Smyrna times., 1898-08-17
OF PUBLIC SCHOOL INTEREST.
A System of Music to be dOpted-Teachers
Pass Creditable Examinations Changes
TO lake Place.


A System of Music to be Adopted Teachers
Pass Creditable Examinations Changes
to Take Place.
The vacation days are now nearing
close and in about three weeks our
school children will be entering upon
another year of arduous study.
School will open on Monday, Septem-
ber the 5th, and the coming year will
witness few changes in the curricula,
and everything made easy for the |
children to adapt themselves to Shear
er's splendid system of grading. |
| There will be a series of Nature Stud |
les added to the curriculum, beginning |
with primary work and giving study |
of animal and plant life. In this line |
the children will be taught to be more |
observant for the natural things and |
entertain a higher regard for the !
world in which they live. "Prince's |
New System of Presenting Mathemat-
ics' will be taken up on account of its
superiority over other works. 1t is
| thought in this branch of study that
time can be gained and a more thor
ough work executed. Instead of
Buffers Primary Geography,
"Mitchell's Text Book" with questions
and answers will be used. These
questions and answers are well adap-
ted to elementary study of Geography,
and it is thought much good can be
derived from the change. In the High
School curriculum there will be but
few changes outside of the adoption of
the text books referred to above.
The elementary study of Latin and
Algebra will be taken from this depart
ment, and hereafter begun in the
Grammar School 1t is a well-knOwn
fact that the Principal has enough to
do, and it may be in the course of
year or so that the Board will add an
assistant principal, so that Prof.
LeFevre can devote his time in super
vising the other departments.
In compliance with the laws of the
State of Delaware requiring every
teacher to pass an examination before
their county superintendent, all of
teachers except Principal LeFevre
have taken the required examination.
When the Public School Faculty was
reelected at a recent meeting of the
School Board, it was voted that they
hold second grade certificates. 1t is
: with much pleasure that we announce
! that all of our lady teachers have
passed with first grade certificates, ex-
} employing the fact that our schools
are we'll in the advance, if not second
? to none in the State. We have a
strong corps of instructors, and
: Smyrna cannot but be Justly proud of
the standing they hold before the
School Examiner. 1t reflects honor
4 upon themselves and credit upon our
e schools. AS the Superintendent is
away upon his vacation, Principal
l LeFevre will not take his examination
until sometime in September.
e Our School Board met again last
{ week and adopted the instruction OF
vocal music in the public schools
/ The subject, through the efforts OF
. Mr.. l.. NJ. !, Price, chairman of the
2 Music Committee of the Board, had
e been thoroughly agitated, and he took
Z the trouble to look into the matter
and find the cost, &C., not only writ
. ing many letters, but taking a specia
Il |, trip to Dover to see how the system
u had been worked there. The system
. recommended and passed is known a;
IL the modern ''Tonic Sol ia Method" o.
5 learning to sing and read music from
D the staff It is the plainest, safest
: and easiest acquired method in exist
= ence. The Board has secured the ser.
/ vices of Mr.. Richard Welton, of Con
T. necticut, distinguished as a master Of
;, this method, who has taught success
IL fully through the colleges and schools
n of the West and South. The Dover
Century Club secured his services
short while last winter and he mad,
such a good impression that the Dove
School Board took advantage of til,
10 opportunity and had him give a course
le of instruction to the public schoo
u children of that town. Mr.. Weltol
+ will be here early in September to in
l. troduce his course of instruction. Tn,
lg entire course will comprise only sixt,
a. days. Mrs. Marion Coverdale ha
r been invited to attend with the idea O
III following the course of study and b.
le able to continue the work after Mr.
IN Welton leaves. The teachers will re
ceive special instruction at evenin,
L, classes held during the week. TIL
Gu price the School Board will have t.
le pay Mr.. Welton for coming here i
nt $50. The books to be used will b
u sold to the pupils for five cents apiece
Oh There is some talk of having an enter
as tainment given by the school children
~ later in the term, and it is then hope
IN that the course of music will be mad
lg self supporting. There is no tellin
lie the amount of good that will be derive
ne from this course of study. If the in
tn PRODUCTION of music in our school
at will make the coming generations use
OF full to church and society in the con
IN munity in which they live, it will pa
G1 { for itself thousand fold. It is tru
~ that ninety-tive per cent of our publ
lg school children never take a collegiat
education, and when the school day
lal are over they are mostly found Sc
IS thing in our midst. Why should ne
Ly their knowledge of music gained i
ry their early school days be of inestimi
MS BILE value to them and the society i
a. which they move? The School Boar
81 has made a wise choice in the matte
'e- and the citizens of the town greet tn
SO with much favor