The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-10-13
SCHOOLS PUT ON A NEW BASIS.
nEADJUSTMENT ORDER ISSUED ~
sUPERINTENDENT ASHMoRE.


I The superintendent Announces That
All Pupils Must Attend school 80
Their own District--Tho-e Now
out OF Their Districts Ordered
TranSfrrred-Abon tSo children
Nnected-Many objections Hniscd.
INT Al Complaints Answered ~
the superintendent - The order
Effective Monday MorninE-C oun-
~ schools show sIiGht Inerense.
A complete rcadiustmcnt 81 tho transfer
lists of the city schools was ordered yee-
tcfday by Superintendent Ashmore. The
order wac issued by me principals IN IN r
respective schools. the names 90 the chill
dren affected being read ont and irstruc-
tions given them 90 report Monday morn
Ing ut tho schools tn tho districts IN whi-h
they live
The order Affects about 10 children ami
Superintendent Ashmorc spent good part
Of the week in working it out Tho result
is that almost all tae children in attend
ance upon the schools viii Monday morn
Ing begin attending mo schools In the dis
trlcts IN which they reside. a Few exccp-
lions were made where places could not
be- found for pupils 10 their proper grades
ln the districts b. which thcy reside ard
IN few other eases where IL was no
considered desirable 10 separate tho small
cr children Of a family from the larser
ones
owing to the crowded condition OF the
schools which has prevailed during the
last few years in order TO place a. many
chHdrcn "a possible. IL has frequently
been necessary to send children 10 schools
outside OF their districts. There might be-
vacancies iu one or more grades On the
BARNARD Street School and surplus OF
applicants for other grades. while 90 tho
Massie School on the other eide Of me
city there might be vacancies Go different
rrades and surplussagcs in others and by
swapping across "A number 81 those on the
waiting list couli he provided for
This practise had reached an extent that
it might almost be called an abuse, ana
had reached the point where % Was ike
ly TO cause confusion. it being an iron
clad rule with the superintendent that
where vacancy exlsts b. q school the
children living n that district have the
nrst claim upon a. The transfers having
been about eqnailzed among the various
schools. Superintendent Ashmore con-
citsded that b was good time 20 balance
up and he proceeded 90 work out q scned-
ule by which practir ally an Of the uan--
ferred pupils were returned TO their oWh
school distrtcts.
The announcement Of the changes wns
somewhat OF surprise TO the children az
fected and 90 their parents as well, In
most instances the children had become
attached 20 their teachers. aud were very
much indisposed 20 being placed in charge
OF some other teacher. The children pre-
sented their grievances TO their parents
and many - the latter took the matter
up with Supt. Ashmore The result was
the superintendent had numerous callers
during the afternoon. Ia most instances
u was the child's preference for the teach
er which was urged. though in some cases
was the transfer from the morning %
the afternoon schools which was objected
TO.
Superintendent Ashmore was prepared
for this. and "A every case he had an in
stance 20 show how some other child
would be dealt with uniustly " the change
were not made. Put yourself IN her
place. he yyoald say 20 the objecting par
cnt. usually mother. "and see how YOU
would IKE g." In one instance, speci-
men Of many others. q child living just
across from the Barnard Street school
had been attending the seventh grade OF
the Massie School while another chVd
living az Gordon and Price streets. was
attending the seventh grade of the Bar
nard Street school By simply swapping
these two each child WAS placed IN her
own school district and with only short
distance 70 reach the school. The super
intcndcnt was very affable but very firm
in discussing these changes. and there
were few II any Of his callers vino failed
20 acknowledge that he had the right OF
%.
Reports have been received from all the
country schools except three. Leaving
out these three there g. shown total at
tendance OF 80 white and l.o65 colored
children upon the country schools, being
an increase OF 3 white and g. colored over
the attendance upon the same schools for
the previous year.