The Portland daily press., 1896-05-21
TO GRADE PUPILS.
Meeting of superintendents of City Schools
at Augusta.

The Kennebeo Journal says the meet
ing of Superintendents Of the Public
Schools Of Maine cities with State Super
intendent Stetson at Augusta Tuesday,
was highly successful.
Those present were: James e. Coch-
rane, Hallowell; John E. Fulton, Bel
fast; O. NJ. Lord, Portland; Mary S.
Snow, Bangor; Mrs. NJ. M. Curtis,
Brewer; S. E. Weber, Calais; A. P.
Wagg, Auburn; A. P. Irving, Rookland;
8. 1. Graves, Augusta; J. M. Larrabee,
Gardiner; Frank b. Hill, South Port
land; John S. Locke, Saco; o. G. Evans,
Belfast; I. G. Phillips, Lewiston; W.
II. Winslow. Bath; II. A. Moore, Ellis
worth; Alice Chenery, Wayne.
At the meeting there were
many Interesting discussions, in which
there was a general participation. 1t
was, however, conceded By all that there
should be a mum boring of grades, from
1 to 9, each representing years study,
and leading up to the threshold of the
high school. This means the abolish
ment Of all such terms as primary, in
termediate, grammar, etc.
Further than the ninth grade, that Is,
in the high school grade, there was some
diversity Of opinion. Some wanted the
course of numbering oontin ued, and the
four years. course at the high soho oil
! known as grades 10, IL, 10 and 10, re-
speotively; others that they should be
known as 1st high, End high, etc; and
many liked ths classification as at pres-
ent in many cases, by freshmen, sopho-
mores, Juniors and seniors. But this dis
cusslon was in way irrelevant, and. for
present purposes, it didn't matter much
what they were called. 1t was the lower
school that demanded tho attention.
Another matter Of great Importance
was that Of establishing two bases of pro-
| motion; Firstly, such reviews and
ranking of the same as would convince
the child Of his fitness to proceed, or the
necessity of his again going over the
| work; secondly, the judgment of the
| teachers should be taken into considera-
ton, as to the wisdom of promoting GER
| tain pupils The school superintendent
is often called upon for the use of much
discretion in these latter cases, and in
making DECISION is naturally depen-
dent to a great degree. upon the teach
ers.
| These bases, when combined, form the
fairest scheme for promotion.
Regarding the studies to be taken up
at sach Of the several grades, the extent
to which they should be pursued, by
pupils of certain ages was discussed in
an exceedingly lively fashion, but for the
laity to understand these discussions with
any degree of accuracy, would be out of
the question. For, interviewer with
the many fine distinctions interposed, are
the recognized standards of the various
| textbooks, which are known to teachers
and teachers only.
The discussions were confined wholly
| to the thigh school grades. In gram
mar there was an unanimous feeling that
| the present way of teaching it, in con-
nection with every other branch, wa
highly to be recommended, for it
taught the pupil as ne went along.
Touching upon the standard set by
Hyde's system, some thought that tech
nicalities such as analysis, and parsing,
in general, should be studies in the upper
four grades preceding the high school;
others that it should be confined to the
very last. The system of teaching
was highly thought of.
In arithmetic, there was general feel
ing expressed in having as little alton
ton as possible paid to rules, and prob
lens outside of the pupils con:prehen-
sion. The measurements Of things Of
which the pupil knew was recommended,
and the general elimination of allegation
and tables introducing detail should be
discarded.
Geography, it was generality admitted,