Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-08-08
In
AKRON SCHOOLS
Reported In Annual Mes
sage of Supt.
A Presentation Full of Interest to
Teachers and Parents.
Work Which Has Been Done and That Which
Will be Done.

before one can know the steps neces-
sary to move on to the point that is
to be attained.
without dwelling upon the details
of this part of the work. let us con-
slider the efforts that have been made
to prepare the schools and teachers
for the adoption of course of study.
1T is hardly necessary in this re-
port to define Course of Study. 1t may
be helpful to call attention to some of
, the advantages that come to large
system of schools in following a we'll
defined clear, published course.
l. 1t enables the several schools of
the district to do the same work at
the same time, thereby preventing
breaks and omissions In the work of
those pupils who move from one sub
district to another
2. 1t helps parents to know what
their children have done and are to
do They are therefore often able to
give their counsel and encouragement.
3. 1t gives all the teachers of all
the grades means of knowing what
has been done in each grade through
out the entire work. Because of this
knowledge, each teacher is able to dir
ect her class in such way as to take
advantage of what has been learned
and to work definitely toward that
which is to follow in succeeding
grades.
1. The course of study should be a
great help to the teachers, especially
those who have had little experience.
in indicating to them what amount of
work ought to be expected from their
classes, and, also, the order Of sue
cession of the topics in each branch
of study.
"A proper course of study will also
aid the teachers by suggesting and
emphasizing the relation of each sub.
ject to the others in the curriculum.
A course of study, if based on sound
philosophy, also suggests rational
methods of teaching
8. In a large system of schools. n
well-defined course of study is neces.
sary If the Superintendent is to judge,
in any definite way, of the methods
and results in any given school, or
IL he is to institute comparisons Of
schools that shall reveal to the teach.
ers interested the relative merits Of
their work.
What shall enter into course OF
study? is a question that may well
tax the most thoughtful minds of
school boards, superintendent and
teachers. The answer to the question
VIII depend closely upon the answer
to that other allied question, what ia
the purpose of the school?
"The school must be considered "a
an Institution which not only pre.
pares for life but which is life. It ia
an Institution which takes the child
at the age Of five or six and, for n
part OF each year, for some years
thereafter, acts in conjunction with
the other institutions which enter into
the child's life in broadening his ex.
periences, and strengthening his
powers. School training should make
the child better able than he could be
without it to struggle with his own
environment and to wrest from it those
things which minister to his physical
nature, his intellectual nature, his
normal nature, and his aesthetic ma.
ture. BY this theory of education the
Akron child is born into the Akron
environment. Everything in this city,
material and spiritual, natural and
artificial, is exerting its influence upon
him. The beauties and deformities of
nature and art as shown in this com.
munity, are attracting or repellinr
him. The industrial and commercial
activities Of the community are chal,
longing his thought. The ministeriug
kindness of his family and friends
touch a responsive chord in his af.
fections. The rights of property and
the restraints imposed by law are
brought to his attention. All these In.
fuences, together with every other
that might be mentioned are doing
their work In the education of ths
child. Again, it is with the nature.
art, and civilization of Akron that this