Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-14
CATCHING UP ON STUDIES
High sohOsl PupilsIWhs Are Behind Make
Up for Lost Time.
GAIN POINTS BY DOING VACATION WORK
Many who Failed I'm Part of Their
Course Are Trying to Get on
Even Footing for FAN
Promotion.

Considerable complaint has been mani
Tested against the unit system recently
introduced into the Omaha high school by
pupils who have been compelled TO forego
the greater part Of their summer vacation
and devote time to making up studies
which they expected to have for rest and
recreation. II these pupils who have had
to continue their school work through the
summer months were satisfied that their
backwardness was due to themselves they
would doubtless complain less, but they for
the most part insist that they have been
kept back by being assigned to the slow
classes and that under the system In
vogue before the unit schedule was intro
duced they would have had no dimculty in
completing their course under the regular
instruction during the school year.
BY a rule requiring them to make up
units in which they are deficient and to do
so not by home study but by lessons and
recttations to regular teacher OF the high
school they have been required to pay
tuition for instruction which they should
have received in the high school, supported
by taxes paid by their parents. While the
teachers say that they no not care for
these summer pupils who interfere with the
enjoyment OF their vacations, some OF them
nevertheless have been making quite a neat
addition to their salaries by private in
structions to deficient high school pupils
who under the rule are not allowed to
patronize any other teachers.
what the Principal Says.
When these Complaints were brought 20
the attention Of Principal waterhouse, he
explained the situation as follows:
the beginning Of the season we
divide the work to be done in the year
into two equal parts, and expect the
average pupil to complete each part within
one semester. To illustrate: We will say
that 200 pages are to be completed by a
certain class within the semester. This Is
subdivided into portions Of so pages each
and each period is known as a unit. The
pupils Of one grade will start in the same
place in the book, but there are many
divisions Of the grade ~reciting the lessons
to different teachers. 1t will soon become
apparent that certain pupils will work
faster than others, and these bright pupils
are placed together, the slower pupils
being placed together. The result is that
one subdivision Of the grade will accom-
plish all four units in the course Of the
term, while another subdivision Of the
same grade will accomplish but two or
three. Each pupil receives credit for the
work he does. and there is no setting back
for failure. The slow pupils accomplish the
work Of their more rapid. classmates, but 1t
is done in longer time.
This year the total failures at the High
school In one or more studies was Eat. the
number railing In more than one study
being 1911. The total number Of studies
in which failures were made was 43S. this
being equal to a total failure of ITO pupils,
or 81 per cent. the percentage Of the at
tendance on the last day falling in one
study or more being 2O.1 per cent.
How Points Are Obtained.
TT pupils are advanced from the ninth
grade to the tenth grade upon the COM
pletion Of eight studies, which gives them
eight points. To advance to the eleventh
grade they must secure sixteen points. The
twelfth grade Is attained when twenty-four
points are secured and when thlrty-two
points have been placed to the credit Of
the pupil he Is graduated. It frequently
happens that at the end Of a year a pupil
will have fourteen or fifteen points to his
credit and ne will desire to make up the
one or two points necessary to permit his
advancement to a higher grade during the
summer vacation. This is permitted, the
only requirement being a certificate from
one of the teachers in the High school
that the work has been done. We also
insist upon the pupil devoting as much
time during the vacation to the study as
he would devote to it during the school
term. AS he carries four studies in school.
one qusrter OF the time devoted to one
study during vacation viii be accepted
and IL his recitation periods are one hour
during the vacation instead Of the forty
hve minutes required at school. the time
is again reduced by one-quarter.
teachers are required to teach pupils
during vacation. any bargain they may make
with the pupils being satisfactory to the
school authorities. The teacher may charge
the pupil for her time or not as she elects.
We have no way Of telling until the be-
ginning of the school year the number Of
pupils who are making up studies, but
there are several. as we have already re-
ceived some certificates of proficiency from
anne Of the teachers.