The Washington bee., 1902-07-12
A Bad Practlc =.

applied to the colored schools, is
the custom of passing pupils from
one grade to anOti er and from one
class to the Ctherin the High School
upon what they are pleased to call
"c0HditiOR." If we are not misin-
formed. no such custom obtains in
the system of white schools. Even
if the custom prevails in the latter
system no publicltion of it reaches
the newspapers.
Now there are strong and far
reaching reasons why pupils should
not be conditioned and stillstrOnger
ones why, when conditioned they
should not be so published. 10 the
first place, there should be no ad-
Vancement upon conditions If the
pupil is absolutely stupid and does
not display ability to meet the re-
quirements of a given grade, that
pupil should be made to repeat the
grade or year as the case may be.
If on the other hand, pupil shows
ability to master and does master
the more importantsu subjects pertain
ing to a given grade or year, it is
fair to presume that as he contin-
ues his course, he will develop a
taste or faculty for overcoming the
difficulties under which he has prev
iOusly labored with respect to some
particular subjects and develop in
to an all round good pupil. To ad-
vertise the unimportant short COM
.ngs of pupil, operates to humili-
ate and in many cases to discour-
age and produces about the same
effect as would be the case if par
ent repremanded a child in the
presence of others. The fact Of
passing pupil upon condition,
presumes an approximation to every
requirement and hence it is the
duty of educators to encourage
rather than humiliate the pupils.
Everyone, who is familiar with the
peculiarities Of children and the
prejudices of old folks, knows
how hard is the lot of the cOndi-
toned pupil. He is referred to as
one on trial, or probation, or under
sentence and his advancement is
not infrequently retarded by the
indifference of the teachers and the
ostracism of his associates.
Moreover the object ofour school
system is not to make graduates.
Its primary object is to educate, to
draw out the latent powers and capa-
bilities of the pupil, thereby Pna-
bling him to better mis- condition
and that of mis- fellows by broad
er, clearer and more accurate con-
ception Of his duties and regpOnsi-
bilities and a knowledge Of the
methods by which the interests OF
society are advanced. When we
come to consider the few who are
able to graduate from the High OF
Normal Schools, as compared with
the thousand who must stop within
the graded schools, the custom Of
keeping a pupil back on account
of some slight cause or because the
average standing Of certain schoo
may be reduced, worGs a hardship
as contemplate and unJus itiablt
in It's enforcement as it is unjust
and harmful in its results.
Until a system of specialization
is adopted, whereby the Individual
ization Of instruction may be Sc
cured, it must follow that grea
numbers will not display equa
ability along all lines of education
al work. Hence to the average pu-
pil, every faculty should bel given tt
learn all that is possibible during
the short time allotted to him. AS /
pupil advances, be must learn more
and more and even if he canno'
acquire the entire curriculum, as h'
passes along. he will st least be better