Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-23
SCHOOL CURRICULUM
CONTINUED from Eighth Page.)

to indicate a solution of the problem in the
form of a verbal statement. Emphasis was
laid upon powers and roots square meas
ure, square root, cubic measure, cube root
In the sixth grade the subject of percen-
tage, begun in the fifth, was completed. me-
chanfcal processes being at all times avoid
ed. During the review more time was
given to individual defects than before.
Here the child built mathematical fences
covered mathematical areas dug mathe-
NAUTICAL bitches and wells measured mathe-
NAUTICAL lumber piles, built mathematical
water tanks, walls of stone, walls of brick,
etc.
The review in the seventh grade was fin
ished by the LIST of November and the sub
ject was completed in this grade.
The child was also drilled more than ever
in the use of English in connection with his
arithmetic. AS the course had not been
completed in the seventh grade prior to last
year the eighth grade covered the entire
subject, summarizing and generalizing pro-
cesses and relations, the work being largely
individual and suited to the need of the
pupil.
as in other branches. the child must per-
force have better command of himself by
virtue of the variety of material and meth
DDS placed within his experience.
Algebra.
In the seventh grade the child was induct-
ed into algebra by being led to state many
of the simplest of arithmetic problems in
eighth grade the subject was technically
taught to fractions
Geography.
Inasmuch as science study-the study Of
animal and vegetable life, the weather the
seasons. rain and snow, heat and cold-was
begun with the child's school life. the study
of geography begun in the first grade;
its study such, however, was not begun
until the third grade wherein the child
he in IF hn
pass, various Dlans-that of his own desk,
the teachers desk, the school room. the
school yard. the block in which the school
was located, surrounding blocks, and the
plan of the city. finally visiting the Capitol
to see the city's plan
In the fourth grade the child studied soil
and soil making. the formation of the
earth's crust, rivers and valleys and their
uses, representing natural features when
ever pra cticable by the use of the sand
board. reading collaterally from the Normal
fourth reader and memorizing suitable
poems. The National Museum was visited
and biographies of prominent men were
studied.
The child in the fifth year reviewed the
work in soil, hills, continents, etc: studied
the growth of plants. life of animals, the
work of water and North America as out
lined, and toward the end of the year the
geography of North and South America
and of current events. He learned of the
condition of the continent when the first
settlers came: the relativities between the
tor, to the seas, to the poles: the fauna and
flora of North America; its peoples-how
they live and in what they are engaged
He was taken to the museum and Zoo
logical Park to see representative animals
As in the third and fourth grades, much
use was made of the sand board.
In his sixth year much Of his time with
this subject given to mathematical
geography. each child having four-nch
sphere, on which he located the poles the
equator, the small circles. the merdians
(2o9 apart and finally the continents color
ing the land appropriately and distinguish
ing the principal countries Especial at
tention was given the place geography of
the history studied. as much for the pur-
pose of establishing a habit of study as
for the information acquired.
In the seventh grade the child studied
Shaler's Our Continent" the place geog
raphy of the work in history discovering
the locations. relative directions. sizes, etc.
of the places mentioned. Much time was
spent the geography of questions in
volved in current history. He studied the
North American continent as an entirety
its contour. its photography, its drainage.
reasons for settlements al the mouths of
rivers, etc. the same plan being followed
in the study of South America and Europe.
In the eighth grade much attention was
given to the local photographic conditions
as found in the field, the physical features
of the United States as set forth by Gilbert
in the National Geographic Magazine of
July. 1895 and Shaler's United States of
America" and the earth through its var
ious stages of geographic conditions, evo-
luton of plant and animal life and forma-
ton and deposition of its minerals.
History.
History was begun in the third grade, the
child studying the lives of George Washing
ton and Capt. John Smith and the history
of the city of Washington.
In the fourth grade he had Powells Story
of two inaugurations, and collateral read
ing such as the Pine tree shilling as found
most needful by the teacher in broadening
the work. This gave the child connected
story of the thirteen colonies. the peoples,
their habits and customs. their towns and
cities as well as their country life. Geogra-
ply was taught in connection with all the
history work wherever studied.
The normal fourth reader furnished the
history of the fifth grade. An idea was
given of the conditions existing in this and
the mother country when explorers first
saw America Here. everywhere else in
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