The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-12
CITY OFFICIAL PArER-
An EDUCATIONAL ADVANCE.

An EDUCATIONAL ADVANCE.
In the Post-Inteiiigencer yesterday
appeared an extended review Of eight
years Of experiment in the Seattle pub
lie schools with Superintendent Bar
nards plan Of promotion and ciassifica-
ton. The completion OF the eight years
has brought the system 10 point where
Its results can be definitely ascertained
and tabulated It's publication. there
fore. calls for careful reading by all
thinking citizens. as 1t will undoubtedly
receive wide consideration In the edu-
cational world.
In many respects the system appears
to have solved one Of the long standing
problems Of public schooling. namely,
how TO overcome the obscuring OF the
individual in the mass OF students with
whom he becomes associated BY ciassi-
flying pupils according to their relative
ability to handle their studies. the
brighter ones gain the opportunity
which should be given them to make
rapid progress. and the slower ones Sc
cure the time requisite to their less ready
acquisition of knowledge. The brighter
pupil IL promoted as soon as he Is
ready, while the slower pupil is not
made to feel that IL Is a disgrace to re-
main more than year In a given grade
The benefit Of such an adjustment Is
obvious.
While the latitude provided for the
development Of individual strength Is
the cardinal merit of the Barnard sys-
TEN. there appear to he numerous corn,-
laries OF scarcely less Improbable i'm
portance. One Of these corollaries
which will appeal strongly to the
general public as well as TO the boards
OF education who may from time to
TIME be charged with the care of school
finance. is the actual saving In time ac-
complished for large numbers Of PUPILS
In the primary and grammar grades
@Sl.s3S pupils gained an aggregate of 49,
1s2 months. AS indicated in the local
: coiumns this carries saving az s4i.eoo
In the cost Of education, besides the re.
uuction 1t effects In the expenses II
= parents. II also shows that under the
!. former systems Of education nearly zoe
{ children q Year were restrained from,
the progress they might easily have
= made under greater liberty.
in the same grades over 1000 children
lost time. The natural Inference Is that
the work Of the grades as fxes, IN the
course or instruction was too great for
them. IT that be SO. The Barnard sya-
tenn wilt have demonstrated conclusive.
~ the answer e. the widely noo,ea
question Of the adaptation Of the school
studies Ia the average capacity Of the
pupils. The fact. also shown in the
tables. that only l ,eD0 out Of 5.sao pupils
maintained their status without gain
or loss further confirms this inference,
The net less IN months in the primary
and grammar grades was II seq. or an
average Of about two months per pupil.
Higher grades show somewhat differ
ent results. The net change being In the
lire of time gained out of a to5a, -
as high school pupils. only 81 lost tim
while only So neither gained nor lost,
The total gain In months was 4fse. the
total loss SIS. the ne1 gain aSGl. mas
much as high school education Games at
time In The Youths lie. when many
parents feel chat their children Should
begin - relieve them ~ tbs. burden nt
support, ,his sain In tiu,e has ronsld-
cradle immediate value.
Whether II Is that the high school
eourses are relatively Easier or that the
minds Of the high school paplis are in
better condition 70 profit hv .opporsurs.
ties Of more rapid advancement, tthsrs.
b. proving the value ~ the CLASSIFIED.
ten AMI rsemotica Flao>. Is difficult -
determine. Or. whether the seassl.
higa school "a met So extensively ana
thoroughly organised and scheduled as
the lower grades is also not ohvioas
frou' this rsport. The questions. how
ever. are prompted sy the tables
Differing from the majority of s,sues.
tional experiments. the BARNARD system
has yielded very tangible and sseasur-