The record-union., 1897-01-28
CONDITION OF THE SCHOOLS.
Annual Report Thereon by City Super
intendent ErleWine.
Board of Education Not RESPONSE
bic for the Disgraceful High
School Building.

Eiducation City Superintendent ErleW1ne
submitted his annual report reviewing
the condition of the city public schools,
which is as follows:
To the Honorable Board of Educa-
tion of the City of Sacramento: l here
with submit my annual report of the
progress and condition of the schools
of the city of Sacramento for the year
ending December 81, 1896:
Perhaps no year has ever marked
more improvements made by the Board
of Education to the chool department
than the year just past.
SCHOOL BUILDING.
One new school building of two class
rooms has been completed in the south
eastern part of the city, and fourteen
new claSsrooms have been added to the
primary buildings. Some of the build
tngs have been entirely remodeled, CIV
ing to them many modern improve
mentS There are now fifteen school
buildings and 120 claSSroomS, all Well
furnished and supplied with apparatus.
School yards and Easements have
been filled and graded, and much to-
ward improving their sanitary condi-
dion has been done; yet there is much
more in this direction to be attended
to this year.
L would recommend that the old
wooden closet at the Sacramento Gram
mar School, Sixteenth and ], be re-
moved. and that new one be built
adjoining the building at the north
side to the same hight of the main
building, with separate apartments ad-
joining each floor.
Many closets ait the various schools
need reconstruction, and perhaps in
some cases the location changed. The
Buildings and Repairs Committee of
this board took this matter into con-
sideration in September last, and asked
the Board of Supervisors at the time Of
levying the school tax for 1897 to in
clude $500 for this purpose, which
they did, and there is no doubt but
that this work will be done as speedily
as possible.
HALLIDAY CLASSES.
The work that was begun by this
board two years ago of changing the
first and second grades from half to
whole day work went into effect Octo-
Der 1st this year, and there is no doubt
but that good results Will be marked
throughout the department. 1T will be
remembered that for many years the
pupils who attended our schools for the
first year We're dismissed for the day
at noon, and those who attended school
the second year We're not admitted until
i p. m, giving TO these children the
best part of the day out of school,
which was spent in many cases by
them in the society of truants or chill
dren of bad habits who We're not at
tending school
By the time these children would en-
ter the school for the day all their
energy would be spent and they were
unfit for school work. Especially was
this the case in warm weather. Be
sides this, the time in school was 50
short that the work to be accomplished
had to be gone over SO hurriedIy that
1t could not be done well, thus form
ing a habit that was noticeable
throughout the course. With this ad-
ditional time to these grades another
result of much value to the department
has been attained, which is the per-
manent assignment of teachers to
classes. Under the old plan the teach
er was but temporarily assigned TO
these grades, and was changed to a.
grade of higher salary whenever there
was vacancy. This would necessitate
continually changing the teachers in
these grades, giving to them teachers
without experience, when those of the
most experience should be placed there
This board viii surely see many good
results come from these changes which
they have made.
KTNDEPGA ApTEN nEDADr,tu->-r-
The change of the kindergarten
schools to the primary school buildings
has not only been a saving of expense
TO the department, but it serves a grea.
convenience to parents who have cider
children attending the primary schools.
who can accompany the smaller ones
to and from school; beside it brings the
kindergarten work into closer relation
TO the primary department, and better
results to both are obtained.
The kindergarten enrolment has in
creased from 1IS last year to 260 this
year, requiring two additional teachers.
There are now employed in this depart
ment nine teachers. Children who have
not taken the kindergarten course have
missed much, the advanta ges gained
there can easily be seen when the chill
dren enter the primary department
The number of pupils enrolled in the
primary department is 2.4S5; number
of teachers employed IS IL; average
number of pupils to class 30.
The number of pupils enrolled in the
grammar department is l .240: number
of teachers employed is SO: average
number of pupils to class 3S.
HIGH SCHOOL
The number of pupils enrolled in the
High School is 311; number of teachers
employed is 3. This school is laboring
under difficulties on account of the in
capacity of the building. Two class
rooms are now rented by the board
as near the main building as possible.
and the very best that can be done
under the circurnst ances; yet this is far
from being satisfactory. When prepa-
rations and recitations are being con-
Quoted in a class room at the same
time results are unsatisfactory to both.
Good discipline is difficult TO maintain
under sllch circumstances. and il is
only due TO a strong corps of teachers
and a principal who is a good discipli-
marian that this school holds the high
rank il now enjoys.
If the enrolment increases next year,
as it has in the last two years, / am