The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-08


more studies, compared TO last year. The
better condition prevails in this respect
than last year.
Year by year additions are made to our
art collections, by donations by teachers
and pupils. Since my last report the fol-
lowing donations have been made: Room
u, picture, ION the Heath; room 3, a
picture, Goethe Reading Faust; room 9,
a bust of Lincoln. The value OF these
donations aggregate s2S, Sixteen volumes
have been added 10 the reference library
by the kindness of the board.
Normal schooI-Enroliment, Il; remain
ing s; percent. of attendance, So; number
of visitors, 9. The years work, both IN
the theory and practice department of
this school is progressing very satlsfac-
torily. During the month the school has
done 111k days of substitute work. The
value of this department of the school
system is more manifest from year to year
as the results Of it's work appear in the
schools.
2 The districts of Washington, Kellogg
and College Hill are to be congratulated
upon the new bells which will soon be in
place in their respective building. The
thanks of these districts are due to prin-
cipals. teachers. janitors and pupils for
much needed equipments. They appre-
ciate the help so freely given by the
patrons and friends of the schools.
BY the courtesy of the board ATTENDED
the meeting of the Department OF super
intendence at Chattanooga, Tenn. inns
meeting is made up of delegates from all
parts of the union. The discussions or
questions Of vital interest to school and
education makes the meeting of unusual
interest and profit. Returning l visited
the schools of Nashville and Kansas CITY
including the new Manual Training High
school of the latter city.
A request for educational exhibits for
the Omaha exposition from the different
states has not met response, due TO the
fact that the board of managers unwiseiy
require each city and state to purchase
spac e in which to make the display. The
state and city superintendants in general
regard this as unwise and in consequence
will not prepare exhibits of work. l have
made no preparation nor recommendation
for an exhibit from this city.
1 have placed some recommendations
pertaining TO supplies, StS', III N'AO i4S1A4O@
of the proper committees.
Within the month the usual visits for
inspection have been made. The grade
and principals meetings and general
meetings for the month have been held.
These different monthly meetings are OF
much value to the work Of the schools.
The principals meeting is business
meeting in which the past months bus
mess is carefully reviewed and the plans
for the coming month discussed. CUES
tons and suggestions, in fact, every phase
of mana cement of the schools which tend
to the improvement of the schools receive
attention at the principals meeting
The grade meetings are meetings for in
struction. pertaining to the specific grade
and room. Suggestions, criticisms and all
that pertains to the Improvement of the
instruction and management of the single
school are subjects for consideration in
the grade meeting.
This year the general meeting has been
devoted to study on some special lines
of professional and literary work. The
next meeting will consider the literature
of the Elizabethan and Puritan ages. The
general meetings are open to the public.
They are held the third Saturday of each
school month from to u o'clock. a. m.
All the meetings are open to members Of
the board. The principals meeting oc-
ours on the first Monday evening of the
school month, and the grade meetings
follow on the other evenings of the first
week at 4:30 o'clock in the Normal room.
The subject of uniform advancement
and classification of pupils is one of in
terest and profit. In many instances this
matter is not we'll understood. Several
times each year some seeker for profess
sional fame rushes before the public in
the educational press and declares that it
is wrong and most serious error to ex-
pect pupils to advance together. and to
require all to attain the same proficiency
in all studies in the same length of time
Not to be wholly destructive this would
be reformer formulates some theory of his
own and declares it to be the only way
out. At last he discovers that he has been
making men of straw that he might have
the pleasure of destroying them. All will
agree that did the evil exist which he
would reform, it would be a gross error
indeed. The fact is that no system of
schools today which has in a proper de-
gree kept pace with educational progress
expects or desires all pupils to become
equally proficient in all studies in the
same time or in any time. When the
great variety Of talents is considered. the
varying abilities of pupils, the modifying
circumstances which lend special interest
and emphasis to certain subjects. the i'm
possibility of attaining uniform advance
= "a NJ 2 fr11 & IN
conserve the individual as a factor in the
mass system Of education. This effort
has been carried to the extent of individ-
ual instruction without regard TO his rela-
ton to the school as a whole The error
in this system is its attempt to isolate the
pupil from his natural relation to those
about him. The inspiration of the recita-
ton is largely lost. That inspiration
which an appreciative and interested audi
ence gives to speaker is wanting when
the pupil has himself as his only COM
petitor.
There is a golden mean, and the con-
sentative progressive educational thought
OF today seems to have reached il. The
individuals natural talents. his several
abilities can and are conserved by the
skillful teacher of today. while instruction
is impaired TO the class as whole More
than this. the pupils school and home
training should result in his equipment
for citizenship. He enters the great social
life of the world, not an isolated unit but
a factor in its sum total. In the school
room ne meets the elements of the greater
life outside. Here he has his first con-
test which IS q fitting beginning Of the
greater contest in the business world As