Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-23
School Economy.

10 the Editor of The Evening Star:
Taxpayer No. 1 is happy to welcome to
the company of the real friends of our pub
lie schools such an intelligent critic as
Taxpayer No. 2. For the benefit of our
schools. Taxpayer No. Q will do well IL he
should continue his investigations and sug-
gestions until the eyes of the people are
opened fully. to see the real condition and
the demands for more efficient and eco
nomical management of our schools.
You. Mr.. Editor. have very properly sug-
gested that there may well be a question
as to whether our public school structure
is not somewhat top-heavy." Yes. indeed.
we are building our school structure" six
teen and twenty stories high. upon poor
and rickety foundation; but IT should ever
be borne in mind that the most thorough
and the best work must always be at the
bottom of every structure.
The primary schools are at the bottom OF
our school structures. Here, more than
anywhere else, is skill, judgment and ex-
perfence needed.
easily demonstrated. and they WIN be ac-
cepted by every experienced and well-in-
formed educator:
First, primary pupil needs more and
better instruction, and more personal as
sstance. than a high school pupil.
Second, the teacher Of such a pupil needs
more experience. better Judgment and skin
than the teacher of high school.
1t is true that these propositions conflict
with general practice in other cities, an
well as our own. A corollary to these pro-
positions is that properly qualified primary
teachers should be as well paid as the
average teachers OF the high school
1t has been asserted. and it is probably
true, that large numbers of the pupils in
grades, are seriously deficient in ability to
read and spell the English language, simply
because of defective training in the primary
grades. As consequence of this deficiency
M ha iOh coha
PEELED to do work which ought to have been
done in the lower grades. or else send their
pupils forth, imperfectly qualified, TO be .
discredit to the high schools.
This state Of things arises from two
causes:
First. many of the teachers of the lower
grades are the youngest and most mex
perienced of the teachers.
Second, even the best Of the lower grade
teachers are often loaded down with so
many kinds Of work and with SO much
do as well as they know how; nor as wei
as they would do, If they were not tram
meled.
The real business of the high school
should be: First, to furnish such instruo-
ton in the necessary branches Of school
education as cannot, for want of time be
given efficiently In the eight lower grades.
Second. to fit pupils for entering upon q
professional course of studies. Third, to
mt them for the college OF for the univer-
sity.
The eight lower grades are or ought to
be, SO taught and managed as to give q
sufficient amount Of training for any of the
common employments Of life; so that for
nine-tenths of the children in our public
schools there should be no necessity for
instruction above the eighth grade
If the primary grades are properly taught,
as they can be. by properly qualified teach
ers. the high schools would never have oc--
casion, as now, to teach spelling and read
ing.
A careful examination of the attendance
Of pupils in our schools will show the re-
markable fact that nine-tenths Of those
who are enrolled do not continue In tho
schools. on an average. more than five
years: or. in other words, do not advance
beyond the studies of the fifth grade.
No stronger argument can be used to
show the necessity for the best kind Of In
struction in the lower grades.
TAXPAYER NO. L