Bridgeton pioneer., 1904-11-24
SCHOOL BOARDS
MONTHLY MEETING.

All the members were present ex-
cept Messrs. Hort and Reeves
communication from Superinten-
dent OF the State Normal School rela-
tive to the use Of apprentice teachers
to be sent out by the State, was read
and the suggestion accepted.
superintendent Hitchner made his
monthly report, from which we ex-
tract the following:
The Offering of Latin or English to
the pupils in the 18th grade is prov
ing most satisfactory. Those who se-
lected Latin are showing more of a
disposition to study the subject than
was shown by former classes when all
were restricted to a single course.
You are reminded that this choice
will be offered to the 10th grade pupils
next September, and it is hoped that
class will graduate from High School
that is upon the approved list OF high
schools. This means that facilities for
studying chemistry by laboratory
methods must be provided, and the
election of science teacher will be
demanded, together with another class
room.
This is two years away, still it is
believed that il the Board would have
well matured plans, it is not too soon
for you as a body to begin to think
the matter over. Moreover, it is be-
lieved that local public sentiment was
never SO favorably inclined toward
placing our schools we'll toward the
front and maintaining them there.
From the monthly reports, you know
something of what the Superintendent
is doing in general way. But little
of the specific work can be mentioned,
even if it would be of interest to you,
without seeming to thrust myself upon
your notice.
| will venture, however, on giving
you one phase of this work that has
occupied a portion of my time last
week. A year or SO ago, the teachers
IN the several grades were told that
when their pupilsshad finished topic
in geography, arithmetic, grammar or
history, if the teachers wished it, I
would prepare list of test questions,
covering what it seemed to me the
pupils should know OF course, this
would really test the teachers rather
than the pupils. Along at first, there
did not spring up any great demand
for my kind offices. am glad to re-
port that conditions are changing, and
that l have been requested to test
three different classes within a week.
One on the geography OF Europe, one
in the subject OF fractions in arith-
metic and one upon grammar or the
language work.
In these tests, the pupils are dis
tinctly told that they shall not be
marked for the results they give, thus
the usual nervousness incident to ex-
aminations is avoided When the test
consumes two hours or more, pupils
are tired, and are sent home for the
rest OF the session, while the teacher
and myself mark the papers. / find
by this face to face talk with the
teachers, by the getting close to their
difficulties, by encouraging them to
look beyond the facts in the text book,
that such portion of my time is profit
ably spent. Besides this, when a
teacher asks that her work be tested,
it is pretty good evidence that she de-
sires to grow.
In Che 4th grade in Vine street all
seats we're full, while one OF two
pupils were waiting. Two children
from HopewelI had been given seats
in this room at the beginning of the
Gear. The teacher was requested to
send these children out with an ex-
pianatory note to the parents.
In few days, one of them, little
girl named Hughes, returned to school
from Atlantic street, the family hav-
ing moved in.
I can see no chance for the other, a
Tozier, to get in this year, therefore,
the township should not be paying for
these children's schooling.
The school month ends on Friday,
the 25th Schools will close on We'd
nesday. May the Secretary be author
lied to issue teachers warrants on
Wednesday?
Principals have reported no sus-
tanned cases of truancy. | see no idle
boys in the neighborhood OF the school
houses when the schools are in session.
| know of half dozen Boys who are
beyond the control of parents that are
not in school, neither do they work.
It seems, to me the whole bunch are
not worth spending $40 for, because SO
long as they keep away from better
governed children, the safety of the
latter, well balances any good that
can CONG to a set of boys who can only
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