The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-07
THE SCHOOLS.
4 Lengthy and Interesting Report Of the
Visiting Comm ttee OF the
Public sch FOOLS

RuDiiC StHBoiS-
The visiting committee appointed re
Gently by the Board Of Education to visit
the schools of the city have performed
their task and have submitted the follow
ing report, which viii doubtless be read
with interest by those who contribute &c
maintain the finest schools In the state OF
Kansas:
To the Board Of Education Of the city Of Wichita,
Kansas.
GENTLEMEN: Your committee appoint
ed for the purpose of visiting schools, beg
leave to submit the following report. In
compliance with the ruleS OF the board,
and the order OF the president, your COM
mittee has visited ali the schools within
the jurisdiction of the board or education
of the city o: Wichita, with single ex-
ception As a result OF such visits We
find,
l. Buildings and grounds.
We find the buildings and grounds in
excellent condition. and the heating and
ventilation good, so far as the buildings
and heating apparatus will permit. We
find the ianitors with one or two excep-
tions, to be unusually painstaklng and
careful in looking after the health and
comfort of of the teachers and pupils. we
would observe in this connection that
from information in our possession some
of the iapitors use mucn more coal than
others in proportion to the number OF
rooms heated. We would suggest that
the committee on heating and ventilation
would give this matter their attention In
order that there may be no unnecessary
waste of fuel.
9. Special teachers.
As to the work 0fspecial teachers. owing
to the limited amount of time devoted to
each school room, both on the part of this
committee, as we'll as the special teachers,
our impressions are largely the result OF
observation of the work done by the pu-
pills, rather than the result OF observing
the methods adopted by these special
teachers, In the matter OF writing and
drawing we notice marked progress in all
the grades. while in the higher
grades many pupils have at
tanned degree OF proh-
cheney in writing, which cannot but re-
fleet credit upon the teachers IN charge.
Our expectations were more than realized
in the matter of drawing, taking into con
sideration the fact hat our Visit was made
in the early part OF the school year, ana
the further fact that change had been
made in the teacher in this special study.
As above intimated we found 1t 1mpos-
sibie to hear an exercise in music IN but
comparatively few rooms, but from what
we heard together with the report OF the
teachers in the different schools, ana In all
the schools, the department OF music Is a
credit to our school system and profitable
to the pupils.
3. Discipline.
Approaching. the importance of dis
cipline your committee gave special atten-
ton to this subject. With the exception
of about one teacher in each building, or
at least an average of one teacher IN SIX,
we find the most thorough discipline ever
cised on the part of the teachers, with
very admirable results on the pupils, as
exhibited both in the school rooms and on
the grounds. And the excellent demeanor
on the part of the pupils while in the
presence of your committee, is attributable
in large measure, we believe, to thorough
discipline. And we cannot refrain from
commencing and compiimentlDg a large
portion of our teachers in this matter, and
would encourage the teachers who lack IN
this particular to give the matter OF dis
cipline special attention.
l. instruction in general.
In View of the satisfactory work done by
the special teachers above referred to, the
excellent discipline which prevails gener-
aIly. the comfortable and convenient
buildings and surroundings, 1T would be
unexpected and inconsistent II we should
have found the instruction IN general and
it's results, otherwise chan satisfactory.
We hnd Saving very lew
exceptionsl the teachers and pupils
entering into their work with
an earnestness and enthusiasm which
thus early in the school year shows excel
lent results. 1t is but natural that the
more favorable the conditions, the more
beneficial the results. And on this point
we would refer to the fact that where It
has been found necessary in some instances
TO put more than one grade in the same
room, that the work accomplished by the
teacher is not nearly so satisfactory as
where one grade occupies room exclu-
sively, and taught by Il teacher similarly
qualified.
> Normal School.
In view of the fact that your committee
found it impossible to devote sufficienttlme
to the Normal school in order to make an
intelligent report, we pass that depart
ment, and recommend that the president
of the board appoint a committee OF three
mem bers of this board whose duty 1t shall
be to carefully investigate the workings
and results of of our normal department
through the halanc of the school year, and
report The result of their observations I
the last regular meeting of the board for
the present fiscal year
JAMES ALLISON,
j. ID. VAN NUYS,
Jos. ". COATS.