The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-28


mess from start 10 finish II was the clo-
sing meeting OF the year and there were
E1ew absentees. President Barney occupy
Dng the chair
Superintendent Tarbell delivered his
lValedictory I'm the form OF his farewell
IScport and on Tuesday next he will turn
lthe reins OF government over to his sue
lcsssor. the future superintendent. Mr..
small from Chelsea, Mass.
HIS FAREWELL. REPORT.
Superintendent Tarbelrs report was re-
;plste with statistics. giving facts and fig
pres as to the condition OF the schools
and Offering valuable suggestions for flu
'xure guidance.
He reviewed HIS IS years OF service and
showed To educational growth and pro-
tgress made by the city OF Providence
during that period
In January. 1884. there were. 80 school
houses. in June. 1902, there are Sc; in jan
usry. 1854, teachers ss4, in February
1oo2. there were 700; In January. 1884. pu-
pills. II. .332: in June, 1909. there were 25,-
k0e: In January 1884. there were Sl47 pupils
In Catholic schools. I'm June 1902, there
were, B7s: in January, 1884. in select
lschools. s9s. In June, 1902, there were 5s3;
i'm high schools in November, 1888. there
were COS, in November, 1901, there were
[1s56; in January, 1884 school census, 2l,s7S
while A.2Si is tho record, today.
GROWTH OF THE SCHOOLS.
The growth OF the schools during the
I1aet Is years has been much greater than
fthe growth OF the city. Comparing the
I~~k ..f va a,.I Ia.a
tuary. 1902, we find the enumeration OF
Fchildren OF school age has Increased IS
lper cent, while the attendance at the
public schools has increased 80 per cent.
We have now 41S4 more children In the
uchools than there would be had we made
ls4.
Practically one child in every six now
IN our schools Is there because the schools
draw more strongly OF are In better IA
~or than Is years ago.
Other schools have not increased dur
1ng this period In at all the same proper
tons as have the public schools. private
school pupils have fallen I'm number from
80 to 5S3 Allowing for the increase OF
population in these Is years the attend
ance In private schools IL but Al per cent.
~ large as IS years ago. In the Catholic
schools there has been an increase of at
tendance. but a decrease relative TO pop
y fast as the population In these is years
bhey would have In attendance 400 more
bupils than now. Had they grown as fast
- the public schools they would have
131b more pupils than now. The increase
In number OF teachers has been consider
ably moro than OF pupils. This means that
more special teachers are employed and
that fewer pupils are placed I'm charge OF
each regular teacher. The average num-
ber OF pupils per teacher, all teachers
and departments included. has fallen
from IS In 1884 to 30 In 1902. II one looks
ut this from the standpoint OF the pupil
or the parent he will rejoice. IL from the
standpoint OF the taxpayer he will grum-
BILE.
The greatest relative gain has been in
the high schools whose attendance has
Increased 205 per cent. or is more than
three times as great as Is years ago.
We now have twice as many high school
pupils in proportion TO the population as
we had Is years ago. This proves that the
desire for higher education has made
remarkable growth and that the high
schools meet this demand to the general
satisfaction OF the public.
The office force In 1884 consisted OF the
superintendent. the secretary and a mess
snger. Now the superintendent has
stsnographer and five supervisors, who
are In effect assistant superintendents;
the secretary has two clerks the messen-
ger has become the purchasing agent ana
has two assistants, and besides these are
added to the office force the departments
Of janitors and truancy. each IN charge
of an officer. with an assistant One OF
the supervisors has an assistant and there
1s also librarian.
The high schools have increased In
number from one to four. training schools
for teachers schools for backward chill
dren. schools for individual instruction
and manual training schools for both
sexes have been established.
GAIN THAT HAS BEEN MADE.
Supervisors have been created as well
% honor classes. important changes have
been made IN the curriculum and
methods, as we'll as discipline and the
following conclusion is drawn by the SUI
perintendent:
In all studies we have gained the re-
suits following self-activity OF the chill
dren. The mind OF the child deals with
things through the understanding and
uses OF words 10 express what he sees
and thinks. The drill. which used 10 come
drst, follows this understanding and the
result Is knowledge. The children have
q more vital interest IN the different sub
5ects OF their school work--they mean
moro 10 them. The childrens mental at
titudc toward subjects Is different; they
The eame gain in understanding shown
IN lessons appears I'm the conduct
Through better methods OF discipline and
through conversations In connection with
readings and biography lessons both the
feelings and the thoughts OF the chill
drcn are trained I'm directions leading n
intelligent moral action.
The feelings aroused by the conscious.
ness OF the teachers interest I'm them
~ her sympathy for them and their be-
!lef In her sincerity prepare them 20 ap.
creciafs. discuss and initiate the virtues
brought out In history and literature.
TRIBUTE TO TEACHERS.
Leaving aside the financial question
Superintendent Tsrbell pays the follow.
1ng tribute 20 the teachers:
The Improvement OF our teachers Is
Known 20 all who know our schools. The
vosv great majority are alert. studious