The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23

Some Particulars in Which the sys-
tenn Is Deficient.

VIM. ]. Shearer, in the June Atlantic.
The promotion examination having been
abandoned, the teachers estimate of the
pupils ability to do advanced work deter
mines his promotion. AS the teachers esti-
mate is shown on the report, the pupil and
his parents with him know monthly what
progress he is making towards advanced
work. In the primary grades the teacher s
judgment determines the record, and in the
higher grades the teachers Judgment Is
corrected by written recitations and tests.
This method puts premium on the daily
work. and gives moderate but continuous
stimulus rather than an excessive and spas
modic one. Tests given by the principal and
the superintendent show the proper COM
pletion of work, and are useful TO direct
ard broaden the instruction, but have moth
ing to do with promotion. Pupils promoted
prematurely are returned whence they
came. and teachers become more careful
1t may be said that the teaching test is
but another name for the promotion eXami-
nation but a moments thought will show
that there is a great difference between the
two. One is a careful diagnosis at frequent
intervals for the purpose of discovering the
the proper remedies and to save the patient.
The other is laundering post-mortem 10
learn the cause of death Common sense
and experience unite in declaring that eV-
erv efficient teacher knows which pupils are
ready for advanced work better than a SUI
perinteadent can know. All who have had
experience with this plan of promotion
agree that never before We're promotions
made so satisfactorily, and never before did
the teachers study individuals so closely.
Another serious Weakness in the present
system is that even the brightest cannot
gain time. and if any except the brightest
are absent but a short period. they are un-
able TO pass to advanced work, and, there
fore lose whole year. when they may be
only month or two behind. Less than |
per cent. OF the pupils of the public schools
can successfully skip the work OF a whole
year About 81 per cent. fail 10 be pro-
noted Some claim that those who fail do
better work the following year, but statis-
tics that I have collected show that the
large majority of the pupils do not return.
and few of those who do return do good
work In a vague way everybody knows
that there is an amazing loss of pupils
time yet none but those who have studied
the matter carefully can know how great
the loss is. Statistics, gathered with much
labor and care, show that so per cent lose
from one 10 four years. For every one hun
dred pupils In the schools that ] myself ex-
amined there had been from 12s to $40 years
lost during their course of study. Such loss
IS inevitable whenever the teacher is forced
10 forget that the class is composed of fifty
individuals and to think only OF the fact
that all must reach certain place by &
given time. Il is not too much TO say that
on all sides interested parents and thought
full educators are dissatisfied with the usual
system. which cuts short the school period
OF tho majority. and menaces the intellect
ual life Of every boy and girl In the graded
schools