Smyrna times., 1898-07-20
MEETING OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS.
Committee Recommends a Few Changes In
Curriculum-EIectiOn of Teachers. s

Committee Recommends a Few Changes In
Curriculum-EIectiOn of Teachers.
There has been much talk about the
proposed Public School curriculum
the past week, and the people have
been free to express their opinion. At
a previous meeting it seems that their
had been a committee appointed to ex-
anime into our curriculum and recon-
mend any changes that were thought
necessary for the best good of the
schools. The matter of ch anges was
talked of informally among the COM
mittee, of which Mr.. J. G. Stockly
was chairman and the members were:
Messrs. n. F. Wilds and E. Marriott
Fowler, but nothing definite had been
settled upon. 1t was IN the general
talk that the rumOr got out that there
would be an effort to raise the standard
of the schools so as to prepare its stud
ents to enter colleges or universities.
Yesterday afternoon the committee
met to perfect their plans. The pro-
prOsed changes in the curriculum were
discussed pro and con, and the matter
considered wisely. Professor LeFevre
was there to go over the old list with
them. After considerable debate it
was decided not to introduce French
and German into the High School
this year, as not being advisable
under the present arrangement
of things. 1t was however decid-
ed to take up the elementary stud
les of Latin and geometry in the gram
mer school so that pupils entering the
High School would be prepared to go
ON without encrOaching on the time of
the Principal. In this event arithme-
tic will be discontinued in the grammar
school. The first five grades, begin
ming with the primary, will use
Frenchs arithmetic. When they get
into the intermediate Department. Miss
HOugh's room, they will be required
to take up Wentworth's arithmetic.
The later will be completed in her
room. AS soon as they pass to the
grammer school Miss Parrot 81, geom.
etry will be taken up. 1t was also
recommended by the committee that 8
change in geography be made, and 6
much more interesting book, Mitch
ellis Geography easier and palmer il
composition, will be used in the prim
ary grades. 1t was the plan of the
committee to get every text book as in
teresting as they could so as not throw
any stumbling block in the way of the
pupil, inasmuch as so much depends
upon his or her individual efforts under
Shearer's System of Grading.
Teachers All REFLECTED.
The School Board met again yester
day afternoon to hear the committe,
report and to elect the teachers for tn
ensuing year. The committee repOr
was adopted with the changes as abov,
indicated. 1t was also recommends
and adopted that penmanship b.
taught in the High School. Hereto
fore this has been given little atten
tiOn, and the Board feels that is q YER
important branch of study which eve
the higher rooms can well afford t
improve upon.
The teachers were all reelected o.
the condition that they have second
grade certificates from the Superin
tendent of the Kent county publ
] | schools. The law passed by the lat
: Legislature makes the examination {
, all teachers imperative. Arrangement
. have been made to have SuperintenC
, ent Tindal examine our teachers th
. early part of September. The teacher
reelected upon the above condition
, were: Chas. LeFevre, principal; Mis-
Lizzie ParrOtt, Miss Emma Hougl
Miss Annie DOughten, Miss Mary I
Spruance, Miss Elizabeth Mcdowell
Miss Lida r. Lord, Miss Nellie ,
FAIRIES. The election of ianitor whic
occurred Immediately after, resulte
,, in the choice of George W. Sylvester
The finances of the schools, as wi
be found in another column, are in
!. good condition. The Board has bee
! considerably helped by receiving son
: $400 more from the State than they di
/ the previous year. On July 1st
. . next year the last bond of the indeb
: edness on the school building will
= paid of. The beautiful Institute
= which occupies such a commandin
: view on South street will then be
y our complete possession. Our cltizel
will have been sixteen years in payir
} off the Indebtedness, but then it is
public school building second to mol
. in the State, and one which our Gil
4 zens can take pride in for years
: come.