The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-10-18
RECTOR GEO. s. FOX'S VIEWS
ONIHE F SYsTE1I IOFSUPERVISORS IN
 THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

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 Last Night-He Proved That Nature study Wasa Matter Under COnsidern- tion-The Committee Forgets a Former Dectsion-Anothor Hearing Will be Held Next Tuesday Night.
 Rector George l.. Fox of the Hopkins Grammar school appeared last night
 before the special committee conduct ing the inquiry into the supervisory system in the public schools ana gave to the committee most comprehen- sive statement of his views as an edu-
 cator of experience on the system.
 When the hearing opened last night eX-
 Alderman J. D. Dewell, jr., stated that
 he and other citizens present desired to
 question the gentlemen of the board of
 education who had appeared before the
 committee. Chairman Staub informed
 him that the committee had decided
 that MT. Kendall. the superintendent or
 schools, could only be questioned on
 matters on which the members of the
 school committee of the board Of edu-
 cation were unable to give information.
 MT. DeWell thought that in view of the
 fact that at a previous meeting the
 committee had informed citizens that
 they could question MT. Kendall as
 well as the members of the board of
 education on schools this was rather
 peculiar statement.
 Alderman Chillingworth then stated
 that when the question of the right to
 the
 committee would decide thereon As
 the committee has already given out in
 public meeting that MT. Kendall could
 be questioned 1t seems hardly probable
 that when the point is raised the com
 mittee will change it's decision in this regard.
 MT. Dewell stated to the committee
 last night that as he understood that
 gentlemen were present who desired to
 speak and who could not be present at all the hearings he would defer his
 questioning in order to permit those citizens to be heard. MT. Fox then pro- ceeded to state his views to the com mittee. He thought that sewing, writing. cooking. and music should be taught in the city schools, but on an economic basis as possible. Nature study and drawing were not of much practical value. He said that nature study and drawing required large amount of supplies and said that Clerk Hewlett of the board of education had told him that the materials for draw ing required an outlay of about $2,000, manual training materials SS5, cooking $125, sewing $60. He did not know of anyone else but the clerk of the board of education who could say that if drawing was cut off a saving in clerk hire of at least s1.000 could not be made. MT. Fox thought that drawing was of less practical value than any other study, to enable pupils to earn their own living. He differed, he said with MT. Moran of the board of educa tion who had said that no water color work was now taught in the schools. | He had seen it taught in four schools | within week.
 At this point Mir. Moran said that l he had understood from the superinten- dent that it was to be dropped
 MT Fox said that drawing cost as much as all the other special studies 1 together.
 In reply to a question by MT. Chase | of the committee MT. Fox said that he thought that the purpose of instruction | to the public schools was to fit the pu- pll to be an intelligent citizen. He 1 thought that drawing developed the | eye but not the mind to any apprecia- be extent. He differed with MT. Ken dal as to the practical value of draw irg and thought that the relative value of drawing as a mental trainer was very slight. He thought that the. old tine instruction in the elementary studies, arithmetic, geography. etc., was much better 10 lay the necessary Music is desirable, b,t | not essential. If not more than per cent. or 10 per cent. of the pupils be- come proficient in study that is taught one or two hours a week that study is not of much practical value.
 At this point reference was made by MT. Chillingworth of the committee to the letter written to the committee by MT. Fox offering to act as counsel for the committee, he being an experienced educator. MT. Chillingworth said that the committee was there under oath to determine the question before it and that it was acting much as jury. He thought, therefore, that in sending letter to the committee Mr. Foxs act was one of embracery, and he for one did not like it. To this MT. Fox vouch- safed no reply. Continuing his state- ment he said that he did not believe that teaching singing had any great moral effect and did not believe, as Mr. Kendall did, that it would keep children off the streets. He was, low ever. in favor of the present system of teaching singing and thought that Pro- lessor Jepson was very successful. He agreed with MT Kendall on the main question, but differed with him on the of the matter.
 MT Fox thought that the inspector ship of penmanship should be cut off He thought that it was a novelty that could be well dispensed with. In all small towns and cities the principals Ire required to supervise writing. He liu not believe that the present vertical 'ystem of writing required an inspector )r supervisor. If one system is taught III teachers should be able to teach it. He had visited the Sacred Heart school 1 md found that there vertical writing vas taught without a supervisor with better results than in city schools, | where there is supervisor Any |