The morning call., 1892-04-28
superintendent swetrs Report.

Tie Superintendent reported an average at
tendance for the school month ending March /
Of 81 l3G. The average attendance for the frs:
eight months IN the present school year Is So
lO5. This is tie highest average attendance
ever recorded in the public schools OF this city.
Mr.. SWEET urges that the classification OF the
different schools demands the serious attention
OF The board. For The purpose OF making clear
exhibit he groups the schools into classes show
ing those that have fun number OF pupils and
those iha fail below the standard An average
OF Al OF - pupils per class Is high. and this is
Tie average OF about oue-thlrd The total number
OF classes IN HE ciiy schools. In another third
the average attendance i Al Were these classes
lie says, filled up 10 tire ID standard. there would
be accommodated IN them 7l3 pupils, redue-
tiOn OF lG classes and l6 teachers. The third
group includes 1913 classes, with an average OF
81 per class. Were these classes filled uD 9S4
pupils would lie taken In, and The number OF
classes aud teachers reduced by %.
SuperiDt ndent SWEET further stated that at
the beginning Of the next school year there could
be a Iedue ion OF at least 20 classes without any
injury 10 the schools. ca tie whole they would
gain by Tie reduction, and lie only loss would
be The appointment OF 20 additional teachers.
His report concludes as fellows:
The teachers consolidated out would be- pro-
yided for IN Ming vacancies by resignation aud
leave " absence. In view Of these facts IL Is
evident 10 me that DO further election OF teach
eTs To the substitute class ought 10 be made dur
ing the months OF May ana June. Tie financial
question Is solid fact 10 be considered. l do
not desire TO have any reduction of teachers
salaries. | wish 10 have all classes filled up 10
their fun STANDARD. IN order that no reduction
the very loose and defective Classification in
many schools at the beginning OF the resent
school year IN July last, leg leave to submit to
the board the following amendment 10 section
80 81 The rules, which l ask 10 have referred 10
the Committee on Rules. This amendment, II
adopted 10y the board, might be some Slight
cheek GU the creation Of unnecessary classes. 1t
certainly would be were lie Superintendent al
lowed to enforce IT,
Amend section 159 OF the rules TO read as fol.
lows.
Section 90. At the beginning of the school
year in July. principals must classify their
schools under The following general provisions
II there Is good seating capacity In The room,
each primary grade and grammar grade class
shall consist at The beginning OF the school year
IN july OF al least fifty pupils, provided, that re-
ceiying classes may be limited 10 forty five; that
when here is only one eighth grade class in
grammar school The number IN that class may
be limited TO lhifly-hve; that In schools having
les Than four classes the number may be mOdi-
ted 10 meet lie needs OF classification.
There u no doubt that one reason Why princi-
pals OF ihnlY attended schools are reluctant TO
III up or to consolidate classes is that their
salaries might thereby be reduced.
To relieve principals from any temptation I'm
this line recommend that The salary schedule
TO be adopted In JHne for the next school year
shall contain provision that the salary OF prin-
cipals shall not be reduced during the year in
consequence Of any diminulion OF The number of
classes by consultations ana also that the
salary shall not be increased In consequence OF
the formation OF additional classes. There
should BE- no temptation of So 4 month held oul
for forming new classes. / beg leave IN c0nclu-
sion TO submit the following suggestive table OF
statistics:
COMPARATIVE school, ATTENDANCE