The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-24
PROCRtssOF THESCHOOLS
An Interview With City Super
intendent Hendricks.
MANY NEW PLANS LAID
Congestion of Some of the Rooms VIII
Be Relieved-Heartily in Fav-
or of the Introduction
OF Art

Superintendent Hendricks Of the city
schools talked Interestingly yesterday
of the progress the schools We're MAX
ing and of the plans of the days i'm
mediately following the holidays. 1t is
gratifying to know that the congested
condition of some of the scnool rooms
will be relieved upon the reconvening
of the school next month. More than
400 pupils will be taken out Of the
Washington building ana several from
other buildings. The 400 pupils from
the Washington will go to the new and
elegant Atlantic street building, just
finished. The superintendent is heartily
art into the schools, and says that the
next important step towards the es-
tablishment of a great school system
is the Introduction of manual training.
There are approximately 5000 pupils
in the public schools and $50 teachers.
The Aluminium street building will be
ready for occupancy about the LIST Of
February, and then there will be an
other reorganization of the grades.
Speaking of the progress the schools
are making and of the work generally,
Superintendent Hendricks said:
Yes, the Butte schools have been
making rapid progress this year, re-
CARELESS of the fact that many of the
rooms and buildings are overcrowded.
the schools of this community should
not be as progressive as any schools
in the land Butte has a population
Of active, progressive, enterprising and
intelligent and educated people. The
schools have to move in order to keep
up The people will not allow them to
stand still. Besides this, there are hun
dreds of people representing some of
the best educational centers of the
world moving into this city. They
bring with them advanced ideas and
keep the teachers looking them up and
making an application Of them in their
schools. You understand that ! believe
in having teachers think for them
selves. After the schools are organized
and a general outline provided, I am
of the opinion that carefully selected
corps of experienced teachers should be
allowed to get the results in their own
way. The one method idea has posi-
bly, had more to do with poor teaching
than any other scheme invented by the
leaders in educational movements. The
natural way of doing a thing is al
ways better than the imitation. In at
tempting TO do as some one else does
the imitator is most likely to do moth
ing To be successful the teacher must
be allowed to do her own thinking.
IT have observed this: That nothing
more favorably affects school system
than thorough organization, rigid en-
forcement of reasonable rules and laws.
The most practical and therefore the
most desirable school is the one that
requires its pupils not only to work.
but to accomplish everything on time.
THE overcrowded condition of the
schools will be much relieved at the
opening of the, schools Jan. 2 The
new Atlantic street building will give
us 10 additional rooms. 1t will be
f, MI rom tIIl1 r
this building. This building will ac-
commodate between 600 and 700 pupils,
and we have the pupils.
1.-THE Washington building now has
an enrolment of nearly 1,2OO pupils and
a capacity for only about 500. More
than 400 pupils will be taken from this
school who reside in the vicinity of the
new building.
THE Aluminium street building of
nine rooms will be much appreciated,
as it will relieve the High school
building and the Garfield school. These
two buildings have now an enrolment
of more than 1,400 pupils, while they
should not have more than LOO
THE High school is growing very
rapidly and the seventh and eighth
grades are now occupying rooms much
needed FOR the high school classes. The
High school enrolment will be further
increased in February by a class of
more than 1907
Speaking OF art in the rooms, Mr..
Hendricks said: 1.-The special super
visors of drawing and music have met
with good success. There is a live in
terest in these two departments and
the schools are making satisfactory
progress. The teachers do the teaching
under the supervision of the special
teachers.
I'VE will want to introduce manual
training as the next step in building
up a great school system. This depart
ment will be appreciated by the citi-
zens of this city because it is an es-
sental part of a complete education
in this practical age"