The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-04-02
TIVE noAnp or EpucAr1oN.
Business Transacted at Last Nigh It's M eet
ing-SuperI n tendent'a Report.

greater part of the session to final re-
vision of the new rules of the board.
The changes made in the rules are In
the main such as are made necessary
for the rules Of the board to comply
with the provisions of the new city
charter. Among the rules which caus-
ed considerable discussion last night
was that relating to the attendance at
the high schools of pupils residing out
side the New Haven school district.
AS the rule now stands, all pupils re-
siding within the limits of the city of
New Haven, as defined under the con-
solidation act have equal privileges to
attend the high school, with the excep-
ton that those residing within the city
limits, but outside the limits of the city
school district, are to pay tuition Pu-
pills residing outside the city limits will
be admitted to the high school only on
condition that there is room to accom-
modate them. This provision amounts
at present to practically debarring pu-
pills residing outside the city limits
from attending.
The committee on schools reported
the resignation of Miss Margaret e.
Boland of room Day school, which
term; the resignation of Miss Rather
Inc Simmons of the substitute list,
which took effect at the close of the
winter term; that the superintendent
has appointed for the spring term Miss
Helene Boil as teacher in the Hillhouse
high school, to take Miss Anna H. Ad-
ans place, and the committee recon-
mend that her salary be fixed at $95 per
I,a+ Dn,.tt,t nY,
appointed Miss Sarah Rideout as
teacher for the spring term in the
Boardman Manual Training high
school, to take the place of John Ad-
ans, and the committee recommend
that her salary be fixed at $40 per
month; and recommended that the
leave of absence of Miss Sarah F.. era
DIV be extended to the end of the pres
ent school year.
The report was accepted and the rec
concentrations adopted.
Superintendent Kendall submitted
] his monthly report for March. He re-
ported the total number of pupils reg
istered as 1887, 1874 girls and 1898
boys, a total increase of 299 over the
number registered during the CORE
spending month last year. The super
n 1nLenQenC also IIldue IHo loihoWAh5 ~
port concerning the work of the city
Il schools:
N After careful consideration and tests
n made In the various schools, | have
A reached the conclusion that the results
II of our instruction in reading would be
Il more satisfactory In the intermediate
Y or middle grades, if our reading mat
Il ter in those grades were more systema-
ion ciu tn
N grading of this matter. The board
h knows that we are using a great deal
r. Of what has come to be known as sup
u Elementary reading matter. Children
II become acquainted with far greater
Il amount of reading matter in their
Il course through the schools than for
y merly. This reading is drawn from
many sources. 1t is largely made up
Il of the best productions Of the stan
dard authors, Hawthorne, Andersen,
II Scott Burroughs, Longfellow, Whit
Il tier, etc. Some Of it is historical; for
4 example, the pupils in the fifth grade
L read the elementary history Of the
Fl United States by Eggleston. Some of
Il the reading matter is biographical,
b and a good deal of it pertains to nature
# study, geography and travel.
III believe thoroughly in thus broaden
II ing and enriching our course in read
h ing. This belief, I may add, is shared
h by the teachers universally. 1t adds to
q the enjoyment of the children, their
u ideas are enlarged, their sympathies
N uuickened, and they are not reading
" and re-reading the same matter over
Il and over again until they are wearied
II of it, as was formerly the case, when
H their school instruction in reading was
i given entirely by one series of readers.
d The reading period now is one of the
Il most enjoyable of the school day.
II Fresh matter is brought before the
X children which arouses their interest
II and compels their attention.
I need hardly say that reading as a
u school subject is of the utmost impor-
y lance, fact always recognized but
Y never more widely SO than now. Much
III time is appropriately given to the sub
Il ject Teachers as a rule teach 1t with
4 intelligence, and board of education
4 representing tl1e public, to which this
K board is by no means an exception,
X have been liberal in supplying the
Il schools with matter. Manifestly a
Il child should in the sixth grade be given
H the power to read what might be al
II most impossible for him to read in the
4 fifth grade. Now to make sure of CIV
II ing children constantly increasing
Il power to read more and more difficult
n reading matter, have proposed to the
Il supervising principals, and they after
II consultation with the teachers have
II agreed unanimously that it is advisable
II to make use of a graded series of read
u ers extending through the first four
II grades at least. The pupils so far as
n possible to read the first reader in the
Il first year or grade, the second reader
II in the second year or grade, the third
Il reader in the third year or grade and
II at least one-half of the fourth reader
Il in the fourth year or grade and pos
II sibly fifth reader Of the same series
II in the fifth and sixth grades. This
q would mean the use Of one series OF
l4 readers as a basis for our instruction
Il in reading. To be sure we are using
II fourth and fifth readers as well as
II third and second readers in our schools
4 now, so the proposition does not mean
II any radical departure from present
4 methods. 1t does mean, however, q
II continuation of the same series of read
y ers throughout the primary and inter-
II mediate rgades, and a large enough
u supply of these books to make sure
i that every child reads this series in his
Il school course. With one series as g