The herald., 1895-04-26
|ND|V|DUAuSM IS KILLED
Does Not Permit a Moral
Expression
FORTY VOTE hAY.-.-FOUR VOTE AYE
Pupils Do Less Work Because
There Is No Restraint
THE SCHOOL WAR is NOW ON
The City School Boards Investigating
Committee Gets Verdict
THE SCHOOL WAR is NOW ON
Absence of Rccitations Causes Careless
Writing
The City Teachers Give an Overwhelming
Vote Against the System Introduced
by Superintendent Search

The school war is new a. 1t burst in
all its fury at o'clock yesterday afte
noon, and the first engagement lasted
over two hours and half. A month ago
the city board of education appointed a
committee to investigate the working of
the new system called indivdualism. All
the principals of the city schools were re-
quested to meet with the committee at
the Spring street school yesterday to dis
cuss the matter.
At the roll call nearly all the princi-
pals. about forty in number, were pres
ent, Messrs. Kennedy. Simonton, Grubb,
Pitman and Hale OF the city board were
present. Mr. Hale was not member of
the committee. Mr.. Pitman called the
meeting to order and stated the purpose
of the committee. He wanted the teach
ers to understand that they were ex-
pected to tell exactly what they thought
about individ lalism. without any re-
strainJ or fear of consequences.
Mr.. Pitman called on Mr.. Gates, prin-
cipal of tue high school, to state his opin-
ion of the new plan. Mr.. Gates was de-
cdedly in favor of the new plan. Most
of the teachers of the high school had ex
pressed themselves as favorable to the
system as nov followed
Mr.. Ennis, principal of the Spring
street scohol, read long list of opinions
gwen by the different teachers in the
Spring street school, among which were
the following;
The plan is good for bright pupils be.
cause it allows them to advance very rap.
idly. 1t is good for dull pupils, because it
allows them to go at their own rate of
speed"
THE plan is wrong because it allows
no oral expression, checks enthusiasm
and is fatal to regular attendance. 1t
breeds bad order and lack of thorough
ness. Under it poor pupils do less work,
because they can go as they please
1t allows no interchange of ideas, and
causes neglect of the reasoning powers.
Many important points overlooked by the
pupils are never brought out or COM
mented upon in any way.
1.-The absence of recitations causes care
less habits. does not allow for cultivation
of the voice. makes careless writing, and
does not allow repetition or review. which
are so essential TO the memory"
Mr.. Simonton read eight questions
which he wanted the principals to an
swer or vote upon as follows:
Is not two and a half months time
enough for fair trial for the system?
Are not great many parents SO dis
satisfied with the individual system that
they want the teachers to return to the
old system? Do not many children COM
plain of the system? Is there not large
falling off in attendance, which causes a
great loss of school money to the city?
Are not many more teachers needed fer
this system? Would it not cause much
greater expense? Without grades and
promotions can we continue to draw
money from the state school funds? Does
this system not discourage dull or lazy pu-
pills? Does this system not destroy ampi-
tion in general?'
Most Of the prominent principals of the
city expressed themse very mpha tic
ally in tie matter Among them were
Mrs. Du Bois, Miss Gordon, Mrs. Han
chette. Professors Millard. Ennis. Hutch
ison and DR.. Plummer. Arguments pro
and con were more numerous than is
usual at teachers meetings.
Mr.. Simonton stated that the board was
in receipt OF communications from school
men all over the country stating that the
individual system is used by a few high
schools only.
The vote on the first point was 10 for to
10 against; on the third, 10 for to 15
against; on the fourth the vote was
unanimous for more teachers and more
money.
Mr. Kennedy of the First ward stated
that it would be. impossible to have less
than forty pupils for each teacher. He
wanted a perfectly free expression of
opinion from each principal.
One principal stated that the plan which
proposed to DO away with classes and sub
stitute groups" was misleading. A
group was nothing but class. One was
an individual. A group was not an indi-
vidual.
Another principal stated that his work
in geometry was formerly excellent; that
the pupils had advanced very rapidly;
that under the new system they could not
do half so we'll, and could not pass an ex-
animation with any credit whatever.
The principals were urged to speak free
ly SO often that tuose who were at first
d iffidpOt gained and
with astonishing freedom. Sc 5eral gained
the floor half dozen times and grew
quite animated. Many wanted to return
to the old plan at once. All had some
desire to do as they pleased. without so
much supervision. Each one had inter-
preted individualism, as laid down in
Manual 3. to suit himself. One principal
stated that he had had no visiting day,
but that he gathered from the remarks of
the others that the city had lately been
suffering from an epidemic OF go-as-you-
please teaching, the like of which was not
known anywhere else except in West Vir-
glnia and Arkansas.
The camoring went on at an increasing
rate from 4 till 80 p. m. The gas was
lighted and supper was suggested several
times. but was not sighted.
The committee stated that they would
like a vote ON the indiyidualism question
in.general.
Would the teachers rather continue the
system, or would they rather go back to
tt . Did system at once? Would present
conditions warrant any further expert
menting?
Several asked to pe excused from vo.-
ing. Some wanted to vote on a modified
plan. The qusestion was finally put on
the plain issue, for individualism, and
against ndividualism.
The result of the vote was: For indi.
vidualism, 4 against individualism, 40;
not voting. ?.
The committee were of tie opinion that
they had heard enough to make full re-
port to the board at its next meeting and
the motion to adjourn was carried unan-
imously. The general opinion among
the teachers was thta Superintendent
Search would send in his resignation at
once.
YOUNGS ACCUSATION