The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-23

the excellent public school System which
this city enjoys that is unfamiliar IL not
unknown to a very large majority in the
community and we think the division OF
special schools established by the school
committee some three years ago is not
able and particularly interesting feature
Of such work.
That no great public attention has been
called to this system OF special schools
makes q recent description Of them and
their results given in an address by Mrs.
Rhoda A. Esten of the headquarters staff
OF the school department at recent
meeting Of the Educational Club OF Phila-
delpbis of quite as much interest to our
citizens as ii must have been to the
Quaker City educators. 1t sppssrs from
this address and the extracts made
therein from the reports on the service
made by Superintendent Tarbell that the
six special schools in operation in Provi-
dence have abundantly justified the OBJ
jects aimed at in their founding. The
purpose sought Of course was the provis-
ion OF suitable instruction and disci-
pline for pupils for whom our present
grades system OF schools is not well
adapted, while the immediate occasion for
the establishment. OF the schools was the
abolitiop.of corporal punishment in some
grades and its very great restriction ia
others, combined with a stric, emf orce-
ment OF the iru,nt law. Mrs. Esten
points out that the changs In the mooe
of enforcing discipline in our regular
schools caused the teschers great troubl.
at first. Discipline became mors diff
cult and some means of restraining
those who seemed not to be smensble to
reason we're needed. Al first the remedy
against insu bordinstion was suspension
and sending home to parents. We found,
ss others have found, that the frequent
and wholesale sending pupils home for
misconduct brings the school into disre-
pute and the teacher into contempt. The
parent becomes exssrerstet and de-
nounces the teacher ia the presence OF
the child or punishes the child with too
great severity. The strict enforcement Of
the truant law compellsd the pupils,
turned loose upon the street, to return to
school. thus causing the attendance OF a
class OF children who never relish the
confinement OF the school-the trusnts
and children of the street. But Of the
pupils provided for in these schools, per.
hsps the most deserving are those who,
by reason OF poverty or lack of means,
can attend school only eighty days OF
the year, and, IN consequence of this loss
OF time In school, fail to keep up with
their grade work. The boy who gets be-
hind his fellows ana has grown old In
years and become maturer In powers,
but deficient In bis acquisitions, can
not be well provided for In our graded
schools. He enters school sfter a years.
absence, perhaps, and is clsssed with
pupils younger and smaller than him
self. This is CALLING TO his pride. IL
he be a boy Of good ability TO whom op-
portunity has been lacking, he can do
much more than his classmates, but has
no opportunity to GO faster. II be pe
dull, staying at home has not increased
his power Of acquisition, though some de-
velopment has come with years. In a
man nufacturing city like Providenc, the
number Of pupils OF this class IL large.
AS the aim of these SCHOOLS is msinlv
the character building, the discipline Is |
corrective, not punitive. Great pains are |
taken by the teachers who are specially
selected for their arduous task, to implant |
In the minds of these pupils just con-
eophiSh VI thcii uutics W tHtuhelNes ana 1
TO those around them and a respect for
lawful authority, thus including in the
school training the training Of the home |
in q marked degree. The teachers are
allowed to use corporal Punishment IL |
they deem 1t uefu; in any case. They
are not to endure disrespect and imperti-
nence tamely, in order to make a reputs-
lion Of managing bad boys without pun
ishment.
These 81 ecial schools evidently not only
help the pupils assigned to them but as
Mrs. Esten points out help to make good
schools tibet rule and are Of great advan-
tsge to the pupils of the regular graded
schools. The effect on the regular school.
Is not easy to describe by figures but may
we'll be understood by the general public