The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-01

port for the fiscal year ended July 30, 1899.
This report in conjunction with that OF
S. r. T. Cook. Superintendent OF Colored
Schools. is printed in one volume
In transmitting the report to the Com
missioners the school board says:
The public schools OF the District are
in excellent condition. superintendent
and other officials. and the principals and
subordinate teachers. have performed their
dificult and laboriOus duties faithfully and
well That the work and the system are
absolutely perfect in all respects, we are
not prepared to claim or to expect We
believe that our public schools have kept
pace with the advance OF modern methods
in teaching and in the management OF
schools.
There has been occasionally, here and
there. q complaint; possibly having sub
stantial foundation. II would be indeed
wonderful II, in so large an institution. in
volving the services Of so many hundreds
of teachers and requiring always the exer-
else Of great labor and patience. and great
tact and skill there were not occasionally
instances OF failure. The trustees. speak
ing for themselves and, as they believe,
schools invite friendly criticism and sug-
gestion and are more than willing to CO.
operate with the public and with tho
patrons Of the schools for the most sue
cessful accomplishment OF the work to be
done"
Medical Inspection.
The superintendent enters an earnest
plea for an inspection of schools and chill
dren at intervals by medical experts, espe-
cially with reference to eyesight.
With reference to supplying a book for
each pupil he saws: Zone OF the first de-
mands OF medical direction is that each
child shall be supplied with book, to the
end that two or more children shall not
use the same book. To supply a book to
each child in every case where books are
used will require larger amount Of money
than we have ever had at our command.
The greatly increased outlay, however, wi
be required only for the first supply.
Thereafter the outlay would not be rela
lively much larger than it now is, because
books would not wear out so rapidly as
they now do"
Regarding primary instruction. the us-
port says:
The process Of education today through I
out the world aud particularly in America |
is in a state Of rapid transformation OF /
evolution. People of all classes. especially /
those who think in contemplating the /
schools, Influenced by experience with /
them. seeing the products OF the schools in |
the lives of their children as well as realiz- |
ing themselves in many instances as prod
ucts OF these schools have seen in them /
what they believe to be defects and have |
not been slow TO criticise them. For two /
or three decades, but especially within the 4
last ten years. the public press Of every
kind, the rostrum. the pulpit. and numer-
Gus persons having the ears Of the public /
have helped to make known the shortcom-
ings Of existing methods Of education.
The contention has been in part that i
the schools are formal; that the studies
and methods are disciplinary rather than
nourishing; that mind nourishing studies
are not found in the curricula in their just
proportion. BY the medical men the
schools are held bIamable for the impair
ment Of the health OF the children. This
latter criticism is perhaps the most impor-
Jant Of all that are made; at least il has
led to more unrest than any other. be-
cause it affects the happiness Of the home
and disturbs domestic tranquility more
than any other.
Evolution in Progress.
In the schools Of Washington for many
years sn effort has been made to study the
evolution in progress and to understand
it, and to help to solve the problem. How
can the child be educated TO understand,
appreciate. and enjoy. and at the same tine
be trained to become an intelligent actor
In the civilization Of which he is a part,
and not break down in health
While II was believed that there was
cause for criticism concerning the methods
and requirements OF the schools and that
relief should be sought yet despite this il
ha- wa IND
for broader intelligence, for more "a
tional understanding Of things on the part
OF the pupils. also for better physical
development and for direct motor training.
It was seen that no satisfactory change
could be Effected simply by q multiplied
ton OF studies this would result in put
ting additional burdens on the schools. nor
could It be effected by an increase Of time
given to school work. Both Of these, It
was seen, would but augment the most
serious evil for which the school was held
blamable, namely. overwork.
I'VE were therefore forced to conclude
that relief can come to the schools only by
a radical change in the process OF teaching
the child during the formative period OF
life
1t is desirable and necessary that the
child should learn 10 spell. The words
representing what he knows are the words
that he should spell II he can spell all
the words that stand for all that he can Z .
find out and all that he can learn 10 read I
he Will be a good speiler and will know |
how tC spell the words that he will employ
in writing his own experiences and ideas.
When learning to write for the forms OF
words the child learns spelling by the same
as he learns writing. The forms
Of the words are carried in mind for re-
production. He acquires the habit Of OBJ
serving closely and fixing details in the
mind This he will not do so well II he
writes from copy.
The child must learn arithmetic; but
man did not learn arithmetic originally
from dictation. He learned it by measur-
ing counting. testing comparing, marking,
deciding and re-marking when making.
The child may DO this and learn arithmetic
from two to ten times as fast and much
more nationally than be can possibly learn
al from dictatlon or from a book; but In
measuring sidewalks. the tops Of desks,
the areas OF floors. the capacities OF boxes,
etc, the child is exercising his hands End
his feet and his senses in correlation with |
his brain. This is manual training than
which no better can be had, though It come |
from Norway OF Sweden, OF from the ISL
nnds Of the sea"
The second most important function OF |
the school, states the report, is teaching