Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-04
Professor Foshay Reviews Ten Years
Progress OF Los Angeles Schools.
BestoW Diamond Ring as
Token of Regard

Prof. James A. Foshay's coming fare
well to the Los Angeles public schools
Saturday, as emphasized in his vale
dictory delivered Saturday afternoon,
made the meeting of teachers in the
Polytechnic high school notable one.
Having seen eleven years service as
superintendent his words of tribute to
| the teachers were doubly effective; and
in total surprise came a presentation
to him of q diamond ring by the force
under him.
Prof. Foshay in saying farewell ex-
| planned that feeling n lack of strong
physical force he felt he needed a
rest after thirty years of work.
| Few cities have thriven as has Los
Angeles" said Prof. Foshay in his
valedictory. mo one can doubt that
the last decade has been more progress
sive, has witnessed more development
than any other decade in our history.
The occupancy of store rooms, base
ments, temporary structures and the
holding of halliday sessions during
some periods were the rule rather than
the exception; but it has been gratify
ing to note the readiness with which
pupils and parents have accepted and
accommodated themselves to these alb
normal conditions.
Three RS First
THE tendency of those who have the
guiding Of the courses of study has
been to introduce rather than elimi-
nate. This principle should be ever
before us, however, that reading, Ian
guage, arithmetic, geography and his
tory must keep prominently in the fore
ground, and that additional studies
should not be allowed to interfere with
the thoroughness of these standard
branches.
There is, perhaps. no subject that
has received more attention than that
of manual education. and Los Angeles
has kept pace by introducing, as her
crownlng educational feature, the Poly
technic high school, of which we all
are justly proud
The review of work of the decade
was one of progress. He said:
Ten Years Growth
''In 1896 there was one high school,
with twenty EIGHT teachers, fourteen
of whom are with us now; at present
there are two high schools and
seventy y-seven teachers. We further
note the introduction of ungraded
rooms; establishment of parental
school, in connection with the deten-
ton home; employment of attendance
officers; carrying out of the provisions
of the child labor law; establishment
of school for the deaf establishment
of the Polytechnic high school; intro
duction of different forms of manual
training Gncluding domestic science).
from the kindergarten through the
high school; furnishing of supplement-
ary reading matter to all the new
buildings and many of the old ones;
u closer connection of our work with
that of the public library; introduce
ton of several departments in the high
schools; introduction of lunch rooms
at the high schools; also the experiment.
of serving lunches in one of the gram
mar schools; the creation of much in
terest in the decoration of school prop
erty, for which purpose the teachers
and children have contributed more
than $4,000; the custom of setting
apart one day in the year, to be known
as parents day; the observance of
Arbor day; the employment Of school
nurses in conjunction with the health
department; the introduction of nature
study in the grades the introduction
of child study on q scientific basis; an
entire change in the methods of order
ing supplies, bookkeeping, etc.
Saving the Eyes
Careful attention has been given
to the proper planning of school build
ings, to especially care for the sight of
iei' anu tetchSlS. fIdcucdny All
of the old buildings have been changed
so that the rooms are properly lighted"
A comparison of figures was also
given. The number of school buildings
in 1895 was 36; in 1906 they are &c. The
number of teachers in 1885 was 6S;. in
1895, 300 and in 1906. S32. The receipts
for 1S94-5 were 1854. 731.S1; in 19O4-5 they
were $10S1, ,421.S4. The number of pupils
enrolled in 1SS4-5 was 4,61O in 1S94-5 it
was 14,O2O; in 1866 (hrst term) it is
33 9S4. The valuation of school prop
erty in 1885 was $24S000; in 1896 1T
was $77O,57O; in 1906 it is $2,67O,OOO
Miss Reeves of the normal school
brought tears of joy and gladness to
many feminine eyes as in feeling
phrases she presented the ring to the
retiring educator. Mr.. Foshay, greatly
affected, expressed thanks and prom
ised to wear it as a token Of regard