Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-07-25
4 Trustees Must Reorganizs City
.ys Public School System.
SUPERVISING PRINCIPAL NOW
!, seml-AnnuaI Promotion Scheme and
W Grade Divisions to be Abolished
After Three Years 'Trlal-Flrst Step
at Next Meeting of Board.

Now that the Office of supervising
principal of the city public schools
has virtually been abolished, the school
trustees, school superintendent and
yice-principals OF the various city
Schools, VIII have to devise some plan
f, by which the schools may be success.
. fully operated in the future without
such uil officer. This means the re-
organization OF the public schools Of
Newport News.
In speech made before the board
of school trustees just at the close of
the last school session. District Super
i1ntendent William a. Jenkins, who has
for the past three years been supervis-
ing principal of the city schools. stat
ed that the system Of ScmiunnuaI
promotions. which he introduced into
the city schools three years ago, had
been gradually worked up from grade
to grade until at the close of the last
session II had been carried out through
the High school. He explained that IT.
had taken three years to carry out the
scheme and that should it be main
tanned III the schools next session
. there would be two classes graduated
from the High school next season, one
III February and one In June.
:. when the system was introduced
into the schools the trustees, IL seems,
had no idea that it would make such
radical change i'll the school system
and they have now decided to abolish
it..wiich means ii complete rcorgunza-
tion of the school system.
Educators here claim shat, should
the system be abolished ana il seems
certain that il will. it will require just
the same length OF time to put the
schools in their former condition of
three years ago, us 1t did to carry out
the semi-annunl promotion 3chcme,
and therefore II will be three years he
lore the city schools will he in good
working order again.
Nearly all of the public school teach
ers havc tnught under the new system
for three years and it will require
some time for them to return to teach
Ing the Old system. But the least diff
cuty In rcorganizing the schools will
not be found there.
When the schools closed last session
each grade was divided into two Sec
lions, a and Is. The pupils In the ID
SON's'o''''
ton into the next higher grade, while
those In the y section received ccrtil-
Gates of promotion into the b section.
which is one-half session advanced
oyer the A section. When the semi
annual promotion system is abolished
division Of grades will &c done away
with and the trustees, principals and
superintendent will have great diiIi-
Guilty IN chasing the pupils so that
none will have to repeat work already
done over and none will be put into
work too advanced for them
The problem will. it is said be u
hard ono to solve, and the first steps
toward, its, solution probably will be
taken at the next meeting of tho board
of school trustees.
Entirely now schedules for all the
studies In the schools will have to be
made and put into operation during the
coming session. and other changes
equally ms great will have to he made
before the schools are again in good
working order.