The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-16
CITY NEWS
THE BUSY SCHOOLS
Some New Ideas Being Worked Out
in Various Schools of
Minneapolis. ..r
Children Enter Into the Modern
Work With Zest-Compliments l..
From Afar. ...

In the conventional and super-cultivated
east, the segregation of the sexes in the
schools Is begun in the grades, and a fur
Their dash of eXclusiveness is added later
by placing a master over roOmful Of
boys, while the "schoolma am" the indis-
crimnate ruler in the west, has charge Of
the girls. Also, with a lacking chivalry
not of the west. $50 extra per year is paid
the teacher of the boys. Yet with all this
barking back to older system. 1.-The
work is far behind that of the Minnea polls
schools writes an eX- Minneapolis teacher
to Superintendent c. M. Jordan in a letter
giving account of the working of the
school system in New York state.
In delightful contrast to this conserva-
tism is the democracy Of the Chicago
schools as described by Mr.. Painter. prin-
cipal Of the Adams school, recently re-
turned from a weeks inspection Of the
schools in the breezy city. There the
tendency is to make the public school the
social center in the community. One
school keeps open house all the year round,
winter and summer. printed programs Of
the entertainments given being sent out
to the various families in the district, who
can take their choice of musical or liter
AIRY evenings.
This expansion of the school into a
democracy in which everyone takes part
and from which all derive enjoyment,
began in Minneapolis last summer with
the movement for school ground decora-
ton. and has been strongly developed IL?
the Adams school by the civic league the
fineness Of whose purpose was recognized
by c. M. I-oring when he made his gift
of pictures to the league at the picture
presentation some weeks ago. The pur
pose of the organization is to cultivate
good citizenship. and the members, in.
Guiding every child in the school. improve
home grounds, school grounds, waste lots,
and the girls send the flowers they have
cultivated to the city hospital.
Effect on Indoor Work.
A charming addition to the indoor deco
rations as a result of the outdoor i'm
provements are a vivid patch Of color
against the blackboard diagrams in pos
ter effects showing varying stages in the
process of outdoor improvements. The
winter work Of the league is the stimulus
to scholarship resulting from the piquancy
of serving as a member of a committee.
of which there is one for every subject
studied, and which is SO arranged that
every pupil in the room is a member. 1t
is a crack method. say the teachers, for
when a boy who scrawls is made secretary
of his committee it becomes absolutely
necessary that he improve in writing, and
when a poor reader is chosen chaplain
and has to read a selection from the
Bible every morning, it Is is equally i'm
portant that he make squirt in that par
ticular direction.
An additional literary course from the
fourth grade up IS another of the fine in
novations lately begun at the Adams, anG
includes besides a ten-minute exercise
during which one has to write 200 words
describing daily observations the reading
of some Of the classics, the books to biz
presented afterward for ones own, par.
ticular, private library.
In the Franklin they have a unique re
public, a combination of American and
Roman government there being a gov
ernor tribunes. marshals, health inspec-
tors and care takers. who. as needs arise
suggest In council with the teachers plans
tc meet emergencies. The governor is
the potentate-in chief and that the cause
of woman's rights is solid in the Franklin
is shown by the fact that the last two
governors were girls. TO the, health
inspector belongs the delicate. diplomatic
duty of informing the little people wher
their desks need overhauling. but so tact
full have they proved the teachers say
they cannot recall an instance when Of