The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-15
The New Schedule of
Study in Schools
Explained.
PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS MEET.
Latin in Ninth Grades
Causes a Revision of
Subjects.


school board at it's last meeting, was
presented to the teachers in public
schools at the English high school hall,
yesterday afternoon.
The new arrangement is general, and
affects all grades, some of the differ
ences are slight and are of interest to
teachers only. But those made in
arithmetic, geography and language are
radical in many instances and of con-
siderable Importance.
The most conspicuous change. which
caused the revision of the schedule has
been the Introduction of Latin into the
ninth grade. Formerly it was not ta-
ken up until the pupil entered the high
school. The language study taught in
the ninth grade was English grammar
1t was found by the principals that this
advanced English grammar was en-
tirely beyond the average pupil, and
that he could not grasp easily the more
complex constructions, and to remedy
this Latin has been introduced. The
study of Latin, besides being valuable
in itself, is great help to the study of
advanced English grammar; in fact,
the latter is almost impossible without
an understanding of the Latin. The
new schedule provides for the study of
Latin in the ninth grade while long
with it will go persistent review work
in the English grammar taught the two
previous years.
In arithmetic, the changes are SINH
lar in nature. The portions of the SUBJ
Ject taught in the ninth grade last year
We're found too difficult for the pupils
to understand The more difficult parts
OF bank discount, stocks and bonds, for
example, were practically useless so far
as the pupils were concerned, while
cube root could be studied to better
advantage in connection with algebra.
1t was the unanimous opinion of all the
principals that the elements of algebra
ana geometry We're necessary to an UNI
Outstanding of the more difficult parts
OF arithmetic, so these parts, in the
new schedule, have been either elimi-
mated or transferred to some other
subject.
The other important change has been
in the subject of geography, which, by
the new schedule, will not be taught
IN the 4th and 9Th grades at all. Last
year it came in the 4th, 9TH 9Th, 18th
9th and 9Th; this year it will be dropped
from the first two, but continued in the
other three. The effect of these changes
VIII be tWo-fold-it will eliminate from
the grammar schools certain subjects
not grasp, and will relieve to a con-
siderable extent the pressure hereto
fore undergone by pupils in the high
schooi. In other words, the grammar
school course, taken as a whole, will he
made more symmetrical.
In presenting the new schedule to the
teachers, Supt, Carroll explained the
changes, and the causes that led to
rneln' he said, in substance: This
new course has been prepared under
the direction of the high school com
mittee, and was formally adopted nv
the school board at it's last meeting. It's
essential parts have been printed. and
will be distributed among the prin
clpaIs, who will see that it is nut into
effect at once. The most important
changes have been made in three sub
Jects-arithmetiC, grammar and ge-
ography. 1t was not the original in
tentlon of the committee to make a
complete change, but when the course
was being looked over. with a view to
hndlng room for Latin in the ninth
grade it became necessary. carefully To
go over the entire course. Five years
ago some changes were made, simpIi-
Tying the course; the present revision
brings it up to date. A comparison be-
tween the two courses might not show
many points of difference, but as a
matter of fact the changes mean a
great deal to the teachers and children.
AS a member of the school committee
said, they will be far reaching, and
schools.
The teachers have long believed that
some branches of work done in the
high schools should be introduced into
the graded schools, and that the ele-
ments of these branches would help
eighth and ninth grade pupils to a bet
ter acquaintance with mathematics
and language. 1t is also certain that
some of the work hitherto attempted in
the upper grades has been altogether
too difficult and should be postponed
For example, the introduction Of Latin
is great help to the better knowledge
of grammar, the difficult parts of which
can be understood only after very eX-
tended study Of the languages. The
same is true of algebra and arithmetic.
The elements of algebra. and geometry
Tor that matter, are necessary in order
that child may appreciate certain
parts of arithmetic. For example. ex-
change, stocks and bonds cube root.
and bank discount can never be
comprehended by the average pupil of
the ninth grade. Our principals have
stated emphatically that the most
fruitless part of their work has been
in trying to teach the difficult parts of
arithmetic. The average child not only
fails to grasp the facts, but, along with
the teacher. grows discouraged.
In the present course it is attempted
to give a minimum of the essentials of !
most of the subjects found in the
course. Teachers will be expected to
cover the minimum requirements, but
they will not be limited to them, and
will not be prevented from giving
brighter pupils more difficult optional
work.
Geography by the new schedule. is
taught three years instead of five as
Children beginning geog- |
raphy In the fourth grade grow tired of
it long before the completion of the |
course. In place of the geography orr
ginally taught in these years an ex-
tended course of reading has been sub |
along geographical lines
The result of these changes will en- |
able the teachers to attempt what all
can do, and will enable the
to do their work far more thor !
oughly. 1t will relieve the teachers of !
the necessity Of imposing penalties on
pupils who cannot perform their tasks. |
and save them from encouragement. 1t |
will increase the enthusiasm among |
both teachers and pupils. Iii fact, the |
supervising principals, who have done |
most of the revision, have shown great !
over the work that has been
accomplished. 1t should be added that
the Introduction of Latin will not in
crease the burden of the, teachers. 1t |
will tighten it at every point, and in !
will make it easy to secure |
better results. The changes have long
been imminent, and are being made !
wherever there Is life In education. IT !