Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-23
DECREASE IN PUPILS
Revolt Against Methods in the Pub
lie Schools.
HIGHER INSTITUTIONS Do NOT SUFFER
Annual Report of the Comrnis-
sioner Of Education.
STATISTICS OF INTERES

The year just passed" says the COM
missioner of education, in his annual re-
port for the school year 1850, has been
marked by a reaction against some of the
tendencies and methods that have been
conspicuous for several years past. What
has been termed the new education has
been subjected to more criticism and at
tacks than in any previous year From the
first the new methods have been consist
entity and earnestly opposed by a large pro-
portion Of the members of the teaching
profession. but for the most part the pub
lie at large have remained in an attitude
of Indifference. During the last year, how
ever. it is a noteworthy fact that the pro-
tests and the criticisms have come not
from school men principally. but from the
press and from the patrons of the schools.
There has been, too, a great deal Of op
position-more marked this year than usual
to the further extension of certain kind
of supervision, namely. that of special
teachers one city. Milwaukee, has
tirely discontinued such supervision. others
have materially reduced the number of
Specialists employed. and in still others
recommendations of superintendents to the
same effect will undoubtedly result in still
further reduction in the near future. Ques-
tions Of economy have naturally had their
part in this movement, but such Consid-
Grafton would scarcely have had much
weight in this time of improved financial
conditions and prospects We're it not for the
belief that. with the better preparation of
teachers now demanded, special super
Sfsors are Of distinctly less value than for
merly-
Falling OFF in Enrolment.
THE lack of the usual yearly increase in
school enrolment and attendance IN cities is
a noteworthy phenomenon developed by the
statistics of 1Sas-9o. Some of the cities
show actual decrease, and in nearly all
the rest the increase is considerably below
the usual rate. Private schools have
grown at a relatively greater rate than
public schools. but not enough to bring the
total increase uD to its accustomed proper
tons.
The reason for this relative falling off
is not easily found. \ few of the super
intendents have suggested causes that seem
ed to them adequate IN their respective
cities but none are sufficient to cover the
whole ground. They refer generally to con-
tagiOUs diseases. vaccination, and the like
incidents of child life which may be
s;dered uniform in the country at large
from year TO year.
IF only the total enrolment were con-
sidered. it would be reasonable to suppose
that the return of prosperous times has
increased the opportunities Tor employment
and caused the withdrawal of many school
children on that account. That was I'M
Goubtedly to be expected, and has prob
ably happened in many cases. But II that
were the cause of the general absence of
the accustomed increase in school attend
ance. then the high schools would show the
effect most. since the Oldest children are
the first to be withdrawn under such err
CLmstanCeS. But in nearly every case tle
high schools have grown at a greater ratio
%hanc the elementary schools. That fact
would seem to set aside the explanation I'M
der consideration.
The only remaining suppositon that
would be justified by the evidence and broad
enough to cover the case is that there mas
been temporary check in the growth or
the cities themselves. In view of the MS
tory Of the movement of population for the
last hundred years that would seem a vio-
lent pres umptiOn. but there is reason to be-
Heve that it is well founded. The school
censuses available show but little increase
as rule. and in several cases the evidence
Of the city directories tends to the same
conclusion.
Increase in College Students.
The report shows that l03,25l students
were enrolled IN the undergraduate and
graduate departments Of universities and
colleges, an increase of 2,l93 over the num-
Der OF the preceding year. The benefactions
for higher education amounted to s21,92o,-
1856, of which amount s11,00o,'c was re-
ceiyed by Leland Stanford Junior tniver-
sty and S1.-44.3 $50 by Harvard. The income
of institutions for higher education
amounted to s21.139.154. of which Slo.G4 4l5
was derived from tuition and other fees of
students and the remainder from invest
ments state and municipal, appropriations
and from miscellaneous SOuTIs.
Of inhabitants In the United States IN each
million who have taken up higher educa-
ton has risen from $50 to 1.2l5. The num-
Der of women has increased from 1l2 to 32
In million in the past twelve years. In
the same time the standard of higher ed
ucation has been raised by the addition of
nearly years work required for admission
to the university.
In163 schools of theology there are enrolled
s.2G1 students; in the ninety-six law
schools. II ,S14 students; in the l5l schools
81, .r,gl.4
fifty schools OF dentistry, with 1854 stu
dents. and ffty-one schools of pharmacy,
with 3.JJl students In the ten years from
1889 10 1899 theological students increased
only Is per cent. while law students in
creased 24 per cent. The pupils in nurse
training now number 1o.o1S, in 1873 schools,
nearly all Of which have courses of two
Nearly 100000 Teachers.
The number of persons IN the United
States engaged IN teaching. from kindergar-
ten TO university, exceeds $4,000. Prepar-
ing to enter the ranks of this vast army
there were in Institutions of various grades
W6sI students pursuing training courses
for teachers during the scholastic year end
ing June. 1889 There is shown a steady in
crease in state appropriations for the pub
lie normal schools.
during the school year 1850 there were
enrolled in the schools and colleges or the
United States, public and private, III, 73S 362
pupils which was an increase OF 3u,II9 pu-
PTS over the previous year. OF this num-
Der the enrolment in public institutions
WAS lI.23i,4}J and In private and incOr-
pHrdtrG institutions l.:tE,E2G. Besides the
enrolment III public and private Institutions
Of all grades as given above there We're
additional pupils enrolled in special inSti-
tUHous as follows: CITY evening schools,
$4,000. business schools. IO.6S6: Indian
schools 23.,rno; schools for detectives D.
Gil: reform schools "A 30: orphan asyIums
and other benevolent institutions. II 100;
schools IN Alaska, 1853; kindergartens. s.