The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-09-08
Educational Column.
BY GEORGE r. WILSON. COUNTY suP'r.
Grading Schools.

Grading Schools.
Y The state of Indiana now has uni
form course Of study, and the county
commissioners and township trustees
have purchased for each school in Du-
bois county classification record TO
enable teachers to classify and grade
their schools. The wisdom In this is
shown by the following selection taken
from book entitled How TO organize,
classify and teach country school:
La every school there should be
ciassifi alton register and course OF
study. This course should outline pref
ty definitely the work for each year, or
each term. In the register the school
should be so classified that succeeding
teachers may know just where each class
should begin on the first day for pupils
should not be turned back to the first OF
the book every term, but should finish
Nd some work each term with pros
pect OF finishing the Course OF Study
and graduating from the country school
as pupils do from city schools. The ad-
vantages Of such sys stem are as follows: !:
III All the rural schools OF county
have Cour.e OF Study and uniform
classification. (2) The record will
show TO succeeding teachers the stand
ing of each pupil, the studies he has
been pursuing and just how far he has
advanced in each study-thereby en-
abling the teacher to have the school IN
running order the fret day OF the term.
I3.) Ii will give 10 pupils the incentive
OF q graded schooi-to finish certain
amount each term, aud finally, to grad
Iuate from the country school, ready to
, enter the high school a. Ii will
make tue country schools feeders OF the
high schools, bridge over the gap be.
, tween them. and bring them into closer
relation, as is now being done with ouI
high schols aud colleges. (5.) Pupils
, may be promoted from one grade to
. another as their abilities and advance
; ment may warrant, and this system o.
promotion will be an incentive to pu-
pills 10 finish part of the course eacl
. Term, passing satisfactory examination
; before going from one grade into toe
!. next. l6) A reporting sheet, CORE
I. spending TO . page of the register, SEN
. each month or each term TO the county
3 superintendent, shows him the standing
e of each pupil in the county, the studie
q be is pnrsning, and the general worl
e each teacher is doing, thereby enablinl
q him TO cooperate with the teacher u
a the advancement and graduation O
: classes and the general supervision
d the school,
: There is still found here and there
teacher " no does not believe that coun
try schools can be graded. We are sor
lry this il true; but since there Is ais
occasionally found a person who doe
not believe the earth is round, we con
!, sole ourselves.
= All teachers who have given the sut
!, ject attention and study, agree both a
: TO the feasibility and the Importance
:. country school gradation. And we
= they may. Gradaiion and classificatio
Z ire only methods that conduce TO sys
Item. DO you believe in system! IL 81
j, YOU believe in gradstion and classitics
!, lion. As soon as you begin 10 grad
~ and classify your school you begin |
~ svstematize il for more efficient work
The purpose is to group pupils OF al
=, proximate ability aud advancement
- that the teacher may assign them wor
- al apted TO them. Whenever the teacl
err does this she grades and CLASHES.
he Now il there country school
\ which this grouping is not done to
IN greater or less extent! IL there IL, IT
he either so small that each pupil forms
In class. or so far behind the times as
remind one Of the relic OF snowdri
on the north bank Of q wooded guch
June.
The fact is, every we'll organized cou
,se l,rv school il graded and clsssifie
ysI whether the teacher realizes II or nc
aslThe gradation may be loose and only a
nd proximate, the classification may
ed poor: but in some shape z, adation al
n classification Ia done in nearly eve
ses county school
hes The question, then should not be, &c
this work be done 2" but "Can IL be ~
on e,Iectually done?- That il can be dol
er, there Is no doubt. The work has be
ose tried In many country schools aud
n.y. been found uniformly success. w
as, three -fourths OF the country schools
OIL Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, Minnesota' a.
lie. Michigan and large portion OF Ne0r'
nat ka. the Dakotas and Indiana. and sol
nil counties in other states, have adopted
en-. cIas ssiticatiou record and course OF stu
bod for rural schools and reports from
jntendents Of these counties snow wo
uniformly success. We will thereft
Iic. dwelI no longer on the question, -
oae any school be grsded!" but will cons
M, or the following more practical qnestit
m. How may country schools be grac
~ ana classified more effectually! Il
n = things are necessarv: A course OF stu
,en. cannot be Systematically followed
,nce from term TO term without classitl
the ton record in which TO record each
hail nils progress ia tn course
zed Before going further let US see ha
coursc OF study l., aud what i,s OBJ
ANY course Of study iss simply an
line OF work. IL may simply men'
the ranch TO be pursued, or y may
/ the vide each branch into sections and 81
cans The work 10 be done each month, or
egal. ,srm OF months, or period Of years.
,tion addition 10 this IL may contain su9l
,fIice s;crs relating 10 the work OF each e