The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-25

n MONDAY of the present
week the special committee
~ of Philadelphia board of
education. appointed by that
body to consider and report upon
Superintendent Brooks recommends
ton of public school promotions by
term averages. adopted that recon-
mendation by an almost unanimous
vote of it's twenty-five members. The
vote was taken after q discussion
lasting nearly three hours. towards
| the close OF which one of the men,
| bers remarked that in the course of 1t
there had been more light thrown on
public school work. which, ultimately.
will be of the greatest value. than in
any discussion heretofore held in the
| board or its committees" that he
could recall in years of service.
The resolutions as adopted provide
for the promotion on June 30. 1901
the close of the city's school veal
of all pupils certified to the supelin-
! tendent by the principals of schools
as qualified for the work of the next
higher grade. without examination.
In the promotions not from grade to
grade, but to higher schools, the class
standing, numerically stated, of each
pupil, shall accompany the certitica-
ton. If for sufficient cause in the
conditions of the schools the superin-
tendent shall decide the number of
promotions TOO great that number
may. with the approval of the COM
mittee on the school involved. reduce
the promotions to an etXent not eX-
ceeding % per cent. Any pupil found
unqualified for the higher grade work
after promotion shall be. on November
Ia returned to the school from which
promoted. for more thorough prepara-
ton This will allow full time for
fair test of each pupils preparation
and ability
AS it came out during the commit
tees three hours discussion of Su-
perintendent Brooks recommendation
that, while he had named general
term average of 20 in all subjects as
the basis for promotion, there has
be en- no uniform method of keeping
make that average the basis this June
but hereafter to set fixed standard,
insisting on uniformity of records.
Examinations are not yet discon-
tinued for the pupils failing of certi
flea tion. If their eXamina ton results
shall reach the standard average set,
they viii go up. Eut ii was distinctly
4, N SSin hnt
he one hand, pupils have been pro-
NOTED on "a basis of 90, or because
school directors or politicians have in
sisted upon particular pupils being
promoted without reference to qualifi-
cations; and that, on the other pupils
being promoted without reference to
qualifications: and that. on the other,
pupils attaining an average of 20 or
upward have been kept back. so as
not to endanger the dropping of di-
vision on account of decreased attend
| ance." Philadelphia is not alone in
hearing such a charge.
AS already mentioned. the adoption
of the resolutions was almost unan-
nous. One member objected on the
ground, as stated by himself that 1.-THE
new method will entail never-ending
trouble" He thinks the old system
| the easier way of sliding along. He
was answered that there will, of
course, be trouble in connection with
disseminating examinations, but the
outcome will be directly in the line
of progress and in the best interests
of the school children" These inter-
ests are the chief thing to be consd-
ered-the object for which the public
schools exist. The children are the
Republics future citizens and rulers.
| Mr. pnrns eyidentlv started out