New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-12
TEACHERS

NIT parts to memory and repeat them verbatim
but they have no understanding of what they
are doing They are led up to the SUBJECT py
stages that are too rapid and too supernciaL
This study should be left entirely to the older
children in the high schools In the elementary
schools It is worse than a fad'-it is almost an
utter waste of time"
This year may zee great change In the
standing of fad subjects in the course Of
study" said an official of the Department OF
Education last week. TIL tell you some Of the
reasons why In the first place City Superin-
tendent Maxwell and President Tiff Of the
board are not pulling we'll together Their diff
fculties arose over the plan for changing our
system of bookkeeping and recording advanced
by r. Fulton Cutting President Tiffts friend.
"a couple of months ago the associate city su-
perintendents after some Investigations, report
ed that the public school fads' were all right.
Shortly after Dr. Maxwell had made their re-
port public Mr.. Tiff appointed his new commit
tees Of the board and replaced every member of
the committee studies and textbooks. The
committee supplies, which last year saved
the city more than 100000 by introducing up
to-date ideas into the management of the supply
bureau, was left practically unchanged. with
Samuel N. Dix, well known hater Of fads,'
still in the craftsmanship"
Every member OF the new committee on
studies and textbooks has convictions OF the
subject of "fads" None are yet disposed to
condemn or approve broadly. as they have not
yet had time for Investigating. Chairman Frank
Harvey Fields appeared to voice the sentiments
Of all few days ago. when he said:
MY committee enters upon it's duties welded
to no system We are anxious only to gain the
best results for the children. The present school
curriculum was designed especially to get all
he ,crf oP +ba Of
the complaints of parents are based on ignor-
ance Of the course. I stand unequivocally for
physical training. Sewing by boys in the schools
has been done away with. It was only intro
duced in the mixed classes"
The cost of the 'fads" cannot be definitely
stated The special teachers alone will require
outlay this year of more than 100000,
divided thus: In physical training. $34.216 65;
in music SS3.420O1 In manual training and
drawing, $50 go 49, in sewing, $77O01 81, and
in cooking, Sd, 1873 go. Large sums OF money
paid beyond these sums for paraphernalia
and supplies. In some subjects, as cooking, spe-
cial rooms are required, and these are conse-
quently diverted from their original purpose.
Besides these expenses, the class teachers are
employed to teach several fad" subjects, such
elementary science, hygiene and nature study,
and the resulting amount added to the fad" ex-
penses can scarcely be figured out. According
to the schedules, the time spent upon fad" sub
jects throughout the eight years OF the ele-
mentary schools averages about eighty minutes
daily. while the three RS" are studied during
127 minutes Of the daily 300.
That the expenditure of SO much money and
time upon non-essentials is justifable is the
opinion of City Superintendent Maxwell and his
associates and of many members of the board.
A COMMITTEES appointed TO investigate the ad-
visa bility Of doing away with the 'fads" in the
first year or two of the school course decided
some days ago in favor of retaining the present
curriculum unchanged.
The committee the q a.
sociate city superintendent and Of seven COM
missioners Of the Board Of Education. Commits
stoner Abraham Stern. the chairman, and the
only dissenting member, is preparing a minority
report upon the findings of the committee He
VIII present this to the board on March % The
majority report was presented last month, but
was laid over. The signers announced that they
had used verbatim the report made by the as
sociate city superintendent upon the question
or 'fads," and which made public by Dr.
Maxwell in his annual report.
Most of the commissioners and officials con-
nected with the supply bureau are considered to
be among the opponents Of "fads" prom
inent official of this bureau said recently:
The members of the Committee Supplies
intend this year to make crusade against the
fads.' Cooking and sewing especially require
this bureau to keep on hand-or ready to hand
"a variety Of articles to be found only in
metropolitan department store AS for the
scientific branches, It is said that our modern
high schools are better equipped than the ordi-
nary university. In all cases the extent to which
the studies are carried is at the bottom of the
criticisms. It is felt that the school system has
no authority TO prepare students, at the expense
OF the essentials which all require alike for
trades or professions. Such instruction is be-
heyed to be out of the province of the common
schools at present.
now many pages long and still on the increase
Several of the studies are so broad as to admit
OF an endless list. Each new teacher adds de-
mands. AS sample ST the details into which
these teachers require US to go, take the list
under the heading of geological supplies-living
material for class use Here we find that wa
n
worms, frogs, oysters, salamanders, bees cats,
centipedes, caterpillars, goldfish, grasshoppers,
the dozen the hundred Every one Of these
lists could be cut down one-half, with great
saving to the city and an Improvement to the
courses These supply lists have inspired the
opposition to the 'fads' among the committee
men"
There are many things about the course OF
study which I DO not approve Of" said Com
missioner Nicholas J. Barrett, one of the two
members whom President Tiff appointed
recently TO the committee on supplies, in an
interview on Saturday. Il hope something will
be done this year toward curtailing the fads.'
Such attempts have often been made, but have
failed always. I voted against this new course
of study when 1t was first brought to the board.
why. I know district superintendent who
gave a test examination IN arithmetic in his
sc ction Of the city few days ago, and he made
up a special list of practical questions for the
occasion. The average pupil got between 70 per
cent and 81 per cent In my ais p sLar
That sort of thing shows the true value of the
course Of study, does it not? I don't believe in
teaching elementary school pupils geometry,
either. They are not prepared to get any value
from such advanced work.
Sentiment regarding the course of study is
divided in the Board of Education. There is
feeling that some change should be made, but
just what change is advisable does not yet ap-
pear. The parents are right in their complaints
about the fads.' They know what the children
should have.
81 think that cooking and sewing should be
taught the girls. But drawing, brushwork
science, nature study, ETC., are carried too far.