The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-02
WILL BE FEW VACANT DESKS.
PUPILS HOLDING THEIR SEATS IN
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

supt. AshmOre Figuring on the Pros
poets For Next Year-The Ratio OF
Promotions Being Looked Into
Teachers Already Leaving For
Their Summer Vacations.
The school records for the year just
closed have been sent in to the office
of Superintendent Ashmore, and he is
compiling and consolidating them.
When this is done he will be able to dis
Germ at a glance what vacancies will ex-
list in the schools. and will consequently
find no difficulty in issuing cards during
the summer and assigning applicants to
the schools
There will not be so large a number Of
vacancies to fill at the opening of the
next term, for many of the children that
might have dropped out. have retained
their seats. Their names being on the
records at the close of this term entities
them to seats next term, and this knowl-
edge has induced many to think twice be-
fore Withdrawing.
There is a prospect of many applicants
next term, and the children that might
have dropped out would stand no better
chance for places than the newcomers.
The percentage on the rolls at
the close of the schools was much larger
than that of last year. and the difference
is ascribed to the causes mentioned.
Considerable difficulty was experienced
last year in getting seats for all the chill
dren that wished to enter This difficulty
is imminent next term and the schools will
probably be just as crowded as they were
at the opening of last term.
Data is also being gathered from the
reports to admit of the superintendent rec
ommending any changes to the board Of
education that may be deemed necessary.
The changes are those which may grow
out of an effort to change the ratio of
the promotions in the schools.
Some three months ago Superintendent
Ashmore compiled a statistical report for
the past seven years to indicate the ratio
of promotions in all the grades. Properly,
the curriculum of the schools should be
so adjusted and adapted to the childrens
abilities as to admit of about eight being
promoted to one being kept back. This
ratio has not prevailed, and in some in
stances 1t has been as low as six
to one. This year especial pains
were taken with the facilities at hand to
overcome this undesirable proportion, and
it is not known that the efforts have proved
unsuccessful.
If the desired increase in the proportion
has been achieved the means
at hand are adequate and probably no
recommendation will be made. Whether
they have proven so Mr.. Ashmore is I'M
able to say until he has made an examina-
ton fthe reports. The board will hold
its next meeting July u, when the recon-
mendation may possibly be made.
Superintendent Ashmore received a let
ter from Health Officer LeHardy yester-
day asking that he be provided with an
order for his admission to any of the school
buildings. Mr.. Ashmore readily mailed
an order for the buildings janitors to FUR
nish the health officer or his assistants
every assistance when they visit the build
ings, and also assured Dr. LeI1ardy of
his cooperation in any work connected
with the hygiene of the schools. The jan
ttors have always had verbal instructions
10 admit the inspectors to the premises
and afford them any assistance they could.
The schools are all said to be in a per-
feet sanitary condition.
ne teachers are beginning to get aWay
from the city on summer trips. Mr.. p +.
Brown, principal of the Barnard street
school, and Mr.. w. S. Wilson, teacher of
mathematics in the High School, left yes
terday for Chicago, where they will take
special courses at the Chicago University.
Mr. NJ. M. Parks of Macon, recently elect
ed to position i'm the High School, has
also gone to the same university to take a
special course, Miss Lila Cabaniss of the
Anderson street school and Miss Anna
Harmon of the Barnard street school have
gone to Chautauqua, ". Y. Miss Pape of
the Massie school will go to Germany.
where she will visit friends, and at the
same time inspect the kindergarten sys-
TENS OF that country. Mrs. Spring of the
Barnard street school will leave
to-day for Milwaukee to attend the
convention of the National Educa-
tional Association. Mr. W. +.
Galloway, principal of Chatham School
No. 2, will leave tomorrow for Baltimore.
and Mr. Arthur J. O'Hara, principal of
81. Patrick's School, leaves Monday for
New York
Miss Emma Hopkins of Chatham school
will go to Virginia. Miss j. A. Muslin,
the principal of the Henry Street school.
will visit friends near Columbus j. c.
Ross, principal of the East Broad Street
colored school, will go out to the Indian
Territory md thanea n nafY.nft