Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-09-28

 cred sufficient to make up fer the small mum Der of marks by which they fell below the standard.
 Forty-three young ladies took the examina- tion. or these. 2l obtained certificates.
 REMOVAL OF TEACHERS.
 During the last year rumors were rife in the community Tehecting upon the character and habits of four of the teachers. There are III ID our corps of teachers. As soon as these rumors became definite and tangible tkey were brought to the notice of the board by the superintendent. The matter was re- ferred to the committee on teachers. This committes at once began an investigation. It was very difficult to obtain any trust worthy evidence. Fully 100 persons were questioned by different members of the con- mittee. Some had heard rumors, but did mol believe them, some believed them because others did. but had no personal Knowledge or any direct proof, some declined to be questioned. A few who criticised the board in the matter claimed to know of evidence which would convict, but refused to give it. The investigation was long and pains- taking. occupying more than forty hours in special sessions Of the committee and Rs much more individual work by the different members. They determined not 10 extenu- ate nor to act without proof. It was due to the community that the investigation should be thorough. It was due to all the teachers that no one should be condemned unheard and without complete testimony. The re- suit reached was this: The teachers involved were replaced by others.
 Every member ot the board Of education most keenly regrets this scandal. IL Is sad that any teacher should fall from Der high estate. It is unfortunate that our schools should sun sr on this acc punt and that our teachers should suffsr becauss ot the bad conduct Of three or four of tEeir number. IL is unfortunate that throughout the state and beyond it's limits exaggerated stories have spread and reflections have been cast upon our school system. We have body ol teachers of noble character and of lofty mo- tives. We have a school system which ranks well with others in the state. Not here more than elsewhere will evil be tolerated.
 TEACHERS.
 Very few persons realize the difficulties ol a teachers position, the superior qualities oi mind and heart required, the Iaborious work almost drudgery sometimes. the unceasing care and anxiety, the never ending study The time given out of school to school work often equals that spent in the class room There are so many obstacles over which she has no control which prevent her from reach ing her ideal standard. It is no easy posi-. ton. We can speak in high commendation of our teachers as body. They are faithful industrious, earnest and constantly improv. ing.
 TRAINING SCHOOLS.
 We need one or more training schools Most of our teachers when first appointed have had no experience in teaching. They are placed in lower grades and slowly learn A.. ,t,, II 70 best and most experienced primary teachers lately remarked: "It had had thres months in training school before began to teach it would have put me forward three yelrs in my work"
 There need be little or no expense in pro- viding these schools. One or more of the best graded schools now in the district could be designated as training schools, and wait ing candidates, holding certificates, could be favored in appointment, il they had spent d D -es,ribed number of weeks in one of these schools in actual work under m experienced teacher.
 GRADE EXAMINATIONS
 This subject was fully sat forth in the last annual report. These are voluntary eNamt- nations for our present teachers, and offer | small increase of salary to those who show | wider range Of Information and a broader culture than the competitive examination calls for IL Is expected that the examination of the present year will be held this fall.
 CoUR,E OF STUDY.
 The studies of tue pubic schools, especially those below the High school may be divided rather indefinitely int) four general classes without any sharp line of distinction between the classes. They aIe dIi studies, informa tion studies. disciplinary studies. and cultur' studies. Drill studies are those which cal for much practice, drill, repetition, as mucl of number work, arithmetic, learning to read to write, 10 spell, the technical parts of gram mar. They are studies which train the minC to an automatic, instirctive, mechanical actioC. They train certain brain cells ol nerve ceLters to respond by what the Physi ologists call reflex action, not requiring the mind to exercise reason, judgment, imHGinH ton. Teaching the multiplication table is ar extreme example under this division. mi, table must be learned so as ogive lis product, instautaIeously without paus,ng 10 think. IL formation studies are those whose main ob iect IS to impart information as certain IarI: ol physiology and geography.
 Disciplinary studies; all studies are nort or less disciplinary, as they do more or lesi Of training the higher powers O, the mind Algebra, geometry and the problems in arith metic are examples. Culture studies arr those which broaden or expand the mind which have to do with higher forms Of think ing which take the person out of his littl limited Individuality; which supply him witt interesting, noble, elevated objects o thought. The higher portions of geography l literature, history, the fine arts, sC ms ot ih ciences are examples. Ths higher the civil ization of n sac or country the greater is tE demand for culture studies.
 IL is important to have these divisions il mind and to understanl their distinction somewhat in detail in order to make out | good course of study and to employ the tes l methods in teaching. The "new education, :, as il is sometimes called, differs materially fl | Its principles and methods from the old edu cation Of twenty and more years ago. Unde the old plan little child on entering tn primary school was first taught the alphabet next the spelling Of short meaningless syl lables as ''ab, eb, ib." Alter weeks of this iI | struction almost meaningless sentences com posted of short words are given hin, as "It | so." ''So it is." The child was next taugt to make figures and to read numbers, the addition, subtraction, multiplication an division were taught in sequence, followe by fractions. Writing was begun in the fourt school year.
 Al the present time reading. writing, Ian | guage work and number work, 1ncludin fractions, all form part Of the instruction ( the first month in the primary sehoo'. Som simple science work and literature and gee graphy and history, ull taught orally, hay a place in the teaching of the hEst and secon primary years. This teae hing keeps in min the four divisions of studies mentione above. The primary teaching in our schoo Is most of It very well done, and the rooms were not so crowded and If ther was a larger supply of. object work, would | | entirely satisfactory.
 | KINDERGARTEN.
 II is not necessary at the present day, {