The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-07-13
Annual School Meeting.
Continued from page one.)
sUPERINTENDENT's REPoI

(COntlnueu from page One.l
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES REPORT
To THE HONORABLE BOARD OF EDU-
CATION:
Gentlemen: have the honor to pre-
sent herewith the report of the Owosso
public schools for the year ending June
| s, 1900.
In some respects this has been re-
markable year. The total enrolment
has been greater than ever before-ex
ceeding any previous year by twelve.
The greatest increase has been in the
high school. The enrolment in this
| department. exceeds the enrolment of
last year by seventeen and that of two
years ago ny forty -four. This increase
is especially gratifying in face of the
fact that the requirements for admis-
sion to this department have been made
more rigid. The increase of interest in
the grades below the high school is also
gratifying Notwithstanding the fact that
nearly one.half of the school rooms of
the city were destroyed by fire, thus
necessitating the opening of school in
places not easy of access, nor well
adapted for good school work. 1t is
not easy to assign single cause for
this increase of interest. 1t is due
in large measure to the efficient
corps of teachers, and to their ready
grasp of the meaning of education, to
the introduction of drawing and music,
and to the better grading of the various
subjects taught.
The fire of April 1st, destro. lug ho
Central building, closed all the graues
in the district for one week. AZ :, ~
end of this time the armoly ard tie
basement of two of the churches were
secured. The high school held It's 7cs.
sions in the forenoon in the armory,
and the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh
grades in the same place in the after
noon. The eighth grades held all day
sessions in the Congregational church,
while the first, second, and third grades
held half day sessions in the Baptist
church. 1t will be seen that all the
grades but one had half day sessions.
In spite of these unfavorable conditions
the schools were able to complete the
work of the year in a satisfactory man.
ner.
In the superintendent report of last
year it was recommended that history
be taught in the grades below the
eighth. This recommendation has been
partially carried out. with results which
warrant the extension of the idea. At
the beginning of last year new liter
airy reader was placed in The first
grades, the use of which has strength.
ened the work in reading and literature.
History and literature are presented to
the lower grades in the story form, and
in the oral and written reproductions of
these stories the children's power of
expression is rapidly developed.
Music has been taught for two years
under the direction of special music
teacher. In the first grade the major
scale was presented as whole, tone re
lations and interval drills taught by
dictation, and time drills given in two
four, and three part measures. In the
second and third grades there was
review of the more difficult parts of the
first grade, with the study of ties and
broken measures, accumulation, Of rests,
and the consideration of the more diff
ficult parts of tune and time. In the
other grades below the high school
there was considered the divided beat.
dotted note, and arrested half beat.
Two-voice work was developed in the
fifth, sixth and seventh grades. In the
eighth grade the chromatic scale and
selected songs were especially consid-
sidered. In all grades special attention
has been given to quality of tone and
articulation. Care has been taken to
secure intelligent, artistic expression of
ideas that are suggested by the musical
compositions studied.
Drawing has been taught one year.
The work has been somewhat elemen-
tary owing to the shortness Of time that
ii has been studied In the schools.
There has been study of type-forms,
drawing from nature, and still life; a
study of lights and shades, ore-shorten.
ing, artistic grouping, and drawing
from dictation and memory. Drawing
as a means of expression has received
some attention in the lower grades. 1t
is recommended that this be continued
and day modelling be introduced,
A considerable kindergarten material
was added to the school supplies during
the past year. While no attempt was