The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-12-22
II be vel >'-tof our way.


1.-THE crowding in the 8th grade is not
so great as to prevent the admission at
close quarters, of 10 to 10 pupils from
the wards, if it should be found that as
many as that can qualify for it. If a
few individual promotions are thus
made, which would be on the basis of
special qualification, tested by rigid
examination, this would make possible
forward move all along the line of a
few of the very strongest and most ad-
vanced pupils of each class.
II therefore propose that an oppor-
tunity be thrown open for special pro
motions in all classes below A 9Th.
Sets of questions will be prepared by
the superintendent, to be offered to all
who feel that they are able to do the
work of the next higher class. These
questions will aim to cover the work
done by the pupil during the past
semester, or it's equivalent. Those
chosen to go up must necessarily be a
limited number, "a because of limited
room above, ~ because there will be
very few who should not to better ad-
vantage remain where they are. Such
an examination must therefore be as
rigid as possible to make it. without
requiring anything which is not equity
alent to what the stronger pupils have
already learned. These examination
questions will subsequently be placed
on file in the Office, where they will be
open to inspection and comparison for
those who seek to question their fair
ness
'For the benefit of the greater num-
Der who will remain in the rooms they
now occupy, desire to emphasize the
fact that there is an important distinc-
ton between the detention here con-
templated and the usual failure to pass.
The latter case usually implies lack of
| ability or diligence and carries with it
certain degree of reproach This
temporary cessation of promotion if
properly understood, should not pro-
duce such an effect. An extra half
year in the same room, it must be re-
membered is forced upon us. We
shall use it not alone to go over the
same work, but to make rapid and
comprehensive review of that work and
then press forward carefully and
thoroughly into advanced ground dur
ing the latter part of the semester.
In this way. accompanied by frequent
drill on the universal essentials of Spell
ling, Arithmetic, and English, vari-
ously needed throughout the grades, we
shall be able to slightly bring up the
grade standard in all our schools. And
it shall be our constant aim that it shall
be done in such way that every indi
vidual in the school shall receive the
greatest amount of good, whether pro.
NOTED OR detained, =" -...,...... leps-- ...
A short discussion took place between
Mr.. Fletcher and Supt. Uline over the
question. Mr.. Fletcher contended that
the mid-year promotion scheme was all
wrong, once year was often enough.
To pick out the brightest ones and send
them up to the next room, had ten
dency to discourage those who were not
so we'll prepared. He said that our
school attendance was not increasing,
and this scheme was thinning out the
grades and crowding the high school
Supt. Uline held that Mr.. Fletcher
was mistaken in this; that the bright
pupil should not be held back if pre-
pared to go on; that it did not tend to
discourage those who were held back
because other bright ones come in from
the rooms below; that rightly adjusted
as he had suggested in his report, it did
not crowd the eighth grade nor the
high school. He said that with rigid
examination but a small number of
pupils would be promoted in January,
and they could be easily taken care OF
| in the rooms above,
A general discussion of the question,
ensued when the report of the superin-
tendent was approved by referring the
matter to the school committee and
superintendent with powerto act, only
one vote being cast against the motion
4