The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-14
LENGTHY session
The Monthly Meeting Of the
School Committee.
Eighth and Ninth Grade Courses
Discussed at Great Length.
Reorganization Of Training School to be Con.
sidered at Special Meeting.


and all the members were in attendance,
including Mr.. Littlefield. Chairman Blod
] gett presided, and the first business trans
| acted was the passage of the following
bills: Supplies, s7605; clerks wages, SIS;
janitors' wages, 1888; repairs and care,
$272.39; fuel and gas and water, S1261 81 I;
incidentals, $173.35; evening drawing
school, s196.62; evening schools, s156; refer
| ence books and apparatus, S142.S4; text
books and stationary, s559.37; total,
s2S71.s3.
Mr.. Cronin, for the committee on quail
| fications, reported that the committee ap-
| proved the recommendation made by the
! Superintendent that Miss Jackson and
Peacock be continued as substitutes, and
that Miss Almy, Miss Boles and Miss
Clark be appointed assistant teachers in
| the second grade at Laurel Hill, first grade
| at East street and Fairlawn respectively.
The recommendations were adopted.
The following resolution introduced by
| Mr.. Coop was after a brief discussion re-
ferred back to the High School Committees
"Voted, To request the School Board to
refer the consideration of the Brown
University Normal course for secondary
teachers to the proper committee, to re-
port on the advisability of its adoption In
connection with the Pawtucket High
School,"
Chairman Blodgett, as chairman of the
| committee appointed by the committee of
'96 to prepare a course of study for the
sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth grades,
reported as follows:
''Io the School COMMITTEES:
"Gentlemen-Your committee to which
was referred the matter of preparing a
course of study for the sixth, seventh,
eighth and ninth grades offer the follow
ing report: We have had separate meet
ings with each of the above grades, as rep
resented by all the teachers in each re-
| spective grade, also with the several
Supervisors and the,Superintcnde'it going
over with the respective teachers in
each grade the course of study prepared by
the superintendent, and submitted to the
School Committee, and going over with
the ninth grade the provisional course also
prepared by the Superintendent.
"Your committee have found 1t impos-
sible to agree upon a course of study for
the several grades, and respectfully refer
the matter back to the Board for such ac-
ton as they deem proper"
at great length. Mr.. Emerson arose to
inquire the state the matter was left in by
the report, and was informed by the
chairman that it was in the same state as
it was before the committee took it up.
The chairman recommended action. Mr.
Emerson thereupon moved that a COM
mittee be appointed to prepare course of
study for the sixth, seventh, eighth and
ninth grades. The question of the advis-
ability of the continuance of the ninth
grade being discussed, Mr.. Cronin re-
marked that it wonld be advisable to set
tie the question before the committee was
appointed. Mr.. Emerson having remarked
regarding the ideas of the members of the
committee appointed by the old board,
Mr.. Coop remarked that he must be a
mind reader to say what the other men,
bers of the committee thought.
The motion of Mr.. Emerson not having
been seconded, Mr.. Coop moved that the
course recommended by the Superintend-
ent of Schools for eight grades be adopted.
Mr.. Slattery thought that Mr.. Coop
should lay the eighth grade course before
the members of the committee before
vote was taken. Mr.. Cronin said that the
matter was a very important one, and he
should like to consider the relative merits
of the eighth and ninth grade systems,
and suggested that the matter be laid over
for consideration. Mr.. Coop agreed with
the last speaker.
Mr.. Slattery moved that action on the
question be laid over for one month. Mr..
Fisher having obtained permission to
make q statement on the question, made
an address Of some length on bis position
on the matter and of the advisability of
adopting the eighth grade system. He
would be glad to have the matter go into
the fall, and one year from next September
the matter would have so adjusted itself
that the ninth grade would have been
gradually eliminated.
The fact developed that while the COM
mittee has the matter under consideration
that no meetings had been held with the
teachers over the fifth grade, as the Super
intendent did not consider such action
courteous to the committee. When the
people of Pawtucket understood the eighth
grade course, the Superintendent said ''they
would hold up their handsl for it," In
answer to question from one of the MEM
bers OF the committee as to why the action
of the old board had been taken, Mr..
Fisher replied that II was ''snap legislation
ON hot night" Mr.. Littlefield consid-
cred the matter most important one and
suggested delay. Mr.. Emerson said the
objection last year was that there was too
much work I'm the course laid out The
principal and teachers had agreed to this
view. Mr.. Fisher said I'm reply that he
thought this was an erroneous idea. The
pupils were being fitted for life and not
for college. The plan was admirably fitted
to Pawtucket, and the large population OF
the industrial classes. Chairman Blodgett
supported the Superintendent, ard said
the teachers were In the dark regarding
the matter, and the criticisms made last
year were extremely trivial.