The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-03-26

81 of our schools" "thc re-
Il modelling of the public
school system" what
Is to he done To make the lower school
grade results more cffcctive?' are
phrases coming to be more and more
frequently heard in recent years. They
are heard not IN one community only,
but in constantly increasing number
of town, cities. and rural school dis
tricts. They are heard not merely in
one section Of the land, but in ever
widening circles. north, east and west.
Wherever they are heard they indl-
cate a wholesome awakening to the
fact that the training and education
of the great mass of the children in
this republic is matter of primary
Importance to the republic. The sta
bility of government the prosperity OF
the whole people, the uplifting of the
ignorant and of the degraded classes,
the general outreaching to higher
ideals, and their influence in mould
ing the character of Citize nship these
things depend for the future on what
the children are aided to he and to
become.
The realization Of these things Is
what has quickcnod of late growing
criticism of very many things in the
present day system of public school
teaching. 1t is not a mere fault-tind-
ing that is coming to PASS. 1t is a
criticism that has become painfully
aware of inadequate results in even
the requirement of knowledge-still
moro so in the development of mental
grasp. oi fitness to Grapple with the
conditions of life that meet the pupil
as speedily as the school room is left
behind.
How very early this leaving of the
school room behind ComoA to a great
majority of children seems to be ut
tcrly unrccoanized by the professional
discussers of the situation. There is
10 end of discussions on what should
be done in entrance examinations, in
elective courses of study, in 'shor-
tened or heightened courses, as re-
CARDS colleges. and even high schools
once ir Il while some novice is heard
reminding these educational "eXperts"
that nine-tenths of the young people
of this country get their whole edu-
cation in the primary and grammar
schools. \ few hundreds. out of
many thousands who enter the prl-
mary grades, ever enter the high
schools of their town, city or district
A decidedly large proportion of those
who have closed their school days be-
fore the senior grammar grades could
be reached have never got beyond the
very lowest of the grammar school
grades. Their parents cannot afford
to give them more than the first few
years. If a compulsory law is SO car
ried out as to take these children into
the school room "untl the age of six
teen" it is for but a few weeks OF
each year and the results are usually
of small avail for the pupils future.
There are three things that need
entire revision in nearly every part
of the country in order to meet this
state of affairs. The thing itself-the
abbreviation of the years of study for
such great numbers of children--can-
not be helped. There is needed the
general and absolute comprehension
by the public ana by school boards
that the very best teachers are the
ones needed for the primary grades
and lower grammar school grades. The
children who must graduate from
these directly into wagc-earning will
only thus have the best that the pub
lie school can give them; and this best
they are entitled to.
The other children, those who are so
fortunate as to go on further with
school studies, will have had their
minds so awakened by the very best
instruction in the lower grades that
their own eagerness for knowledge will
help immensely to carry them on in
pursuit of it. The work of all their
instructors from that time on will be
lightened and aided by their own en-
thusiasm and clearer perception of the
value of school.
The second thing-indeod it is 50
closely related to the first as to be
iEterdepcndent--is the securing Of
these best teachers for The primary
them the highest salaries instead of
| the lowest. and by making their ten
urc of Office permanent. The cities
that make the teachers positions per-
mancnt-that have, never adopted the
yearly election plan, or have dis
| CarGed it--are those that show the best
results for all classes of pupils. Tho
| third thing needed is one that we shall
| have to rocur TO again, of q certain
carefully guarded and wisely directed
! nCXibility of studies, or Of instruc-
! tion, in the grades below the high
| school which the majority of pupils
never reach.
Governor Odcll has succeeded in
making the Plat organization in New
ms 90 "a