The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-12-22

though we were driven to the necessity
of abandoning the entire mid-year sys-
tenn throughout the grades. To articu,
late two equally strong classes, finish
ing the 9Th grade at half year intervals
to a High school course that gives only
one opportunity a year for admission
was no easy problem. What must we
do with the finished mid-year classes II
they could not enter the High school at
once? Either we must ask them to quit
school, which we have no right to ask
and wait until September for the High
school, or we must arrange special ad
vanced Sth grade course for them tc
study during the last half-year. In the
latter case, by retaining this class in the
school, which we will call the advanced
A Sth grade, the school would have tc
accommodate three full classes in the
9Th grade during the last half-year OF
each year. In other words there would
follow a regular fuctuation in this
grade from slackness of numbers dur
ing the 1st semester to congestion in
the latter semester.
ION the other hand we can not afford
to step back to the year-long interval
of the past, in our grade schools. One
of the most serious objections to annual
promotion in the grades is the injustice
of OBTAINING for a I'd whole year al
those who fail at the annual promotion
FREQUENT promotions make it possible
for pupils to atone for failure or sick
ness in a measure more nearly cores
ponding to their shortcomings. Tc
ask pupil who falls only little short
of promotion to drag over for second
time all the work of a whole year is an
Injustice that semi annual classes can
largely obviate. The half-year inter
val in the grades is sustained by large
majority of school men everywhere.
am convinced in the light OF these facts,
and long and careful study OF the
question in general and of the condi-
tions in Mankato in particular, that we
must sustain the half-year system in
the grades.
The idea that mid-year promotion
has tendency to crowd children for
ward before they are ready is mistaken
one. 1t simply gives two half-year
units of time, while the old system
gives one whole year unit of time for
years work. 1t is only the abuse of the
system that can lead to an unwarranted
crowding forward. And we believe
that with careful and constant super
vision and cooperation, such an abuse
will not occur.
"Reverting now to the problem of ar
ticulating the 9Th grade mid-year class
with the High school, it is possible to
find partial solution by beginning as
early as the 9th grade with special
and judicious supervision of the mid
year class The mid-year class at this
point in the system will be quite as
large on an average as the June class.
Those of the class who are aiming at
the High school should be closely
watched. Of these the strong, capable
pupils may be helped forward. If some
what dull, or poorly prepared or poorly
taught, let them be held back until
ready. This plan of selection must of
necessity gradually reduce the mid-year
class as it draws nearer to the High
school, so that, when the end OF the
schedule is reached there will be rela-
lively large June, and much reduced
January class in the 9Th grade. Let the
superintendent and the teacher and the
pupil begin to plan the matter thus
early. and he will drop naturally into
the June schedule. Those who do not,
will be sufficiently reduced to be taken
care of, either individually, or by di-
viding off into small special class,
which can do advanced 9Th grade work
in the last half-year with advantage.
In this way we can in time reduce the
element of fuctuation of numbers in
the two semesters of the 9Th grade to an
easily comfortable minimum. Until this
arrangement gets in full working order,
which will be at least three years, we
shall have to adopt special measures tc
accommodate pupils in the I'd half Of
the 9Th grade each succeeding year. Va
cant seats will be feature of the fall
extra seats will be necessary in the
spring.
"The condition which confronts us
now is as follows: Eighth grade rooms
nearly full; mid-year class to stay
where they are; and possible 33 hoping
to squeeze in in January, from Pleasant
Grove, Union and Franklin. The very
fact that this cannot be done would be
in itself sufficient justification for hold
ing the mid-year classes of the wards
just where they are. But another fact
must be plainly told which will more
than justify temporary cessation Of
promotion aside from the fact of impos-
sible accommodation Our schools are
almost uniformly below grade. To il
lustrate: During the first half of 8tf
grade, much of the work done is exactly