New-York tribune., 1904-10-11
PROBLEMS FOR PRINCIPALS.
Women to Wrestle with Part Time Question
Solution of Overcrowding.

The Women Principals Association began its
winters work yesterday afternoon at the Normal
College with an effort to solve the part time prob
lem. and the New-York City Teachers Associa-
tion expects to wrestle with it next week The
deliberations of the women principals took place
behind closed doors, and reached no definite
clusion but the executive committee instruct
ed to evolve plan and report at the next meeting.
The consensus of opinion appeared to be in favor
Of the eviction OF the high schools from elemen-
tary school buildings and the establishment of in
termediate schools. The latter plan was outlined
IN the June number of The Journal of Pedagogy
by Miss Aida S. Williams and will probably form
the basis of the executive committees report
In this article Miss Williams points out that the
establishment of schools between the elementary
and the high school courses in the less densely
populated parts of the city would withdraw large
numbers OF the older children from the congested
districts. and place corresponding number of sit
ungs at the disposal of the younger children
These schools. she saws would add not dollar TO
the cost of the system. and she thinks that parents
would make no serious objection tc sending their
older children to them, even though the distance
were considerable
These intermediate schools ought, she says. to
offer two parallel courses of two years each. one
fitting for the high school and the other for the
world of toll and wage" At present the elemen-
tary schools organized on the theory that they
are preparatory to the high schools. and all pupils
whether they intend to enter the high schools. as
only per cent ever do. TO become wage earners
the law allows. take precisely the same
studies This. Miss Williams maintains is All
wrong. The first six years OF school life should
be alike for all pupils but at the beginning OF the
last two years of the eight year elementary course
there should be a parting Of the ways. For the
lucky minority the last years Of the ele-
M itarv school course are preparatory ones for
the high school; for the less fortunate majority
they ought No preparatory ones for the wage
earning labor OF shop, office or factory
For instance. the article points out that in the
last two years the children of the larger class
| might learn bookkeeping instead Of algebra and
geometry. the discount systems of actual CONNER
cial life instead of square and cube root
Their geography should be commercial their
composition commercial letter writing. End so on
living principles Of some of the trades should be
| This division Of the last two Years into tive
courses would lessen the overcrowdng of which all
| Complain and would also lessen the inclination
| among The chl7ren of the poor TO drop out OF
| school duriny the closing years OF the
| Studiea ~es li.ed be Of practical value in the
future ACQUIRE fo- children keen interest. they
| would in such for adults" Miss Williams
| saws IF the work Of the last two years were OF
| different character. II is probable that very
| many children who now drop out they
| are old enough to work wou'1 remain until they
| finish the course.