The morning news., 1898-07-12
WRITING ADOPTED.
urREAFTER BE USED IN
s,vANNAH's PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

BUY no statistics to the Board of
,.,tion-Results of the Years
,,.o-L-Need for More school Room.
,.-.d ministers Asked Increased
IS ,.,tas in COIored Schools.
t,oes of Filling Vacancies in
.,..rs, Positions Discussed.
No. 7-,y meeting of the Board of Edu-
was reId last night at the Chatham
ca Col. George A. Mercer, presi-
sol Messrs. Denmark, O'Byrne,
u'r u. MYERS. EstIl, Meldrim, Tattnall,
.r carlton and Saussy were present.
sosan,e1dent Ashmore read his report
-. ure. In at he gave some interesting
.,o.isd,al information.
nh schools were closed June 30, and the
...-,ilsron of the statistical report for
~ s,bor7sfic year shows the following re-
,.- Number of teachers, 40; number
- ,,,oirs enrolled S,166; average number
t.,,,efer 70l2; average daily attendance.
noe. n4r cent of daily attendance, city,
-ttta a. per cent. of daily attendance.
.;+. coror+d. 81; per cent of daily attend
o1ca country. white, rs: per cent. of daily
ottendance. country, colored, II; number Of
ao,tre 8-two white boys in the city and
ora white boy in the country. The attend
orcA was about the same as that of last
,oar if allowance be made for the discon-
,,ruance Of the night school and the re-
auction in the High School on account Of
tuition fees.
Last year the superintendent reported
an irnprovement IN the average daily at
tendance which had been marked. This
wear there is still considerable
Improvement over that of last year. The
tendency on the part of the pupils TO re-
main in school till the close Is improv-
ing When it is considered that the
schools continue nearly one month longer
than those in most cities and that TOO,
in the very warm weather, this large per
cent of daily attendance is creditable alike
10 the pupils and to the schools.
Much attention." the superintendent
said "has been given during the year to
tbe hvgienic conditions of the schools and
to the personal comfort of the pupils. AS
far as possible cleanliness and neatness
have been insisted upon, and ample op-
portunty has been given for cheerful ex-
ercise among the pupils. Through a
prompt cooperation of the city health
officer all contagious diseases have been
prevented in the schools. The remarkably
low death rate of only three children in
over 500 shows that the health of the
children is we'll cared for by the school
authorities
"The course of study is revised and out
lined in the last annual report has been
Of much value to the teachers in unity
Ing and defining their work, and in sug-
costing methods in teaching.
The text books used are, in the main,
satisfactory, though there are two or
three changes that could be made with
profit were it not for the additional cost
to the pupils. In considering changes in
text books the superiority of the new book
and the cost to the pupils must be duly
considered, and such changes should be
made only when one or both these factors
Is decidedly in favor of the change
From the data afforded by the expert
ences Of the past year it is certain that
more school room will be needed for the
accommodation Of the white children of
the city next year. While it is impossi-
bic TO forecast exactly what the demands
Will be upon each school, it appears from
the data before me that we shall need an
additional lsst and second grade at Chat
nam AcaFmy one first grade at Henry
Street School and first and second grade
In the vicinity of Barnard and Massie
Schools
President Mercer reported that he had
VISITED the Anderson Street Colored School
since the last meeting of the board. He
FOUND i IN very satisfactory condition.
ne caLed attention to the good results
"nlcn would accrue to the educational in
WIesls OF the city If every member of
Me board would visit the schools from
ume to time On motion of Col. Esiil the
committee on school houses was authoriz-
~ ~ TO nave new water closets put in the
barnard Street and st. Patrick schools.
committee of colored ministers, Revs
a Ellis, J. J. Durham and D. H. Smith
,Flng IN waiting, was invited before the
~dta. Ihe ministers presented a petition
%'uhs forth the necessity of increasing
me me school facilities for colored children.
tne pelhon was read to the board, and
W invitation Rev ]. j. Durham addressed
ue members. Col Mercer, in reply. stat
eu tnat the board was doing everything
possible within it's means to educate the
to do. commune ~
me matter of vertical writing, which
~au Deeh ldld over until the July meeting,
vas taken up. On motion of Can't. Blum
r G9s resolved that the system of vertical
sIs De adopted for use in all the
%ols under the control of the board.
Fl no.' -''iiiol moved mat 1t having been
r5a 49, 70 introduce vertical writing into
ss ue schools, that no particular system be
seUp'su ssrt'5 al this meeting. The motion was
81 sn,;. ore superintendent reported on the ex-
N tsa.s1lNn t1,''alon Of applicants for positions as
n ngo1niS twenty white and five colored an
peroaI pe.an's passed above Is, the minimum
ij.t ijt''N'age and they were placed on the
scbas, application to establish a. colored
eTs,o o@ al the Lathrop place on the Au-
Sta SsS, road was read and referred to presi-
4 ect a'o superintendent, with power to
4 tbe .''c ~ y Byrne moved that the vacancy in
6n.d latham Academy School No. . be
eene,.' promotion. The motion created A
Of f'elaI edl. discussion in regard to the system
Witb9., aHeing teachers, and Mr. O'Rvrne
cd nv, NV ms motion in favor of that offer
On bora.' I,' 9tovall, as follows, which. after
Res discussion, was adopted:
4 bosr50 r50.,e1 That it is the sense of tbis
oanciel mac "a. IN future promotions to IN va
as r ~ The public schools shall So far
tbr5,',''e l'eaDie be made by seniority
W. to0J the system.
dem h| tne moved that the sunerinten-
tesebe,. iequested to prepare a roster of
os''Js was S5 now in the public schools % which