The Republican journal., 1900-02-15
The Seattle school System.

SEATTLE, WASH, Feb. II, 1900 The
Seattle school system of promotion has
attracted the interest and attention of the
school world. 1t was introduced in Seat
tendent of schools, Prof. F. j. Barnard.
While citizens sometimes claim that there
is too much 'cramming'' for the younger
scholars, this has little to do with the
general success of the plan, which has
many features to recommend its extension
all over the United States. BY it pupils
are classified so as to shorten the way for
the quick witted and permit them to enter
new fields, thus giving more time and at
tention to the slow thinkers and restrain
ing neither, but enabling both to make
progress, although advancing at different
rates of speed. Each student is enabled
to progress, fast or slow, according to his
disposition and ability, some finishing the
public schools in much less than the allot-
ted twelve years, while others require
| thirteen or fourteen years. The quick
| student is not obliged to await the slow
progress of the other, nor is the latter
''forced" to keep along with his class.
! AS Il result of eight years testing of this
I educational scheme, interesting statistics
have been gathered showing in detail
what has been accomplished. Out of o.
$40 scholars in the grammar and primary
! grades, 2,513 gained time for promotion
/ under this system and 3,271 lost time,
while 1872 held their own. The total num-
Der Of months gained was -, 523; lost, ~,
313. ; per cent. gained 30 months; 10 per
cent gained n months; - per cent, 16
months; % per cent. m Months; 80 per
cent, > months, and 40 per cent, 3
months.
In the high school, 514 belonging, 266
gained time and los lost time; los held
their own; ), 701 months were gained and
1,042 months were lost. On basis of 10
months time for each class, As months
were gained by per cent. 80 months by
10 per cent. Is by Is per cent II by 20
per cent. seven by % per cent. four by 30
per cent. and one month by 40 per cent.
Summarizing, it will be seen that out of
! 6,576 pupils below the high school, 1921,
or about one half, required additional
time to do the work, and 1872 finished
their studies in the regular time, while
| 2,513 did their work in less than the time
allotted. The total time gained to the end
of the last school year of all the primary
and grammar schools was l. 52 years and
| three NOTWITHSTANDING ten months as the
I school year. The total time lost was p
731 years and three months.
| The financial side of the question is well
worth considering. On basis of 500
per week for each scholar, for possible
earnings, food, clothing, ETC.. it will be
seen that in the I, 352 years gained the
| parents have saved the sum of SIG, 294 by
/ this system of school promotion. The
| time lost is not to be computed, because
the same would have happened under the
old system. The percentage of promotion,
based on average daily attendance, was
| II. The number of school buildings in
use, 20; school rooms, 1856; teachers, POS,
and two supervisors. The total school ex-
penditures per year, 1906, OPT; teachers,
$145, 1872; per capita expenditure, $3.50;
average salaries, lower grades, $579; high
school, $3.50; principals, $1,019; high
school, $3.50; Sup't, $4,000; substitute
teachers, total, 81, 166. Assessed valua-
ton, s31, $40, 7O5. Value Of school prop
erty, 1925, 900.
Seattle's school population in 1899
amounted to II per cent over 1898, and
there was also an average increase in the
number belonging of II per cent, 80 per
cent of the population belonging in the
school. o. M. MOORE.
A man has the same kind of respect
for bully that he has for mules
heels.