The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-01-25
COURSE OF STUDY.
Board of Education Adopted One
Last Evening.
Requirements of the MankatO Schools to
be Put in Black and White and so
Avoid Many Difficulties.

At the special meeting of the board
of education Friday. which was
called for the purpose of considering
the report of Supt. Uline and the
school committee on course of study
for the schools of the city, and also to
make change in the arithmetics in five
of the grades and also elementary gram
mar, Mrs Smith, Rev. Geo. ii. Davis,
DR.. Webster and Messrs. Coughlan and
Comstock were present. Supt. Uline
reported outline of course of study
recommended. This course involves
change of arithmetic and grammar in
five of the grades. In grammar 'Our
Mother Tongue, was adopted as the
text book used In the matter of the
arithmetic the Prince, the book now
in use, has not proved satisfactory to
the teachers and many of the patrons
of the school Mr. Uline stated it was
not as complete b ook as ought to
be used in the grades The one pro-
posed to be adopted is the Atwood,
and is most satisfactory. Arrange
ments have been made for exchanging
books so that the expense of the change
will not be great.
The proposed course of study was
then taken up. President Davis ex-
planned that the reason for the adop-
ton of such course was that as mat
tiers now stand there is no record. of
the text books used in the schools of
the city or what is required in the
course through the schools, and that
many annoying incidents might be
avoided by having such course. The
course of study as prepared with
with the exceptionl of the details of
carrying out the course in the various
grades and classes of the high school,
was then read to the board. Several
changes were proposed, mostly relating
to the control of the schools, and the
course as proposed was adopted, and
the matter was referred to the COM
mittee on property and expense to as |
certain the cost of printing the same
and report at the next meeting of the
board
The board also authorized the change
in the two text books above referred !
TO- Aside from these two books the
adoption of the course of study makes
no change in text books except as above
noted
The course provides for two classes
in each grade, and for mid-year pro-
motions The class which finishes in
the eighth grade at the time of the
mid-year promotion will either have
to do extra work for the remainder of
the year, or else drop out of school,
as promotions into the high school are
made but once year, in June.
Some objection was raised to this by
members of the board, not in the
way of disregarding it, but to find out
if there was no way of avoiding it.
Supt. Uline said there was no way of
avoiding it that it was quite seri-
Gus objection but that the difficulty it
overcome was still more serious. 1t
gave that opportunity in the grades
which is imperative for the advance
ment of bright pupils. and it worked
less of an injustice upon those failing
to pass, as under it they would only
have to remain half year longer, in
stead of the entire year. as under the
old system. 1t was not suggested, but
doubtless the extra half years work
which the eighth grade class which
would finish at mid-year- would have
a chance to do until the following
June, would not be detriment al, but
simply result in sire tightening it.
The course also includes several rules
for governing the onduct of the
schools, among which is one requiring
the presentation of va ccination certifi- |
Gates by pupils entering the schools, !
when in the Judgment of the board
the occasion demands such precautions
to be taken.