The Saint Paul globe., 1898-05-22

We believe that two admissions year.
one in September and one in February.
would assist in holding pupils in the high
school.
V.-The custom Of assigning a large num-
ber Of children to single teacher ignores
the existence of visual and auditory de-
fects The necessity for securing recita-
tion takes precedence Of allowance for
such defects OF for fatigue. Heroic efforts
fail to induce the child to turn his data
over in his mind, or to discriminate for
himself when he is working against time:
Intellectual development cannot result
from such work. The teachers effort to
keep part of her pupils merely quiet
deprives them of opportunity for choice.
Necessity for the exercise of the will, finds
the child unprepared, because Of lack Of
will development Unruly conduct and tru-
ancy are the natural outcome. Idleness
and lack of concentration begin in the
first grade, where even the earnest efforts
of the eacher cannot compensate for the
lack of time to show each child how to
work. Large classes preclude the posi-
bility of proper instruction In English,
than which no subject is more In ned CT
attention. Nature study reduced to fifteen
minutes for flftysix pupils permits little
in the way of personal observation or Its
expression. Hand work, cooking and
drawing defeat their own ends when large
classes are assigned to the instructors.
The considerations enumerated induce us
to recommend that forty pupils should be
the maximum number assigned to di-
vision teacher, and that two teachers
should be employed in every first grade
room having membership Of more than
thirty.
VI.-We would urge that term of trial
be required before teacher a prin-
cipal be permanently placed in a school,
and that the principal be consulted in re-
gard to the appointment of teacher or
her transfer into the school,
VlII.-We would recommend that the mini
mum salary of a principal be $l,SO0
year, advancing at the rate of 500 year
for two years. $50 year for the next
four years and 5000 a year for the two
following years. until maximum OF
$3,0 a year is reached. In readjusting
salaries. years of service of those already
employed should be considered.
IX.-In. addition to her advanced methods
of instruction. the pupil teacher needs to
require the ability to keep reasonable
number Of children properly employed at
their seats. To this end part of her prac-
tice work should be the management of a
room, the membership of which approx
mates that of an ordinary school room.
Placing normal school at a point cen
tral to the divisions of our city, or estab-
fishing such school on the North side
and anotfe er en- the Wost side, would make
such practice work possible.
XI.-We heartily favor the introduction of
the Kindergarten as a part OF the school
system.
XII.-The introduction of handwork into all
the grades is desirable, but we would
recommend that facilities for conducting
this work be provided at every school
building. All material required for seat
work, sense training or educational pur-
poses should be furnished by the board
of education. The introduction of new
methods or new subjects should not de-
pend upon the generosity or pecunfary re-
sources of the teachers. The handwork
should be the same for boys and girls
until they reach the seventh grade, when
some differentiation may be introduced.
XIII.-We favor vacation schools for indus
trial work. We would also recommend the
equipment of school grounds in certain
districts with apparatus for physical cul-
ture. Harriet, Wlnchell,
Gertrude E. English President.
Chairman Committee Resolutions.
OF GRADE TEACHERS.
The grade teachers of Chicago have
recently scored a decided victory in
their campaign for higher salaries.
After many weeks of work, their labors
were rewarded by a partial granting
of their petition to the board Of edu-
cation.
The plan adopted by the board is to
pursue the regular schedule now in
force, by which teachers start at a
salary Of $500 and are gradually in
creased until they reach a maximum
of $S25, which they do in seven years.
From Jan. 1, 1898, those teachers who
have reached that seven years limit
receive $5 additional every month un-
til they reach the maximum of $100
month.
During the campaign of the teachers,
they received much encouragement
and aid from interested Chicago citi-
zens who are keenly alive to the best
interests of their schools and who
clearly see the relation between good