The Washington bee., 1897-11-13
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

REPORT READY-NEW TEACHERS AP-
POINTED REV. BROWN OFFERS
RESOLUTION TO SELECT MUSICAL
DIRECTOR FROM AMONG THE TEACH
ERs.
At the regular monthly meeting OF
the Board of School Trustees, neio
Tuesday afternoon at the FranElin
School Building, the annual report OF
the body was submitted by Gen: Speer.
The document was approved as
whole by the trustees, and upon oeing
signed by the President OF the boaro,
will be forwarded to the District COM
missioners, together with the reports
of the Superintendent of Schools and
the supervising principals OF the differ
ent buildings. The report was quite
lengthy and contains some important
recommendations for the Commission
ers to act upon.
When the board was called to order
by President Whelpley there were
present Secretary !. G. Falck, Messrs.
barnard, Hazen, Wilson. Spear,
Brown, Richardson, Mrs. Tulloch, and
Mrs. Terrell. Maj. Harries came IN
later AS there was no objection, the
minutes of the previous meeting, SUD-
mitted in printed form. were approved.
MIR. Barnard, of the first division, re-
ported that NJ N. Lovejoy, teacher
of the sixth grade, had been granted
leave of absence; that M. E. Sheads
had been promoted from fifth to sixth
grade, and from 500 per annum to S775
per annum; that B. M. Shooke had
been appointed teacher in the fifth
grade. at salary of $500 per anuum.
CHANGES AMONG TEACHERS.
From the sixth division it was re-
ported that ]. +. Ward had resigned, !,
to take effect October 81; that Robert
Boyle was transferred from the Twin
ing School to the Hayes School, taking
effect November 1 +; that Miss Caroline
Bernard had been appointed tempo
rary teacher during the absence of Miss
L. l.. Mckenzie, who is away on leave.
In the eleventh division it was order
ed to promote E. M. Collins, teacher,
| from third to fourth grade, at salary
of $3.50 per annum; to promote E. ].
Jones, teacher, from second to third
grade, al salary of $500 per annum to
appoint Lucy j. Moten, teacher, at sal
ary of $425 per annum; to appoint Ma
Try V. Watkins, teacher, at salary of
&25 per annum, and E. H. Harvey.
In the ninth division it was ordered
to appoint Louise A. Lucas, teacher,
at salary of $500 ger annum, vice c. K.
Lewis, deceased, to take effect No.
vember s. The resignation OF NJ. A.
Douglas -Aughinbaugh as teacher in
the public schools was accepted.
ANfA taI of
Congress Heights School, vice Lake
w: Jones; Edward Flaherty was ap-
pointed janitor of Van Buren, School,
vice ]. I. Acton, transferred. Sarah
+. Jack and Fannie Cassin were ap-
pointed substitute teachers of cooking.
THE ANNUAL REPORT.
Gen. Speer then stated that he had
been called upon to prepare the report
of the board, which document was now
ready for the Presidents signature.
President Whelpley ordered that the
report be read by Secretary Falck.
After lengthy, but logical and con-
vincing, introduction, in which it is sci
out that the old method of teaching
young children the alphabet and null
tiplication table, cramEllng stuff "
into their heads, the uses of which they
know nothing, and driving them to
learn things at tender age that should
be taught when older, is wrong, and
should be abandoned, an appropria-
ton is urged for the esta blishment ot
a course of manual training or kinder.
garten for the children just entering
school. The proposed new learning
or method of learning reverses the old
method entirely. 1t begins as nature
begins, the report says, with things be.
fore the symbol of things.
1t is the opinion of the trustees that
the children should first be taught the
practical rudiments of life before the,
begin a technical education First,
they should learn the proper use q
and afterward a knowledge Of letters
The trustees would like TO have this
course Of manual training carried
along with the book studies in all the
lower grades of the schools.
The report recommends that an as
sistant should be appointed to Super
intendent Powell; that additiona
teachers should be appointed, and tha
the salaries of the teachers should bs
increased. is stated that at the pres
ent time the salaries of teachers i
scarcely as much as that paid messen
gers in many Of the departments, not
withstanding the fact that the future o
thousands of children are annually in
trusted to the care and wisdom O
these officials.
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.