Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-03-15
The Scholastic Departments
-oF
Charity Schools of San Juan.


Hon. &. s. Wilson formerly of IRON
ton. Ohio. now United States Marshal
in Porto Rico. as chairman of com
mittee appointed to inspect certain
charity schools located at San Turce,
suburb of San Juan;
San Juan. Feb |. 1901.
Mr.. 3 H. Osterhaudt,
Secretary of Board of Charities of
Porto Rico. San Juan, Porto Rico
Dear Sir BY letter from the Sec
retary of the Board of Charities. we
have been appointed committee to
inspect and report upon the "Scho-
lastic Department" of the Boys and
Girls Charity Schools at San Turce
We have visited the schools in com
pliance with the request and herewith
submit the result of our observations.
We found both schools actively at
work. There WAS full attendance
in all the rooms. A fair degree of in
terest was noticed, and some progress
being made in the right direction. In
fact, there was much to commend, not
ably in the industry on the part of botn
teachers and pupils. The Girls
School appeared to be in a better con
dition than the Boys. and on the
whole, we think it is better conducted
possibly, for the reason that it is more
closely supervised. There seemed to
be better discipline here than at the in
stitute attributable in part to the
quieter teaching and in part to the bet
ter disposition of the girls. There was
some good teaching in both schools.
but there was a great deal that was
faulty; and while our comments deal
with the latter. we do not desire that
they shall detract from Some that
might be commended.
l. There is lack of adequate SUI
pervision. Every institution of learn
ing requires at it's head some one wh7
knows the modern methods and theo-
ries of education, and is capable of i'm
pressing these upon those who learn
Educational science is not made UP
CT the whims and idiosyncracies OF
people, but of the laws of mental and
moral development formulated by the
wisdom of long study and experience;
and this science should be employed in
every school. While every teache.
may not be imbued with the gladstone
knowledge, there is an absolute neces-
sity, to secure the highest results. that
he who presides over establishments
that direct the destinies of children,
should be influenced by it, True teach
ing is vastly more than doling out in-
formation and making children keep
quiet it is the evolution of the. child
nature into fairer and nobler life
through the processes and ideals sug-
gested by the great leaders and think
whoever teaches school or supervises
system of schools should be indoc-
trinated with the best thought in the
field of his duty, and make it felt in
every avenue OF eIIOrU.
Placing our ideals this high, the
room for improvement is quite mani
fest in the schools we visited To Sc
cure the control of these ideas, there
must be supervision, that will bring all
work into harmony with the truest
purpose That supervision must be
backed by authority, so the wise con-
troll may not be neutralized by favor
itism or dissension.
2. There are some teachers who are
inefficient. 1t is not our purpose to
designate They have had little exper-
fence or no training. Their methods
are bad; their discipline is weak There
is, in places, too much noise, too much
scolding, too much fretting These
are symptoms of poor teaching. They
annoy the children. They spoil the
work of the school. Their manners de
stroy their personal influence which is
the teachers best Investment Let a
visitor go from one school to another,
and he will not fail to notice what
very important quantity the teacher is
In one school all was attention. alert
ness and fine discipline; in another
noise, confusion and inattention. Such
was our experience in these schools
Who these inefficient teachers are, the
board should find out, An active, in
dependent supervision would do SO.
8. English is not taught as it should
be. While the methods may not be
so much at fault, the discipline falls ia
short. From some cause, both teach
ers seem to struggle with their pupils,
and the recitation appears far from
agreeable. The right sort of teaching
from both a disciplinary and instruc-
tional standpoint, would correct this.
Thoroughly tested and experienced
teachers are needed for this work. The
situation demands a complete reform.
4. The children of these schools are
from A to 16 years of age. They all
belong IN the linfortunata nos, di4,... :