Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-15
NEW RULES DON'T GO.
Very Lively Meeting of the Central
Board of Education.
REFUSED TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM
Now in Vogue for Promoting Pupils to the
High School

Now in Vogue for Promoting Pupils to tn
high School
BREEZY DISCUSSION BY MEMBER
The Central Board of Education met las
night and after discussing the propose'
plans for changing the system of promoting
pupils to the High School voted both down
leaving the present plans in force.
Last February the board appointed
special committee to investigate this sub
ject. The committee communicated will
other cities and finally adopted plar
which did away with the examinations
made promotion to the High School de
pendent on class record and examination
at the local schools by the local teachers
This was signed by w. D. Kearns, D. R
Terrence, Alex E. McCandless, Prof G. b
Wood, principal of the High School, and
Charles Reisfar, Secretary of the board
The minority then brought in u re-
port which left the examination
as It is, except that the examinations
should be held at the local schools by mem.
bers of the High School faculty, that the
committees to examine manuscripts shall
sit in banc, and that candidates shall have
the choice of topics in geography, history
and grammar. This report was signed by
w. H. McKelvey, President cf the Board;
George j. Luckey, Superintendent Of
Schools; and Jennie Ralston, of the High
| School faculty. Both reports have been
printed in full
Last night both reports were read. Mr..
Keller moved that the majority report be
adopted Mr.. Holmes amended by moving
that the minority report be adopted. There
was request for an expression from the
committee, and DR.. Kearns, who was its
chairman took the floor. He said:
Spoke of Equivocation and FiIibustering.
I have no desire to say anything discount
eOus. This measure marks the greatest
epoch in the history Of the public schools of
Pfttsburg. Tonight the eyes OF 30 900 chill
dren and hundreds OF mothers are watching
the Central Board. Our committee has had
four months OF laborious, unsatisfactory,
tiresome work. The whole matter has been
procrastfnated and postponed by equivoca-
tion and fllibustering methods with desire
to kill it. This opposition was manifested
at our first meeting. 1t is now manifested
in q minority report. I will let you
shs ors tSs minosv
l do not pose as q critic of examinations
but I am Jealous Of what think of equal
fmportance-the health OF the SO, 900 children
OF our schools. II wo are to make change
let us mako one that will be creditable to us,
with no dishonest, selfish motives behind it.
1 hope the minority report will not be
adopted
DR.. McCandless-Oft the II cities quoted by
the minority only five depend on examina-
tfons for promotion. 1 object to the mi
nority report too. because it provides no
method OF redress for a party who feels
that he has been aggrieved.
MI. McKatn-l am sorry to hear DIR. Kearns
speak Of equfvocation and fllibustering, but
l am glad the committee has not been
packed.
Indorsed the Majority Report
Prof. Wood-I indorse the majority re-
port The leading educators Of the country
are opposed to examinations as tests for
promotion. Their reasons are that it leads
to cramming. II is not necessary to dilate
on that subject, you understand it,. The
tendency is to mass the work just before the
examination. Pupils are human; they will
put or to-day what can be done tomorrow.
want something that will secure uniform
daily work from the opening of the year.
Pupils who attend to their work throughout
the year have NJ trouble with examinations.
In the High School where our faculty
meets tomorrow the teachers will know
who will pass at the examinations we are to
hold. 1t is the same in the ward schools.
The teachers know which of their pupils
should be admitted to the High School. At
the examinations we now hold pupils are
often sent & up as =, an an experiment ,l ae Il they
Principals have frequently told me that
such and such pupils are not fit for the High
School. but they passed the examination and
there they are. For these reasons I favor
Secretary Reisfar-when I was put on
this committee, l asked "Is the present plan |
"If not, what plan would be?"
demned by all who are interested in the |
schools, by teachers institutes and by other I
cities. 1 find that other cities follow the |
plan outlined In the majority report where |
class record does not 20 for naught. The |
present plan has been brought home to me-
have a daughter in the class now pre- I
pairing for High School. I find that she |
and in addition studies many hours at home,
A plan that calls for such work as this as |
the present system does, should be changed.
trial and hearty support, will be successful |
In every respect"
Superintendent Luckey Leads the Attacks
Superintendent Luckey led the attack
against the majority report, ridiculing it
and its provisions, and claiming that it was
an attempt on the part of the Central Board |
to take powers from the local boards and
said:
cannot discuss q subject unless under.
stand 1t, and / don't understand this ma
Iority report and know no one who does
these when asked to explain it could not do
70. Section !, relative to promotions below
step Is, concerns the local boards and is |
none of the Central Boards business Sec
ton 9, in place of the one examination in |
seven years, as now provided for by the Gen.
trail Board, provides for five examinations
In one year. Why we are told that this one
children to the cemetery. Not satisfied
with this, they give us five examfna tions.
They have great sympathy with that lonely
child buried in the cemetery, SO they get up
i've examinations and bury them i've at a
lime go that they won't be so lonely. Not
rom September on; every recitation is an
with the pupils nerves
strained, for he knows that on his answers
,e is marked. They are not satisfied to
oury them in hves; they would bury them
n whole platoons. There would
,e no naao Uniformity ityy n.,, in the exam.
'eport. In the 81 schools OF the city there
would be 81 standards. Can Secretary Reis-
ar tell me what the record books mean?
Mr. Reisfar-It means that at the end OF
he month the teacher best qualified to do
70 can mark the pupils record according to
he teachers best Judgment.
Mr. Luckey-Thfs would require a teacher
o carry in her head the record of all the
ecitations and would bankrupt the book.
.eeper of an Italian peanut stand. pupil |
ould buy drawing and writing book,