The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-11
SCHOOL TEXT BOOKS CHANGED
DIFFERENT HISTORY, SPOILERS
AND GRAMMARS TO DE Used.

Spoilers Now Tnught-Lyte's Ele-
ments of Grammar VIII SuppIant
Harvey-Chumber's History VIII
Take the Place of Swlnton's.
SUPERINTENDENT Interesting Re
Port-AppIicants Who Were Sue
cessfuI in the Examination and
whose Names Are Added to the
Teachers List.
In spite Of the vacation season there was
q good attendance at the Board of Educa-
ton meeting last night Col Mercer was
in the chair and Messrs. Denmark, Blum,
Esdn. O'Byrne, Lee Roy Myers, Stovall
and Tattnan were present Nearly every
question that came up during the meeting
was thoroughly discussed, especially that
one changing text books
The report Of Superintendent Ashmore
was as usual interesting. The figures pre-
scented showed that the number of school
children under the Beard of Education are
as follows: Whites city 1851, county G73,
total 4.52l; negroes, city 2,l4S county 1723,
total S.S7l.
The report of the superintendent referred
TO various matters N connection with The
BClOOlS III NblI4AA-hIt4it9 NA'S'+ Nf' 49,
work. the sup aiintendent said:
Regarding other matters of interest the
Superintendent reported:
The work of the year has been very
satisfactory, Notwithstanding the fact that
much sickness prevailed during the WIN
ter and spring, the tendency of which
was to reduce the average daily attend
ance and to render % some extent the
work uneven.
There have been enrolled 202 pupils
more this year than for the year previous,
and that the number belonging this year
has been III in excess of last year, but
that the per cent. of daily attendance is
less for this year. This is certainly ac-
counted for by the prevailing epidemlcs
of sickness referred to above. The mum,
Der Of deaths. TOO, is unusually large, be
ing twenty-f0ur for this year. against
three for last year. So far as I am able
10 ascertain, similar conditions have eX
listed all over the country, so that they
are not peculiar to our city.
Il am now engaged upon the important
problem of providing for as many children
next year as possible. All the elements
of the problem are before me, and every
item is receiving a most careful consider
alton at my hands. 1 am endeavoring to
c0ndense the upper grades far a IS posi-
BILE in order 10 leave room in the lower
grades where the pressure Is most likely
to be felt. l find an evident advantage to
be gained by transferring q few children
in the upper grades from districts where
the grades are crowded TO adjacent schools
where there is room in those grades for
in this way condensation can be effected
in the upper grades and room thus made
for the younger children in the grades be
low. In a city like ours, where the school
districts are small and the distance any
where not great, the slight disadvantage
incurred by few large pupils walking
n r~ ff4rf CHI -,frF
the great advantage of providing for two
or more extra classes with the same
teaching force
"A provisional plan has been arranged
by which l believe the greatest number of
pupils possible can be accommodated next
year, but Notwithstanding this there is
sure to be demand for all the room at our
command. Last year one room at the
Anderson Street School was unused, and
rs there will probably be a demand for it
next year. 1 think it would be well for the
board TO provide an extra teacher for IL.
The superintendent by request of the
committee, submitted the report on the ex-
aminations of teachers. on a motion 10
adopt the report, the question of how the
names should appear was decided by hav-
ing them arranged alphabetically.
THE committee on text books reported a
few changes. The report of the commit
tee follows:
TO the Board of Observation-Disclosures
About three weeks ago your committee on
text books held a meeting at Chatham
academy for the purpose of hearing an
expression of opinion from the principals
OF the schools upon any changes in text
books now in use in the schools and any
suggestions that they might see fit to offer
for the benefit of the course of study now
pursued by the pupils All the principals
were present and each in turn was asked
10 express his opinion freely upon the sub
3eet.
After this advisory meeting the com
mittee met again to-day at the office of
Col. Mercer TO consider the suggestions
and recommendations of the principals
There were present Col Mercer Messrs
Lee Roy Myers. and O'Byrne and the SUI
perintendent. After due consideration the
committee makes the following recon-
mendations:
y. That the use of a spelIing-book
in the second grades be discontinued.
- That Reeds Word Lessons be adopt
ed for the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and
seventh grades, instead of the books now
in use.
% That Lytes Elementary English be
adopted i'm the fourth and fifth grades.
and Lyte's Elements of Grammar aud
Composition he adopted for the sixth and
seventh grades, instead of the three books
now in use.
-. That Chambers Primary United
A.
grade, instead of Swintou's First Lessons
in Our Country's History now in use.
Mr.. O'Byrne of the committee desires 1t
10 be stated in this report that he is op-
posed to the change in grammars men
toned above.
The committee also considered the
adoption Of Baldwin's readers, but it de-
sifes more time for investigating enc
merits Of these books
George \. Mercer, Chairman"
Mr.. Ashmore was invited TO give his
views upon the matter of text book
changes, and did So
There are just TWO points to be weigh
ed he said in considering changes in
school books; first, the relative merits of
the books; second, the cost TO the COM
munity Either one of these considera-
lions may prepondorute 10 such an extent
as 10 make the change desirable, and both
sometimes unite their weight in favor of
change. Both these points, however, should
be carefully considered, for public economy
deserves great care