The morning call., 1893-12-06
THAT GRADE LAGS
School Principals Tell the
Reasons.
JOHN SWEET ON PROMOTION.
Advice of the Superintendent to
Teachers.
THE STUDY OF PSYCHOLOGY.
Pedagogics Discussed-Suggestions
as to Supplemental Reader.
Use of Judgment.
The third grade lags.

Superintendent John SWEET and of the
multitude of principals at the monthly
meeting yesterday afternoon in CONNER
cial Hall and numerous were the reasons
given for it.
Superintendent SWEET had prepared a
summary showing the average ages of
scholars in the various grades as follows:
Eighth grade. 10 years and months;
Seventh, IA years and months; sixth, 13
years and months; fifth, II years and s
months; fourth, II years ard 9 months; ;
third, 10 years and months; second. 9
years and months; first. years and /
months; receiving classes, years aud Z
months.
He was of the opinion that there should
be better showing in the average for the
third grade. Last year 1400 pupils wer Q
returned In the school report as not pro-
NOTED from the third grade-a third of
the whole number. He failed to see why
the third grade should be a clog on pro-
motion. Perhaps the reason might be
found in the great attention to the inter-
minable questions iu arithmetic and the
neglect of reading.
Miss Parker, principal of the Broadway
Grammar School, mad noticed the same
thing. A summary of the reasons is given
in the following:
Miss Parker-There are more children
in the third grade not fitted for 1t than is
the case with any of the other grades, and
the principals do not like to put tlte chill
dren back into the lower grades. Many
children from the country schools go direct
into the third grade on account OF their
size and age, when really they ars not up
to the standard. All this tends to reduce
the general proficiency.
A. L. Mann Of the Deaman Grammar,
Miss Manning OF the Webster Primary,
James G. Ken uedy of the Franklin Gram
mar. and others spoke in the same strain
as Miss Parker.
Superintendent SWEET suggested that il
might be well to have a supplemental
reader selected to follow the first reader in
the second grade.
The idea seemed to be a very good one.
Mr.. Kennedy then gave additional rea-
sons. lie said that great many children
do not come up regularly through the re-
ceivlng classes and first and second grades.
AS many of these pupils are quite Large
teachers don't like to set them back.
Miss ConkliDg of the Starr King Pri-
mary School, Miss McKendry of the North
Cosmopolitan Grammar School, Mrs. Mann
of the Hawthorne Primary School, Mrs,
Griffith of the Golden Gate Primary
School aud others gave reasons of similar
nature. The children were not properly
prepared when they entered the grade.
In various ways great deal of time was
lost. Teachers were little careful a5out
sending forward pupils who had not quite
learned 10 rely upon their own efforts.
Mrs. Brooks of the Girls High School
thought the children were carried too
tr0h hxyt tho tAnn IL .ul.x
enough to rely upon themselves.
Deputy Superintendent Babcock showed
that in one particular school there was
only one fourth grade class to fill from
two third grade classes. He believed the
principals would be better fitted 10 cope
with the question three months hence
Mr.. SWEET urged the principals TO in
struct the teachers TO push the older pupils
forward, and to omit the intermin Bile
questions in the eddition and multiplied
tion tables. The spirit of the rules should
be followed rather than the letter, and the
spirit was that the little folk should not be
Overburdened with long lessons at home.
You must not expect to reduce all
children to one exact mental caliber," said
he; ''tt has been demonstrated that that
cannot be done. The iron grip of the grade
must be relaxed and more judgment must
be exercised"
He then made a suggestion as to the
81 would like to have any especially capa-
BILE seventh grade pupils jump over the
eighth and go direct to the high school, If
old enough and in good health. l don't
want any stampede through, nor any con-
derabie number"
Such pupils would have to be at least
10 years of age and strong enough to stand
it.
Mr.. SWEET also recommended that pre-
vlOus to next years examination the prin-
cipals make a personal examination of
their scholars in reading.
The next idea of the Superintendent was
an innovation, and said to be decidedly
good one. He submit ed IA fac-simile speci-
men of Edls0n's business handwriting to
demonstrate the advantages both as 10
speed and ieglbility IF the system of nen-
manshlp kEown as the vertical" Secre-
tary Beanston of the Board of Education
writes hand somewhat Ike ii.
The system had been successfully tried
in the public schr OILS of Toronto, Canada.
The specimen Mr.. SWEET submitted had
been printed in periodical known as the
Popular Educator" published in tha.
center of culture, Boston.
In Mr.. Swett's opinion the chirography
was much better Than the SpenceriaG He
thought IT would be good thing to expert
ment little with it. Don't overturn
everythiug!' was bis admonition. how
ever, for fear the principals would drop the
old-style sloping SDencerian method at
once
And then came his recommendation to
the principals and teachers to take I'D the
study OF psychology among other peda-
gogics. An extract from an article by Su-
Derintendent Thomas NJ. Ballet of Spr ing
field, Mass. was read from Boston perl
0dical yclept "Education."
According to Mr.. Ballet the study would
enable teachers TO understand their cho,-
ars better. Mr.. SwetI told the results
summed up by Professor Earl Barnes. who
holds the chair of pedagogy in the Stan
ford University.
Children had been requested 10 make
drawings or pictures of the simple German
story. johnny Looking Into the Air. To
the number OF $685.. between The ages OF 6
and II years, they responded with 1928
p:clures. some oil them very amusing.
Professor Barnes conclusions were:
Pictures 10 children under 9 or 10 years
of age are system Of symbolic language
rather than artistic representations
thought in children is fragmeBtary, aud
any system of education TO be successful
must take into account this fact; up To the
age of 13 for girls and ID for boys children
are bold, spontaneous and confident to
undertake any task. but after that period
they steadily tend TO become dffidept. self.
conscious. and less sure of their nOwers.