Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-06
SPECIAL MEETING HELD.
Hoard of Education Considers Cues
ton of Home studies.

The board of education held speclal
meeting at the Franklin building last even
ing for the consideration of the question OF
home studies in the high schools IL IS
said that the entire time was consumed IN
listening to anu discussing report on the
subject made by DR.. F. R. Lane, director
OF the high schools This report was SUD-
mitted by Superintendent Stuart, who said
he Endorsed its conclusions and recon-
mendations with reference to revision or
the high school course. At Mr.. Stuart s
request he was given more time to pre-
pare his report with regard to the matter
of home study In the upper graded schools.
At the conclusion Of the meeting Sscre-
tary Twombly made public the report OF
Director Lane. with the statement that 1t
had been approved and adopted by the
board.
The report is as follows:
81 have the honor to report, IN response
to your verbal request that there is, In my
opinion, no pressure In the Business High
School. the business department OF the col
ored school. or in the technical course. at
least no pressure beyond the reach of the
existent available remedies. Tension exists
in the first-year class academic and scien-
titic). as a result of the change from the
eighth grade to the High School, which
brings a radical departure from the IA
miliar routine. More independent effort
is exacted by the High School, less super
vised study is possible. While this tension
is generally felt. it does not require any
extreme action for it's regulation, and much
OF 1t will subside on December 1, after the
expiration of the first quarter
LAS a relief, it Is recommended that the
number of history recitations be reduced
e from four per week to three. which will be
the equivalent Of from seventy-two to nine
ty-one hours reductions per school year.
In addition. for the first half year 1t should
be made mandatory that one lesson per
week in algebra, Latin, French or German
of this first year, class be without prep
aration-that is. without teachers assign
ment of home work. which is an additional
relief for each student Of thirty-eight to
fIty hours work for the half year in which
tension is most felt
Relief should be afforded those In the
Normal School courses of the fourth year.
These students have at present all the re-
quirements made upon their classmates for
graduation seventeen or eighteen hours for
recitation per week. and four hours addi-
tional Zone muse. two normal school draw
ing and one physical culture). Spelling Is
required of all alike one-half hour per week.
1T is recommended 1) that for all fourth
year students requirement of three major
studies. with a total of eighteen hours
class work per week, be offered; ~ that
the present possibility -four studies) be re-
tanned as an opportunity for those fitting
for college (for whom this amount Is a ne
c-ssfty If preparation Is to be made in four
years., and sucn others may prefer this
number of studies: go that the Normal
School fourth year minimum requirement
be: English. five hours: biology. five hours
Latin or modern language, four hours:
drawing, two hours: music, one hour; phys-
ical culture, one hour; total eighteen
hours