Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-03
MUST LEARN HOW TO WRITE
Additional Requirement Fixed by Board in
Order to Graduate
TOOLS FOR MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOL
the Members Of the Board of Trade
Take n shot at Holman for His
Attitude on the Tax
Levy.

ness OF penmanshlp Will be one OF the re-
quirements at the high school, and no pu-
pill will be graduated from that ins titution
who does not write a neat, legible and red
sonably correct hand, except by reason of
physical incapacity. Even the teachers
will be made to come up to a certain
standard in this respect. Such is the die
tum OF the Board of Education proclaimed
at its meeting Of last evening.
This matter came before the board in
the form Of a report from the committee
on high school, in which was embodied rec
concentrations from the superintendent
which the committee Endorsed for adop-
tion. The communication OF the superin-
t%endent, which was addressed to the com
mittee, was as follows:
Insist on Good writing.
A good deal OF criticism is from time to
time INDUCED in concerning the quality OF
writing. done by the young people who
graduate not only from our own high
Much of this criticism is unjust, for a ma
lority OF the pupils who graduate from the
hlgh schooi write a plain; satisfactory hand.
Much of this criticism. however, too much
OF II, is well founded, for many pupils do
go out as graduates from the school writing
a wretched hand. These. and the consider
able number OF pupils who leave school be-
fore they graduate, writing a poor hand,
give many times a bad name to the instruc-
ton of the school from which they came.
1t is intended that pupils shall enter the
high school accustomed to do neat written
work and writing a plain, fairly correct
hand. This hand writing should grow bet
ter, and not worse. by the time they gradu-
ate. That the writing has in too many
cases grown worse is due to several reasons
among others to the naturally careless
habits of some pupils, habits which they
should not be allowed to continue; to the
laxness Of some high school teachers who
do not exact careful, correct, written work
to the bad example in writing set by some
. hiU anhanl AanaHnna- LnaanN naIA Ia
grades below the high school. and many
high school teachers write well, but a mi
nority have not yet thought II worth while
to acquire the correct hand writing which
should be to every teacher indispensible)
to the fact that many times a quantity of
from pupils, so that they cannot do it well
In the time allowed; to the fact that no
regular instruction in writing is given in
course, even to those pupils who need it.
1t seems to me that the time is opportune
for us to correct this matter so far as our
own school is concerned. l therefore make
the following recommendations:
l. That one Of the teachers now In the
high school be. assigned to teach writing,
and that provision be made for another
teacher to do the work done by the teacher
who will teach writing.
Q. That all high school pupils whose writ
ten school work is not satisfactory I'm neat
ness, correctness or legibility be required to
take whiting as a regular study until such
time as their written school work becomes
and continues to be satisfactory,
D. nat utter June. 1919, no Dulll snail u
graduated from the high school who does
not write a neat legible, reasonably correct
hand; provided. that in any case where 1t
is, for physical reasons, impossible for a
pupil to acquire such a hand writing eX-
ception may be made by the board upon
recommendation of the principal OF the
high school. approved by the high school
committee, and the graduation of the pupil
permitted.
the employ of this board, in the high school
or elsewhere, be expected by this board
to be able to write and to write a plain,
blackboard and in such other writing as Is
connected with their school duties. unless
excused from this requirement by the
by the superintendent of instruction.
The report of the committee requested
that the committee be authorized to assign
another teacher to the high school to take
the work Of the teacher who is to be placed
in charge of the instruction in penmanship.
The report, including the communication of
the superintendent, was adopted and sew
| eral Of the members in voting expressed
themselves enthusiastically in favor of the
plan proposed.
Tools for Manual Training.
The committee on supplies reported upon
the question of tools for the manual train
ing department Of the high school, showing
that the tools for FIVE classes in the first
year Of the work would cost 1925; for three
classes in the second year Of the work, 1892,
and for one class in the third year of the
work, $2O5; a total Of $1,022, without the
lathes which had been asked for and which
would cost $500 more, or 1922 in all.
Mr.. Holman moved that the committee
be authorized to Purchase all of the tools
mentioned, including the lathes, and the
motion was adopted. the only negative vote
being that OF Mr.. Levy, chairman Of the
committee on supplies.
On motion of Mr.. Homan the committee
on buildings and property was instructed
to employ an architect to prepare plans for
a two-story. eight-room building on the
Monmouth Park site. recently purchased.
A resolution by Mr.. Holman instructing
the attorney Of the board to prepare a bill
for legislative enactment authorizing the
board to refund any part or all Of its
bonded Indebtedness for a period OF twenty
years at a rate OF interest not to exceed 4
per cent, was referred to the committee on
judiciary and the attorney Of the board.
Toward the close OF the meeting the
board adopted a resolution introduced by
Mr.. Maynard and seconded by Mr.. Christie
in which was expressed in strong terms the
displeasure OF the other members at the at
titude taken by Mr.. Homan in regard 10
the recent question of the tax levy for
school purposes during the coming year,
These resolutions reviewed at great length
the Official career Of Mr.. Holman as a mem
Der of the board, pointing out wherein II
was believed he had acted in a manner in
consistent with his present advocacy OF q
2-mill levy, and presented arguments and
figures in support OF the adoption OF a levy
of 2 $40 mills. Throughout their entire
course Mr.. Homan position was severely
condemned and criticised.
The resolutions we're adopted by a viva
voce vote with no dissenting voice. After
they had been adopted Mr.. Holman called
for an aye and nay vote, but was ruled oui
of order, as the result of the former vote
had been announced.
A much-indorsed document, which was
marked as having passed 'thro' military
channels" and had gathered signatures al
along those channels evidenced approva.
on the part of the army authorities o. tho
application OF Captain W. H. Wassels o
the garrison at Fort Crook for the position
of commandant Of cadets at the high school
II was placed on hle.
An application from Charles NJ. Richards
OF his city for the same position was re
ferred to the committee on high school.
FIRE RECORD.