Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-19

bv the commissioner % education on the schools
% tho District % Columbia, a. stated IN The
srsH. contained criticisms Of the method Of
classifying aud paving teachers. The text Of
TIE portion % the report referring to this sub
Isot ss follow
The sShsdul. Of salaries paid teachers is re-
ported As follo-s
Eighth year OF grade ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS $3.50
Seventh year or grade ..........-......... SIS
sizth wear grade .-................... rs
Fifth year OF grade .................... 700
Fourth wear or grade .............-....... $50
Third year or grade ....--........-.-.-.. $50
Hrs' sad second grade with increase OF
80 each year up 20 maximum ~ $500. 400
Here II seems that there IL q regular progress
sion In salary according 10 the grads-a dis
unction which seems TO the undersigned to be
not only not warranted for any reason Of extra
di.hculty In teaching grammar school pupils
but also O. be vicious IN many vav. In the prac-
ira management Of classes The teacher hold
Ina the siIth grade position would naturally
guard her room iealous,y against the Rdmis-
sion Of any pupils from the ffth grade. justly
fearing lssi her title 20 the smith grade salary
would BE endangered. This causes tie grades
% pupil. in the school. % The District to be
sharply marked, not 90 much by degree Of al
vancensnt IN studis- by tho room In which
the pupils attend sChooL
IL sould be far better To classify the salaries
OF teachers ~ some other principle. having
first second. third. &c. assistants. aud allow
ing = building % eight rooms Q certain quota
Of assistants - each Of the higher grades. say
each % the tr.t and second. and the re-
maiud.r (si1 rooms) 70 b filed BY assistant. Of
the lowest rank Atvslvs-room building would
have two essh % arst and second assistant. aud
IN. remainder eight rooms filed out with the
lowest grade Of a.sist.nt.. This would bs
step toward economy. and likewise step
toward paving better salaries for exceptionally
diftcult positions
II ali 10 found. upon experiences. that with
salaries AZ the same rate the teacher viii gensr-
ally prefer 20 teach the higher grade. 10 tho
sverags teacher there 10 something more at
tractiys To 10 found In the fifth sixth and ssv-
enth grade studies than IN the work Of tbs first
AMI second. Of course. tbs s,ndies OF these
grade. have more variety; thsre is . monotony
about the frat years work. 10 IL over and over
the frst steps IN reading and writing and num-
hers. In the higher grades he teacher faucies
that she 4 gaining some advantage for herself
tn going over such branches grammar. his
tory, natural science and literature Accord
inglv. the better plan IL TO have salaries graded
IN such a way that tbs teachers who receive the
frat beginEers Who ought To come into the
hands % a skilled teacher at once shall re-
ceiye the pay % an assistant one rank
above the lowest II. for example
the lowest rank receive. from 800 to $500 ac-
curding 10 leugth % service. the teacher as
ngned Tor beginners should receive a salary
from $500 TO $500. The teachers up to the
seventh grade IN an eight-room school NAV re-
csivs only the lowest rank Of salary whatever
that IA Then there should be an assistant with
higher rank. AID for eighth-grade work another
assistant two degrees higher than the ordinary
assistant This plan. when adopted. would
save something In salaries. and would save
much more by The breaking up Of the rigid sys-
TEN ~ grading by room occupied rather than
bv advancem.nt in studies. THIS will be ex-
planned more fully under the bead Of grading
and classification. to be found below.
TEE GRADING OF PUPILS
The report also dvslt q, length on the subject
Of grading aud classification OF pupils
The rigidity Of systems % grades existing
IN the District has already been mentioned in
eonnscuon with the sheeduls Of salaries.
The ideal Of the managers seems 90 be that
On eight-room school should devote one room
% each grade. But the schools Of all cities
show . much larger proportion OF children in
the lower grades than In the higher grades.
By grade 10 meant years work. according
D. the usually accepted technique. In the Dis
trict, however, the eighth grade 10 said 10 in
clude two years work. IL true. this would give
nine years for the entire course Of study below
the High School. Now. the report % the trus-
te>. shows that tn. lover four grades Of the
white schools enroll 80 per cent more pupils
thar the upper EUR grades. Sixty per cent Of
the white pupils and nearly - per cent OF the
eolOred pupils In the lower four grade.
(csled primary grades. The proportion of
primary pupils 10 much greater IN some cities
than even IN the colOred schools Of the District
In ST Louis. for example. upward OF 50 per
cent % the pupils were in ths lower four Years
Of work trins the entire decade Is7O-s0.
IL 10 obvious, then, that in eight-room
school -iE OF sax and one-half rooms are needed
for tbs lower four grades In the eolured schools
While Eve az needed in the white schools IN
les the primary rooms are crowded with 80 Der
cent more puPil> than the grammar schools.
To force the eight grades TO corresrCud TO
the eigh' rooms Of building is bad enough but
A. Il not the worst evil % the graded school sys-
TEN a. u exists Ia the District and. indeed In
majority % elite. in the east. There Is a
year. interval between each class and the one
below n 10 gJtai an interval prevents a
hcalihful REORGANIZATION 81 pupils. There Is
great difference between the capacities Of
children Co learn IhOse Who enter the lowest
grades a. eight years Of age can. On an average.
maze double the progress in primary work over
children - i've. Besides there 1. difference
d. % temperament Bright. nervous children
WI maze far more rapid progress than stolid
The -ehool must provide for this difference
o. Rates Of Development BY frequent reclas-ifi-
Gallon, or elss become sort o. Procrustesn
bel II The bright pupils are kept hack for the
si9w and dull ones a double evil arises. The
bright one. acquire loose. careless habits II
study. for they do not have o. wof. 10 one-half
~ their capacity 20 keep mp with the others
The uPal. % slower ten -eranent are guadeG
sud urged forward BY their teacher 20 keep m
~ith ths best. and are constantly male cor
seious - their lack Of wit. oftea by siirging
sareasra. hey become discouraged and lose
Their se.f-rsspect
Beside. the difference of temperament and
are. there 10 also the element Of health 20 be
considered a. active cause 90 produce ,!if-
fereues IN The rate Of progress in studies. The
siekly are irregular In their attendance. Some
healthy children are Irregular Ia attendance on
account u The necessity Of working for a living
In ths District these TeclAssid atiOns are not
maze. ou' all q the pupil, IN he grade. no
matter u there are enough pupils 20 fora two
or several classes. are kept al the same lessons
IN the course of study.
II = true hat some attsm,t Is made 10 pro-
vide Tor the Caring cases by transfer from one
ciass o the next. But each transfer involves
an omission On the pupil part Of the studie. Of
a. entire year. A near can be ascer;ained
such promotions do not amount to per cent
Of ths pupil. In any grade in the city
IyTLs OF TEE SYSTEM
The Situation can be described in these words:
1hs teacher, ars obliged TO give most Of their
time 70 urging On the slower. less mature
UGuii. % their CLASSES and III. hest uurii. are