The San Francisco call., 1899-11-03
WEBSTER IS NOW
At WORK UPON A
NEW CURRICULUM
" I hree RS" to Obtain
in Local Schools.
BLOW AT THE BOOK RING
HIGH PRICT FANCY SUBJECTS
TO BE DROPPED.

Superintendent of Schools Webster is
about 10 put into execution a practical
plan of education, on which he has spent
many of the best months of his admin
istrauon in evolving, and which, from it's
conception, has been bitterly fought by
the all-powerful and all-corrupt school
book ring and its successive allies on the
Board of Education Mr.. Webster's
scheme is neither more nor less than to
again make paramount in the curricu-
lum of San Francisco's schools the three
RS Of good old-time pedagogy, read
ing. 'riting and 'rithmetic." II Is his ulti-
mate purpose to either throw out or re-
duCe TO a place of minimum Importance
the dozens of studies which during the
past few years have been forced into the
department solely that market might
be created or enlarged for the products
OF the combination which has for so long
controlled by one means or another the
arrangement and classification of about
every study or course Of studies proposed
Tor the department.
Superintendent Webster will probably
not accomplish his purpose without much
ot the same old opposition The school
book ring Is as big a thing as Ii ever
was and has waXed more powerful upon
many years of fabulous profits 1t has
also demonstrated that il has its agents
on the present Board of Education, made
up as II Is of a majority Of clean,
straightforward business and professional
men. Now, however, that the power of
such able officials as Directors Gedge and
Conlon has been rendered nil by a thor
Ough ventilation of their intentions and
methods of doing business, the Opportun-
lty 10 break away from book ring in
uuence is brighter than il has been since
the Hyde board first started in making
municipal history, and superintendent
w ebSteT proposes to take advantage of il.
As so far Indicated the new course will
lack those elaborate features OF the old ,
Mmch parents nave come TO consider are
1T solely 10 rob the child of time that
might be spent with profit in the study of
bookkeeping, arithmetic, composition
history or some other subject of practical
value. Those particular faVorites of the
state and local school books gang, such
as humane education nature study
physiology, etc, which have served solely
10 increase the annual book bills of the
pupil viii be thrown out of the depart
ment and the only instruction given along
those lines VIII be in oral lessons of little
length and intrequent occurrence by the
teacher. Drawing, music, sewing, etc.
are to be taught but for a half hour each
economy Of time TO the pupil but prob
ably an economy in school funds as the
number OF special teachers required in
these lines under present conditions will
likely not he maintained.
Those studies which Superintendent
Webster has declared absolutely essential
and which viii be expanded at the ex-
Tense Of the special lines are arithmetic
grammar. spelling and defining COMPOST
uOn, reading, writing, geography book
Keeping and civil government.
IN his well formulated plan Mr.. Webster
mas the backing and assistance of the old
est and most accomplished teachers in the
department and is confident he will have
their hearty cooperation in bringing il
INTO successful operation.