Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-01-17

Tact that the State Principals Associa-
ton is asking the Legislature to make |
important additions to the present
school laws, the public should be in.
formed as to just what legislation is
proposed and what conditions make i!
desirable. AS the plan for giving State
aid to the Training School for Teachers
has already received your editorial sup
port, and the proposed Central High
Schools for the rural districts have been
rather generally discussed, it is neces-
sary in the present communication to
throw light only upon tine effort that is
being made to establish a uniform cur.
riculum and more flexible system of
grading.
Last spring, almost simultaneously,
the State Principals Associations and the
State Board of Education began work
upon detailed curriculum which would
be suitable for general adoption. As
result the State Board has already issued
course of study for the primary
schools, and, cooperating with a COM
mittee of the association, is now prepaf-
ing similar course for the four gram
mar grades.
1t is not the intention Of those who
favor uniform curriculum, to force the
district schools to conform to a misfit
course of study originally cut out for
some city school; it is not their Intention
to compel short.term schools to do in Il
brief school year the full amount of
work that the curriculum-to-be shall
specify for the maximum term. They
wish by law to bring all schools to teach
the necessary branches properly CORE
lated, net from the same text books, nor
by the same methods, but invariably
and universally in the same general
sequence. No matter how large the
school or how short its term, each Of its
pupils has the moral highland should
have the legal right-to be taught the
Tudiments of branch, before he takes
up more advanced work in that branch;
to gain thorough knowledge Of elc.
mentary arithmetic, before he begins the
study of higher arithmetc to get all
that he can learn from Language les.
sons" before he attempts to master
grammar as science. .=
The first legislative action requested
by the State Principals Association
might therefore well be called "An Act
to Prevent Bright Minds from Being
Made Dull" for nothing so certainly
tends to mental stagnation as an attempt
up hill; nothing so quickly makes
"dunderheads" as the conscientious
efforts of an Unqualified teacher, to
force young minds to understand or to
blindly apply principles entirely beyond
their grasp Sometimes it is teacher,
intelligent but weak, who yielding to
parents prejudces or pupils whims
thus violates natural laws; but the two
crimes are similar in kind and though
the first may be but "mind slaughter
and the second mind MURDER the
mind is left just as dead by one as by
the other.
If wrong such as this is to be pre-
vented, the general distribution of
curriculum prepared by superintendent,
and principals, must be followed by il!
universal adoption, something that car
only be brought about by the law Of til,
State enforced by proper penalties.
1t is not intended to prevent the addi
tlons to necessary work that are oftei
made to meet local conditions The pro
posed law deffinitely states shat sup
Elementary work not conflicting witt
the required work shall be evurywher
permitted"
Even the possibility that some zealou
teacher might be tempted to grade
district school too strictly, has been pro
yided for by removing the most serlst.
difficulty that grading carries in Il
train. While in the country it has ofte
been rather go as you please" cours
OF study which each pupil has pursued
the main evil in the town has pean III
forcing of pupil into a grade where ii
does not fully belong-thc chief reaso
why SO many pupils leave school beflr
completing the full course. So tha
though the country should surely hay
some of the surplus system Of the tewl
the town most sorely needs a little
the freedom the country has to spar
The following provision for flexio
system of grading, approved by IL
United States commissioner Of educ,
ton, and unanimously adopted BY Ii
State Principals Association, has Their
fore been incorporated in the Act
Secure Uniform Curriculum: 9Th
no pupil capable of more advance
work in some branches than in other
shall be graded in all branches by h
advancement in those in which he h
made least progress, but that such
pupil shall be admitted to the grade
which he is best fitted in each indiyidu
branch; provided, that in no case sh
there be difference of more than ty
grades between pupils classlticati
in any two branches; and that VIII
such limit shall be reached, the study
the branch or branches in which I
pupil shall be farthest advanced, sh
be abandoned until the application
the time thus gained to the slight
work, together with arrested progress
the more advanced studies, shall bri
down difference in classification to d
grade, when work can be continued
before"
The State Principals Associate,
composed as it is of not only men G,
trolling graded schools but Of those W
with but one assistant find rigid grt
ing impossible, does not seek in the i
islation proposed, to test perso
theories or to attempt educational
periments; confronted by conditit
which made some action necessary, i
doing its best to promote the gene
welfare of the free schools of Deiawg
While Wilmington will, By the US
legislative clauses, be exempted fl
all the provisions Of this act, this
empton must not be taken Us eXprs
ing the associations approval OF
separation OF the Wilmington sch
system from that Of the state lud,
it is the belief Of many principals /
the superintendent OF tree schools
Wilmington should be made Il mem
of the State Board Of Education,
that Wilmington Schools, should,
other schools which attempt, peril
under les favorable conditions, as j.
grade OF work, help 10 !eayen tAp 2