The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-27
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Change of Keguiationsin the High School
and Proposed Change of Marking
in the Grammar Schools.

Inc regular uoHIIly meeting OF the
School Committee was held yesterday
afternoon. Mayor Baxter presided, and
there we're present Messrs. Blake. Nc
Gowan, Brownson, Mcdonald, Bradley,
Allan and Supt. Lord
BENZ. G. Ward, ESQ.,, in behalf of Miss
Carrie j.. Gordon of the Butler school
who has been sick with typhoid fever,
since the beginning of the term, asked
that she be granted full pay for two
months during her sickness. The board
did not grant the request, not wishing to
establish precedent, though there was
a general expression Of sympathy with
Miss Gordon.
Several changes in the High School
regulations came up for consideration,
having been proposed at the last meet
ing. These were fully discussed by each
member of the board. The following or
der was passed;
Ordered, That the principal of the
| High School record, or cause to be re-
corded, in a book kept by him for that
| purpose, the rank attained by each pupil
| in each study as shown by the results of
| the daily recltations as kept by the teach
ers and of the semi-annual
examinations. The result shall be found
| by multiplying the average of the daily
/ recitations by three and adding to the
! product the result of the semi-annual ex-
animation, then dividing the sum by
four. The average rank of the several
/ pupils in all the studies shall also be
kept in the said book.
That the principal at the close of each
two months, by properly prepared
card, notify OF cause to be notified, the
/ parents. or guardian, or person having
! the pupil in charge, of the rank of the
pupil in each study, also the result of
each semi-annual examination, together
/ with such other information touching
the school life of the pupil as may be
necessary.
That all orders heretofore passed con-
fiicting with the foregoing are hereby re-
! pealed.
| The first clause Of section of chapter
5, was amended by inserting at the end
of the clause the following:
Pupils, who by reason of i'll health.
cannot pursue all the branches of study
! in the course selected, may be allowed to
| discontinue any Of them by filing with
| the principal of the school a statement
OF the studies which they wish to drop,
together with a certificate from ply
| stefan that their health will not allow
| them to pursue all the studies in the
| course; but such omitted studies shall
| be taken with the next class at the be-
ginning of the next year or term as the
case may be. & ass s
| Pupils may be excused from attend
| ance on part of the classes in the High
! School, on presentation of physician S
| certificate that their health requires
such exemption; but pupils shall not be
excused from attendance or any class,
| if they take instruction in any form out
side the school.
| Superintendent Lord called attention
| to the following extract from his last re-
port and asked thatsbhe committee give
it consideration with aview to adopting
the system of markinkin the grammar
| schools here outlined:
The system ofjpromotion from the
grammar schools Ito the high school by
written examinations demands few mo
ments' attention.
! In order to be promoted, pupil in the
| grammar schools must obtain an average
| rank of Is. He is ranked in the follow
| ing. studies: Reading, spelling, writing
and drawing, physical geography, gram
| mar, arithmetic, English history. In the
first four Of these studies the average
child easily obtains a rank of from IS to
100. which permits him "a rank of from
so to go in the last three studies, which
are the most nificult, and yet he secures
his promotion to the high school on an
average rank of rs. He enters the high
school and is ranked in only three stu
dies, each of which is more difficult than
the most difficult study in the grammar
schools, and in these three studies he
must obtain an average rank of IS to re-
tain his standing in his class. The re-
suit is, that many pupils who were ac-
customed to obtain rank of S. or 80 in
the grammar school are surprised to find
that they have dropped to rank of 30
or go in the l.iel school and, becoming
discouraged. leave school at the end of
the first year. ! recommend that, if
written examinations are to continue to
be the basis of promotion, the rule be so
amended that, after this year, no child
shall be promoted who has not obtained
| rank of 10 in arithmetic and of Is in
history, grammar and geography each,
as well as an average rank in the entire
course of study.
The suggestion was referred to the
committee on rules and regulations, con-
sisting Of Messrs. Blake, Mcdonald and
Brownson.
Lizzie Hawkes., of the North school,
reported that she had lost her certificate
and new one was granted to her.
Miss Josephine A. Simonton. of the
Butler school, sent in her resignation, to
take effect January 2, and it was accept
ed. She is to teach in the schools of
Quincy. Mass.
Mr.. Bradley was given power to fill
the vacancy caused by the resignation of
Miss Simonton.
Miss Martha W.. Blake, of the Park
street school, was given leave of absence
| for three months.
Miss Ada L. Davis was transferred
temporarily from Peaks island to Park
street school.
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