery and Too Little
Rudimentary Work Performed.
FACTS FOR EDUCATORS TO GAZE UPON

school teachers of Allegheny, says: "Alle.
Cheny proves itself worthy of place second
only to one of the cities Of the Common.
wealth by raising the salaries of its public
school teachers to the level of other cities Of
equal population"
1 am taxpayer, and would respectfully
ask: Why should school teachers be paid in
proportion to the number of inhabitants in
city, instead of in relation to the value OF
their services and their personal capacity?
AS is well known, the number of the popu-
lation does not in the least affect them, a
fixed number of children being allotted to
each teacher. And, further, the editor says
that "there are few communities of equal
population which are richer than Allegheny
or better able to pay the standard price for
education; that good teaching or anything
else cannot be had below the market price. 4"
Granted. In the markets of the world
the best article brings the best price, but its
own merit fixes the price, not the buyers
ability to pay. The majority of the ta1pay-
ers in both Allegheny and Pittsburg are
working people. They are not paid In pro-
portion to their employers wealth, but ac-
cording to the value of their days work.
If the salaries paid the teachers heretofore
were not up to the standard of second-class
cities, comparatively they have been much
better paid than the majority of working
people, out Of whose wages they are in part
paid.
has Been Taking Notes.
Under these circumstances it is quite per-
tineut to inquire, do these and all other
taxpayers, whose money it is pays every
thing connected with our school system, get
the best OF even a good article TOR their
money?
have for some time been watching the
progress of school events, and venture 10 as
sert that 10 out of every 20 taxpayers don't
know what they get for their money, and 1
expect to be able to show them, by means of
clippings chiefly from your columns, since
April last, that there is no greater delusion
in existence than the common superstition
that our school system is an efficient one,
and is giving the rising generation thor
ough education in branches that will be
practically useful through life in their
duties and occupations
Our school year begins on the 1st of
September and closes on the last day of
June. 1t contains 200 days. School opens
at in the morning and closes at u NJ, and
reopens at 1:S0 P. NJ. and closes at 4 P. NJ,
making a school day OF five and one half
hours. There are short recesses morning and
afternoon. / think it may be safely assumed
that, with the reeesses, the children taking
their places, arranging their books, arrsng-
ing for recitations and many other in
terruptions TO study, that must of necessity
occur daily, fully half an hour daily is con-
sumed, leaving five hours for study. A
pro iessor of drawing gives three lessons of
half an hours duration weekly. in drawing.
A professor of music gives one lesson ol
half an hour weekly, which with closing the
schools at half after Friday afternoons,
reduces the time another half hour daily.
That music, drawing and writing, the
most superficial of the branches taught in
the schools, are the branches most assidu-
ously cultivated is evident from the great
prominence given them at the yearly ex-
aminations and on all festive occasions
winch are chiefly made up of bunting, flags,
exotics from the green houses and specimens
OF drawing and penmanship and musical
eK rcises, the proficiency in which three
studies clearly shows that they monopolize
the time of both teachers and scholars 10 the
neglect Of those useful studies that neither
tinkle nor glitter, and suggests that they
are neglected because the tinkle and glitter
of fancy penmanship, colored chalk out
lines and music can be turned to good az
count with people who are unable to dis
tinguish between the relative merits Of su-
perfcial accomplishments and solid, practi-
cal in .ormation. They deluded these peo-
pie into believing that coiored chalk out
lines, spread-eagle penmanship and clap
trap songs are valuable acquisitions, aud
those people 60 forth and swell the chorus of
L.. Ii 4
of which they really know nothing.
Important Studies Handicapped.
We may safely conclude that these three
branches, and in some of the schools drib-
bic of calisthenics, directly and indirectly
consume one hour daily, leaving 81 hours
daily for the study of reading, spelling,
geography, arithmetic, grammar, history
and physiology, all Of which are alleged to
be taught in our schools, seven important
studies, for each of which there is just one
half hour daily in class of Is students
This affords each two minutes for recitation.
In the light Of all this, is it surprising that |
= college professor recently discovered that |
al average scholar might get through a |
high school grammar course in Sc hours,
and a six years course in common school |
In six weeks? Though a college professor
discovered this only short while ago, |
goodly number of our rich citizens must |
have discovered it good many years ago,
as for some years past they |
have been sending their children to |
private schools to be educated. |
Often a bright boy of Is in England or |
Germany, besides thorough proficiency in |
all the branches taught in our schools, is |
well advanced in the primary scientific |
studies and Latin, and one, perhaps |
two, OF the modern languages. The |
schools and colleges in those coun- |
tries cost probably one-half less
than ours do. How do applicants of IA or
Is years of age for admission to the High |
School compare with this? Recently 634 |
presented themselves for examination. They |
were examined in only four rudimentary |
understanding, writing, drawing and |
geography, and the high percentage in |
them after a seven or eight years study, |
made the subject of much loud congratula-
tion, in which the public Joined. no doubt
suppoSlng that the grammar, arithmetic, |
orthography, history aud physiology to fol-
low, being the crucial test, would be equally !
creditable. But up to the 1st of February,
there had not vet been any report of any fur
ther examination, and l for one derive from
the following clippings the conclusion that
the less said the better about any other than
those four branches.
Play Seems TO BE Quite Plentiful
These clippings refer almost wholly to the
Pittsburg schools, but will, L suppose,
answer for the Allegheny also, as presum-
ably one is but the reflex OF the other:
ION April'30, the one huudredth anniversary
OF WashingtOn's Inauguration, the schools will |
ne closed"
"a musicale will be given next Friday after
uoon in each of the rooms Of the Foriieth
street building"