Arizona republican., 1902-03-27
PHoENIx. ARIz.. MARCH P. 1902.

That there is more than usual inter- est in the forthcoming election for
 school trustee in the THE city is evidenced by the SCHOOL numerous communica- ELECTION tions addressed to this
 paper by patrons of the schools and partisans of one candidate or the other. School elections as a rule go almost by default, and the people are deserving of congratulation that this year is to be an exception. But many of the communications alluded to, while written with the best inten- tions, would tend to stir up much Ill feeling in the community if published. and The Republican does not approve of that k.nd of strife. Both of the can didates for trustee. MT. Luhrs and Mir. Robinson, are good citizens, public spirited, and deeply concerned in hay ing the schools conducted in the best manner possible, and it is idle to ac- cuse either of entertaining selfish pur- poses in seeking the honorable posi- tion. The public interests should be safe in the hands of either. and We are confident they would be.
 In view of the wholesome interest opportune for suggesting to the incom- ing board that the success of the schools can be promoted appreciably by some marked changes in operation. One of these changes should be in the matter of the monthly examinations. ' Phoenix is not alone in having run the examination business into the ground as it were, and neither the present superintendent nor the exist ing board should be harshly criticised for following a custom which has at tained wide prevalence, but which has shown up so many defects that it is undergoing modification wherever the authorities in charge consider it safe to retrace their steps without being considered lacking in progress. It can not be denied that the system of ex- aminations every month does infinitely more harm than good to many pupils Ambitious. bright and nervous children and nearly all ambitious pupils be- come nervous in their anxiety to stand well in their report cards"-are sub- jected to such an unnecessary tension by reason of one unnecessary exami- nation after another that many of them have their health undermined. It is not practicable, of course, to omit ex- al hlIt Nt-itI ha past year or two the school authorities in many of the cities have found that there can be a salutary modification of the monthly system. It has been found that a great percentage of pupils make much better progress by having free dom from the monthly examinations held out to them as a reward for good records in the daily work. Teachers are able by scrutiny of the daily work to determine readily when such ar average is maintained as to make the monthly examination not necessary The pupils making the proper average are relieved from health h-breaking strain and anxiety, and the teachers themselves find their burdens greatly lightened-and if there is a person ir the world whose load should be made lighter it is the toiling school teacher who is called upon to expend nearly every atom of her vitality in keeping up with her weary work.
 The Phoenix schools have not beer injured by fads as much as the school: ;r vation has been imported which should be dropped at the beginning of the nex school year. This is the fad of de partmentar' work. Teachers go iron one room to another, teaching tn same study in each room- It is absur' to suppose that any teacher in tn lower grades is not fully capable 0 teaching any branch of the course O study, and no reason has been advances for the innovation except that it is feature of many city schools. and i considered progressive" Against tn new system is the fact that it make it impossible for that attachment t grow up between pupils and teache which goes far toward eliminatin friction. The task of maintain prope discipline is much harder under th departmental plan.
 Another change in which the Phoe nix schools, by reason of being tn most important in the territory shoul take the lead is in the matter of "ver tical writing" Vertical writing ha been tried and found a snare. Childre attempting to write the system de velop miserable backhand, painful slow to write and almost impossible | read. The system is being thrown ou almost everywhere.