The herald., 1898-12-12
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS DO
ING EXCELLENT WORK
NECESSITIES OF Department
An Increased Attendance Causes
Halliday Sessions in Congested
Districts-Statistics

education the twenty-tifth annual report
concerning the condition and progress of the
public schools OF this city. The report is
very complete and comprehensive, outlin-
ing briefly yet concisely the progress made
all the various educa tional departments dur
ing the past school year and calling atten-
tion to the needs of the city along educa-
tional lines. Department reports received
by Superintendent Foshay show a gradual
improvement in the standard of scholarship
and the most satisfactory years work in the
history of the department plan, and this
great success ne largely attributes to the
efficient supervision in the several depart
ments.
The report is prefaced with brief re-
view of the Year and sngge tions for the
future by the president OF the board of ed
ucation, Charles Cassat Davis, from which
the following is extracted;
'The reports following show the constant
increase OF the pupils, and again emQhaslze
the difficulties which embarMss the de-
partment by reason of lack of,accommoda.
tions for the pupils. applying, and also the
injustice to pupils and parents where the
accommodations are insufficient. The only
practical method of conducting the schools
be to shorten the sessions in the congested
districts to half day each, then letting
one set of scholars. occupy the school rooms
in the morning andjthe rest in the afternoon
This expedient is attended with embarrass
ments and difficulties and does not give
satisfaction; but it affords the only relief
until We have more room.
"The subject of additional accommoda
hn
method of meeting the. difficulty by issues
of bonds has disadvantages; till there is
great need of buildings, the bonds will not
be asked, or If asked, will not be granted.
When granted, the money is all received at
once and must be expended at once; new
buildings must be local ed, not only with.
regard to the present but also for the fu-
ture; sometimes the. development is not as
anticipated, being either faster or slower,
and III either case embarrassment follows
"AnothS' difficulty with building under
the bond issues is that when much building
is being. carried on at the same time, it is
harder to watch the work properly than
II but one building at a time were being
Elected. y method far more economical
and convenient would befto provide build
ing fund by annual contributions so that
enlargements of old buildings or the con-
structon OF new ories could be as required
in this way providing always for the loca-
tions most needing relief, and as they need
1t, While al the same time allowing that
close scrutiny of the work which is impossi
bic If a number of buildings be constructed
at one time.
! The crowded condition of the schools
! Is doubtless somewhat responsible for the
! large percentage of truancy in our city
According to the census report for the wear
1867, the number of truahts was 245O; ac
cording to that OF 1878, the nun! Der was
I lessened to 2056.
Since the reorga1l zation of the board
last January certain improvements have
been introduced, including several of great
value to the schools and the public Amone
them are, the notification OF teachers who
Iare unsatisfactory and who must bt
dropped, OF that fact at least a month be
fore the close OF school, instead of at the
close OF the term as was done last year
so making it too late for the teacher tC
seeb another place; the change in the meth
cd OF making purchase, by providing tha
all purchases must be either advertised for
or VI small, posted at the Offices of tn,
schools, so that all dealers have a chanc,
10 bid. thus doing away with the forme
method OF buying from favorites, withou
open competition, and perhaps with somt
reward to the official purchasing; the ar
ranging OF a ceremonial according to which
the flag Is raised daily in the presence o
the assembled school, by color guard
composed of the head pupils of each elias
for the last week, the reward for the bes
lessons and conduct being place on tn,
= guard so that the flag is associated in tn,
lminds OF the pupils with the idea Of homo
in being allowed to care for it; the adoption
4 OF rule by which the color1ng Of the room
is committed to the uperintendent ant
the special teacher in drawing, with th
! view of harmonizing colors; the improve
ment Of many poorly lighted rooms; th
arrangement OF plan by which the eye
OF the children will be inspected and l
touud needing attention the need will b.
brought to the notice OF parents; and th
further provision that INDECENT parent
may have this examination made withou
cost, by any OF a number of our first ocu
lists; and upon proper showing, they ma!
also receive glasses according 20 the pre-
scription, donated by one of the leading op
ticians. The work has cost many cite
school for deaf mutes, giving them in
structon under the latest systems of teach
ing, has been opened while this work i
expensive. we have so arranged it that on
of the two teachers employed is supported
by private contributions, and thus have re
stricted the expense of the department t,
only little more than the average; a nigh
school for girls has also been opened, anS
has been warmly welcomed; in addition t
these matters, the board has Others in hand
among them an arrangement for the PERI
odic inspection of the schools by ply 1cian
to detect contagious diseases; this has beer
found most valuable where it has been tried
in checking dangerous troubles which some
times spread easily and CARRY suffering ant
| expense to many homes.
''The reports and tables of the deputy SUI
perintendent show that of the entire mum
Der of pupils in the schools last year 4;
per cent were in the kindergarten and thu
first and second grades; 3O.s per cent in the
third, fourth and ffth 81 per cent in the
sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth; and g..
per Gent in the high school. These figure.
mean that out of every five children enter
ing the early grades, three end their schoo
days not later than the end of the fifth
year, or at an age of about II or IL, and
many, Of course, before that time.
I These children are not only the majority
but they are the very ones to whom this
schooling is the most vital, since it is their
all; the others-those who continue-have