The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-02-01
TOwsoN, MD. September q. 19O1

TowsoN, Md. September 25, 1901.
Prof. Il. b. Pretty1d1 Secretary Of the State Board
Of Education Of Maryland, Baltimore, Nd:
Dear SiT-In submitting the annual report of
the public schools of Baltimore county for the
year ending July 81, 1901, it may be well to review
briefly the progress made during the year, as
well as to point out some hindrances to the most
effective work possible.
MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOL.
The manual training school at Sparrow's Point,
established during the year, has developed more
rapidly and accomplished more good than even
its warmest friends anticipated.
Located in large manufacturing centre, the
value of the training of hand and eye, together
with the stimulation of mental growth and de-
velopment in upwards of hundred boys, from
the lowest to the highest grades, can scarcely be
overestimated.
Taking up the work, as it does where the kim
dergarten leaves off, and carrying it through the
various grades in paper, cardboard and wood
work, the pupil acquires habits of accurate ex-
preston, attention to details, and ability to ex-
press his ideas of form in a tangible manner,
which will be of great value to him in after life,
without interfering in the least with his regular
school work; in fact it adds zest to his regular
studies, for he sees the practical application in
the manual work of many of the principles learn
ed in school, and often more or less dimly per-
ceived because of a lack of opportunity to apply
principles already learned.
LOCAL INSTITUTES.
Five local teachers meetings were held during
the latter half of the scholastic year. of thirty or
forty teachers each. in which the teachers and
examiner met together for day in convent
tical details of school work in a way that could
have no place in large body of teachers such as
is assembled at the annual institute.
These meetings afforded an excellent oppOrtu-
nifty for an interchange of ideas among the
teachers, and, if no other good was accomplish
ed, they bore witness to the patrons and school
authorities that the teachers are earnest and
progressive in their work
TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY.
Acting on the suggestion of State Supernten-
dent Stephens, teachers professional library
was established during the year. On careful ex-
animation of the personal reports of the teach
ers, the number doing considerable amount of
professional reading is not nearly so large as
should be expected. 1t is hoped that the estab-
lishment of the library will aid in promoting
professional reading beyond that contained In
educational journals, which all are doing.
ENGLISH.
The work in mathematics and memory studies
in the schools is excellent, as rule; but the
work of pupils in English-in the ability to ex-
press thoughts clearly and accurately in good
English, both oral and Written-iS generally de-
fective in all grades.
1t is hoped that this defect may be gradually
remedied by oral and written reproduction of
of what has been taught orally in geography,
history and science, by stories written from pic
lures, etc, in the first two grades by the con-
tinuation of this work in connection with the
work outlined in the language book in succeed
ing grades and by the teacher insisting on cor
rect oral and written expression in all school
work. The introduction of English classics in
the upper grades, to be interpreted and read.
and used as a basis for composition work. in con-
should prove both pleasant and profitable.
sCHoOL-ROOM DECORATION.
The general lack of school-room decoration.
while really reproductions of the best in art are
now within easy reach of all, is a lamentable
condition of our schools, although some little
progress in this line has been made in some of
the schools, and is source of delight to pupils,
teachers and school officials.
Love of pictures is innate in children. and
their taste needs only little direction in order
to distinguish the noble and good from the fiashy
and tawdry.
BY a little care in selecting the subjects used
for decorating purposes, so many phases of school
life may be made a living reality to the child,
and few things tend more to aid the teacher in
raising the morale of the school, providing the
pupils have first been interested in the subjects
chosen, and then are permitted to contribute
their mite. For example, the school becomes
Hour and other poems by the same author,
and finally in the author himself. If this interest
is well directed, the children will be delighted
to bring more) to have a well-framed portrait of
Longfellow constantly before them in the
school-room. This would be enough for one
year. But if this should require too much OUT
lay on the teachers part, Perry picture of
Longfellow, of his birthplace, Of his children
grave Alice and laughing Allegro, and Edith
with golden hair'-of the old arm chair presen-
ted to him by the school children of Cambridge,
made from wood taken from 1.-THE spreading
chestnut tree, all neatly mounted on dark card
board and neatly framed in dark wood, will
make q cheerful place on the wall of any build
ing, however old it may be, whether rented or
owned by the county.
What an opportunity for good influence is be-
ing lost on the future fathers and mothers, the
home makers of the coming generation A taste
for good pictures, good books; a genuine love of
the beautiful in literature and art how easily
created, how cheaply gratified in this age, and
with which no walk of life, no home, however
humble, is commonplace.
Sincerely yours,
ALBERT S. Cook, Examiner.