The Republican journal., 1899-10-12
not developed. for thinking is neither more

not developed for thinking is neither more
nor less than seeing relations.
Miss Finch then spoke at length in re-
gard to unitication, or related work, EN- :
phasizing the thought that certain lessons
should reinforce each other. In all grades
language should be correlated with his
tory geography and nature work An
experiment in physics should be repro
duced as the written language lesson of
the day. Drawing should emphasize and
deepen the impressions in history, geog-
raphy and the sciences. Geography and
history should be closely related.
Another thought that is now agitating
the educational world and which shows
/ the progress of this decade, is that of
freedom in promotions. 1t is a well
known fact that many pupils in our schools
can advance more rapidly than the work
OF the grade requires, but at the same time
/ are not quite able to do the work of a year
in advance. This is obviated in many
schools by following the Semester or
halfyearly promotion pIan,' by which
two sections of pupils. five months apart,
ttiG l4ttCttt III olt ltOlll, lI6 SET lOu> Dtlug
designated \ and & respectively. For in
stance, in the fifth grade there would he
in the room an A ifth and L fifth class,
the a fifth class being 4alf-a-year i'll al !:
vance of the , fifth in most bjects.
although both classes recite together in
drawing. music, and general lessons"
These CLASSES OF sections are promoted
| half yearly, and it is frequently the case
that bright child makes up d half year
work without deJriment to himself, while
| it would be impossible for him to ''skip''
a grade.
Then, too, sometimes bright class with
but little extra effort completes a wears
work in halt year. The pupils should
then be promoted to the b class of the
next grade, and so ON. Wherever this
plan is followed an immense saving of
time is the result, and many bright pupils
are enabled to complete the course in from
one to three years less time than they
would under the plan of yearly promo
lions.
Another successful plan in operation in
Elizabeth, \. j., and in several other
places, is explained briefly by ouperin-
tendent Shearer as follows: Instead of
having pupils roughly sorted into large,
loosely graded classes, in which the CLASH
fcation must grow more and more unsat-
isfactory as time passes, those of very
nearly equal ability are placed together,
in groups, in a room. While the usual
plan provides for but or 9 divisions be
low the high school, this method has from
30 to 90. Pupils can thus easily pass from
one division to another at any time when
they are found to be ahead OF behind their
companions. The need of Reconsideration,
as we'll as its Possibilities, under this plan,
is shown by the fact that, during the past
year almost 20 per cent. of the pupils
We're moved to other divisions between
the regular times OF promotion. The
brighter pupils are allowed to move as
fast as they can DO the work thoroughly.
The slower ones 90 no faster than they
have the mental ability to do the work
well. The teachers records in Elizabeth,
show that the gain each year is from one
to seven months time.
Miss Finch then spoke of the cassif ca
ton and promotion as practiced on the
Pacific coast, in Seattle, Oakland, etc
1t is the almost universal practice to class
ify pupils according to their abilities The
Superintendent of the Seattle schools illus
trated their plan at the recent National
Educational Association, as follows: Sup
pose there are 0pupils in the fourth grade,
| would organize four divisions of 20 pupils
each, classifying them strictly according
to abilities. | then say to the teachers and
pupils in those two rooms which contain
40 pupils each; 1T ordinarily takes one
year to complete the course of study, but
if you can do the work thoroughly and
easily in less time, why do so, and then at
once begin the work of the fifth year,
overtaking the lowest division of that class
if possible. This means daily promotion.
Progress is constant. The first division
of one class will overtake, for a time work
with, but finally pass, the lowest division
of the next higher class, while the lower
division will go steadily forward, many
of the pupils working to higher divisions.
For eight years this plan has been follow
ed in the Seattle schools. Careful records
show that 10 per cent. gained eight months
or more in time, % per cent gained 16
months, : per cent. gained "a months, and
? per cent. gained 80 MONTHS
Miss Finch then discussed many advan-
tage6 of our present system over that of
few years ago. She also spoke in regard
to the advancement in salaries of the grade
teachers in our most progressive cities.
The maximum salaries of the prade teach
ers in the following cities to-day are as
follows:
San Francisco. .........S 99O W
New ork City. 1.OOO w
CnlCagO... 1,OUU w
Many other features of the present
sc hool movement We're discussed. In con-
clusiOn, Miss Finch said: ''Let the good
work 60 on. We are building not only for
day, but for centuries to come. May
those who follow after say of us OF the
10Th century, They builded better than
they knew
During the winter of 1897 Mr.. James
Reed. one of the leading citizens and mer-