The morning call., 1892-01-28
Superintendent Common


! former meeting The Superintendent OF SCHOOLS
! called the attention OF this board to numerous
! complaints made TO him Of excessive study re-
/ quired of the pupils in the Boys aud Girls
! High schools, and suggested that a modification
! Of The course OF study therein might be found
! necessary During the past three months Inc
| matter has received considerable attention from
! both the Superintendent and myself, and. with
| view 10 asceltainiDg the sentiment OF the par
! entS on this question: circular was prepared
! and sent 10 each parent OF guardian PROFOUND
! ing certain inquiries as TO the amount of home
! study required and The eject thereof. The an
! sweIs have been carefully considered by the Su-
! lerinteudent, aud his report Will show you that
/ the complaints OF excessive home study are, IN
| measure, we'll founded. The blame does not rest
alone with the teachers nor the course OF study.
! Parents are naturally ambitious for their chill
dTen. ana often insist in placing them IN classes
! IN advance OF their years and ability, and II
! teachers suggest the deSirabity of pupils going
! into lower grades they meet with opposition from
! the parents, which very often results In Ill
! feeling, aud IN Influence being brought 10 pear
! mon the members OF the Board Of Education 10
! Oyerrue the decision OF the teacher. Few
| pupils, struggling TO keep up with the studies
and falling behind the others, are an injury TO
/ whole class and 4 serious burden 10 The teacher.
! Parents do not 80 m to understand mat enid
which Is not crowded in It's studies viii graduate
/ WITH clearer aud brighter mind than one which
/ IS forced beyond its natural ability. The remedy
| for THIS evil Is TO require principals to see that
pupils are placed IN proper grades, ana then Tor
! The Board Of Education 10 sustain them ID 50
| doing.
| The complaint OF oyerstudy can also, TO a GER
! tam extent be traced TO lack OF intelligent
method and application on the part OF The pupils.
| We have reports from the parents as 10 The
! number OF hours which their children end In
| home study, but we have no way OF obtaining
/ Information as 10 The character OF such study.
! One hour spent IN close, persistent application,
| without Interruption or distraction, IS worth
| three hours OF sO-calied study Ia the family
sitting room. 1t must be that much Of tue Time
| thus spent al home IS wasted but Tor TINS evil
there Is no remedy except through the advice
ana instruction OF the class teacher. How 10
study, should be part OF the curriculum OF
every school.
DEPARTMENT TEACHERS.
have been led to believe that there has been
a lack of consultation between the different heads
OF departments In each of the two high schools N
arpOrtiOul0g nome work TO the pupils. NatuI-
ally lie head OF each department IS anxious
| that his or her pupils shall make good record,
and complaint has been made that some OF the
teachers require OF their lupils unnecessary aud
idb0rlous research IN books OF reference, outside
OF school hours. which necessitates spending
much time IN public libraries In search OF lu.
formation. To a certain extent this results from
tie unfortunate fact that We have 10 suitable
Libraries IN our schools. No education can be
complete without Information from other sources
than textbooks, ana II reference books are not
10 be found 10 the schools scholars must 70
where The books are to be found. IL IS difficult
Iof one VINO mas not had actual experience
either as pupil or teacher in high school, &C
uuue stand the Inconvenience, delays aud eNtra
WoIk HeceEsltated by the lack Of a school library
Subjects are constantly being brought before q
class which are not fully trea ed IN tie text
books. aud II a proper library were Al hand Tue
Information could be OOtalued az once, whereas
al present The pupils must 70 10 tie public libra
ries, thus largely increasing tue burdens Of eX-
TIA study. However, teacher is never Justified
Ia imposing upon a pupil an amount OF work
which Is detrimental 10 health.
nave nothing derogdtoly TO say OF our teach
eTs IN our high schools We have reason TO be
proud OF them aud Of their work but they are
professional people engrOssed IN their daily
tasks and iaymau can sometimes see OppOr-
ytt-It a.,
them. have no doubt That they are ready an
anxious to cooperate in any reform thai may -
suggested. and so found them.
We are now trying tile experiment Of placing
one pTluclpa! In charge OF both schools, and, p
uarenty lt IS working well, and has the iudorSe-
meut OF the faculty OF each VITA the assistance
OF competent yice-prncipals, the general high
school Work can better be directed BY one per
son than BY TWO.
COURSE OF STUDY.
With regard to the course OF study, It must be
remembers ed that Il Is very much what
tie teacher makes it-either burdensOme or
Otherwise. Textbooks are in great measure
merely indicative Of certain lines Of uyeStiga-
ton To be pursued and just how far his should
60 must rest In tho intelligent Judgment Of the
teacher. The extra work heretOfo required OF
tie pupils can be very much modified without
any change Ia The studies.
In tie Boys High School, | can recommend no
material change M the present curriculum, | do
not mud that The boys are unduy crowded, Or II
they have been. IL IS matter that can be reme-
died by tie teachers, under the present course
are no Ellls who are capable OF keeping up to the
present high standard therein. Reforms In sd-
mlnistraion have already been accomplished,
and | believe there viii be no further serious
complaint. The course In this school VIII be
very useful 10 those who desire a classical or
higher education such as WIFI them 10 enter
college, the university OF professional life 1t Is
well 10 have one school Of this character but, al
the same lime we should not neglect TO provide
for a large class who have no desire for this
higher education aud are not physically capable
OF enduring the mental aud physical strain in-
VOWED. 4 gtamm0f-schOOl course does not give
the hn!sh aud education that most pareutS de-
sire for their daughters, but, at the same time,
not one Parent In five expects lis daughter 10
enter tie university and has no desire that she
should necessarily be prepared therefor 1t
seems to ME that weale undermining the health OF
80 per cent OF the girls In our high schools, IN
order that lie other 20 per cent may obtain a
University education. The parents themselves
complain OF the extra work, ana II IS their
wishes that We should IN large measure con-
81 I.
therefore recommend that a new course Of
study be prepared for the Girls High School,
which shall materially Hghten the present
amount OF work therein II this can be done
aud stu meet the requirements Of the unyer-
sty well aud good; otherwise / believe that
these requirements are OF secondary consldera-
lion.
l further recommend that the classical course
therein be abolished aud a literary course sub
stituled therefor ANY girl who desires the for
mer can nave The privilege OF attending The
Boys High School
l further recommend that instead OF high
schools closing as at present al O'Clock they
close a balt-plst ); that the morning recess OF
blteen minutes be abolished, and that the noon
recess be three-quafters or an hour Instead OF
an hour. These changes will give an hour ad-
dllonal time Tor study during school hours, and
this extra hour uder tie care OF a teacher Will
ne more valuable than two hours spe Mt In study
outside. The morning recess OF fifteen minutes
Involves the loss OF another fifteen minutes In
disDdndiHg aud reassembling, which Is all
wasted time.
Win the changes suggested and the hearty co
operation OF the teachers con which | confidently
Iely) believe that the schools VIII be more ell
cieut and there viii be no further cause of com
plant from the parents pupils.
f. A. HYDE, President.
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