The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-18

adoption OF these books is being consum-
mated With SO little friction.
There Is an Old proverh 10 the effect
THAI he who does not 20 forward goes back
ward. Let us make use OF the vantage
ground already attained and at this ausp
oloug time press forward and grade the
rural schools II has long been recognized
that the superior supervision, he close
classification and the uniformity of text
books have been the principal elements
which gave the town ana city cl0cls
prestige over village and country schools.
May the day soon come when each county
in the State having a scholastic popuia-
ton of more than 1000 VIII have an earn
est enthusiasts couMty superintendent.
Shall we also hasten the time when tho
teacher and The pupils of thu rural school
Will have n definite aim: when the pupil
will rot spend half OF the session thus year
IN going over what he learned last year
WI en the teacher viii have definite pro-
graIi.lne for recitation and for study, LOT
the one IL as essential rs The other, anu
when the pupils by a regular series OF
gradq.s,tiors ard promotions VIII be III
srired to seek a hlghor education.
or what does grWding consistY II r.
should be determined that each pupil must
keen regular step with every othcr OF Ms
class. and that all individuality must DO
reprossed, then let The schools remain uh
graded. But If by grading che rural
schools there oAa be a proper olissiNGaNoh
OF pupils. which Will tend to moro SYM
mctrical mental development. then, how
ever great the task. it should be al
tempted.
In the experiments which have been
made there Is n variety of judgment eN-
hibted IN determining the number OF az
bitrary divisions in the course OF study
In the opinion of the writer 1t rs unnec-
cssary to create as many srbdivisioES III
the course OF Study for country schools as
ere made for the accommodation OF those
pupils living in tho Towns aud cltie5. Iho
number in Attendance will moi Justify u
cloge classification. An increase IN me
number OF classes gives corresponding
increase OF the labor Of the teacher. VI
the various co, rses Of study examiner ~
TIE preparation of this paper. that adopted
hv he State Of Wisconsin has the tewest
subdivisions This course provides Tor
threa dlylsicns equivalent 10 what arc
generally denom!nated primary. INFERNO
date and grammar schools, ana oach OIL
these divisions is supposed 10 coiiiprise
three yeafS' work. however. II Is lett 10
the Judgment OF the teacher whether or
not the individual pupil VIII require Tess
lime There are other conrses OF stipiy'
notably iu Indiana. which provide three
subdivisions OF each year.
As a result OF much Thought and inyes-
tigatfon, the following plans are submit
/ The course OF study for the rur'u
schools OF Texas should include such SUD
iects as are required by law for q teicher
certificate Of the cecond grade.
.. This course should be divided inio
primary, Intermediate and grammar de-
mrtmcnt. and these divisions shonla 20
further subdiylded into work allotted lot
three and two years. respectively, but fur
Their subdivisions are Of doubtful propT-
ety.
g. The subjects ello.ted 10 the primary
and Intermediate departments should po
those prescribed by law to be taught ~
the pubic schools with the anuiuoh Vi
TEXAS history and such other work OF
| supplementary character az may nc ucs.i
| able. The grammar department, soVentn
/ and eighth grades should include Ulpeu
states History Higher Arithmetic, CiVii
1 Government, English Grammar. Compost
1 ton and Physical Geography.
A. a pupil to be promotes from INC ply,
mary to the Intermediate department.
should be able to read intelligently IN the
Third reader: he should write legibiy ana
have soine knowledge OF the use Of cap-
i ital letters the common marke o. puhctua
/ lion and the fundamental rules OF aritn-
I metlc. A pupil to be promoted from tug
! Intermediate to the grammar depar9ment
should be able TO pass the osdsnary e I'LL
tnation given To teS,cherS DESIRING ,hiru
grade certificates. with the exception OF
those questions which pertain 20 tue iech-
/ nical work OF teaching. Tho promoaohs
from departments should be made by
Means OF uniform exdnnnatono.
the questions to be issued by LIE copny
a,perintendent: the results OF the exaini-
naticn being valued at so per cent AMI Inc
teachers estimate a. 40 per cent.
I r. A common school diploma snonla DC ~
sued TO each pupil who has taken AZ ieas.
six mcntbc OF the prescribed course. anu