The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-22

port has just been completed by Sup
erintendent of Schools Howell and for
warded TO Dr. N. G. Schaeffer, state
superintendent of public instruction
at Harrisburg. There is not a line
of dry reading in the report. In addi-
tion to being interesting it Is full of in
struction to persons not acquainted
with the excellence and intricacy of
of Scranton's public school system.
Parents who have been careless i'm
following the school work of their chill
dren will find great deal of value
in the contents Of the report. which
appears in full below:
DIR. N. c. schaeffer, superintendent Pub
lie Instruction.
Dear Sir:-ln accordance with the re-
quirements of the Acts of Assembly, 1
respectfully present the following report
for the year, 1898:
The courses of study introduced two
years ago are satisfactory, at least no
changes have been suggested. In reduc-
ing the number of branches taught daily
we have been guided solely by the thought
that 1t is the province OF the pubic
schools to teach a few things well rather
than give a superficial knowledge of
many things.
Our course of study is based upon the
idea that Cne grade shall be completed in
a year. This plan will enable a child en-
tering at the age of & years to complete
nine grammar grades. four years work in
the High School, and a normal training
course of two years at the age of n.
The grade work is now uniform and pu-
tbn cit,. -, oi, I,,,,n n.on U''e suc,.on @ ot
time or toxt. O1r teachers are entitled
10 much credit and praise for their close
adherence and LOYALTY to the work pre-
scribed in the syllabus
Some teachers ;alk gliblv about the an.
surdity of measurins. soul-growth in Der
cents, but we believe firmly in the ettica-
cy of the monthly rcnort card trrccdon,
Is a good thing in education but II too
frequently means n loose license and n
go-as-you-ploase way of doing business
We may deDrecnte mechanism ali vya
please. but fruitful experience demon
strates beyond a doubt that we can have
no system entirely free from mechanism
Our report cards. telling the work done
mot mental superiorityC have brcn y
wholesome incentive to the punil and a
convenient means by which We cam in
form the parent of the child's standing
The report card is n reminder IN n n,lsv
parent that the child has some claim on
his time, and that there is an onnortunn
time for word of commendation. ud.
monltion or reproof. Again, it is a con-
meeting thread of interest between nome
and school. Our renort cards n.ve bn,I
good effect on ATTENDANCE. general in
terest in school work. and have dehorreo
faultfnders from entering annual nro-
tests when their children fail 10 be nro-
noted
~ -
MI sl' \ lolENT FA'IOR,
Last year We decided to instruct our
teachers in music, two lessons DER month
before adopting any system of music for
general instruction in the schools our
teachers have attended the music class
regularly and today many of them can
think tones distinctly and measure time
accurately. Our class room singing to-
day is far more sltisfa ctory than il was
a year ago, and our examination in music
to be held in January 1899 will tell us
the number of teachers employed by the
Scranton school board who are competent
to give elementary instruction in music.
When music first claimed our attention
II was asserted that it would take too
much time but in the schools of the city
where II is properly taught, experience
demonstrates that it saves time. Those
who opposed the introduction OF music
are now, We believe, thoroughly satisfied
that music in the public schools does not
mean a loss of time, it means more time
1t is a powerful agent in our discipIino
and potent factor in character making
1t can quiet a noisy school rest the BODY
and pacify the mind.
Music represents growth of body and
health of mind. A bird that is i'll will rot
sing, neither will a boy or girl sing VINO
is in poor health. An observing teacher
through a song in the morning can easily
detect the boy or CIR, whose work for the
day will be a drudgery, whose aching
heart needs some consolation some word
of encouragement
If education is nothing more nothing
less than self activity, let us have more
gleeful music for a song is the vocal nj
terance of self. the inner. the real self.
Again. let music reach the home. hailow
and glorify the homliest and numbest
conditions of life. Music cannot voice
an unwholesome sentiment or an impure
thought.
Drawing now extends through the
grades and through the high school
Teachers are required to do their work
under the direction of n supervisor OF
LnmIag oios"i' Inns ornnGh OF our work IS
of the schools. II has been 1rra,,,a.n
and co-ordinatod TO such an ovtont as 80
form an integral part of the rncitat,c,,
work. Teachers are urged ro n, n,,I,, dra
ing as an aid i'm tes ching o,hor 10, ,,n,o,
Many have done so within the nast ,,oor
and find results satisfactory In ,rttn.
metic. science teaching. goooronby ava
language ideas can frenuantIv he cn,.
vcyed bv this means in a 1ynv thar st,or,,
| IN impreSses the memory and onnoaps
! sharply 10 the UNDERSTANDING
The love of the hcoutiCuI is m ,D,i,tir,,
! and n,lrifvirc infiuoncc " hare,,e, =, r,ant
tests itself. our teachers mr.. tokimo a
! home interest i'm their individuoI ronn,s
and spare ro effort TO beautifv then, u,ith
! flowers and nictures Tbe noyarno,I ia
! fraurht with Iorch tbst viii con,rihuto -,
nobler living During rho cor,,ro -,
we shall have some instructtor ON ,na