The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-06-20

ried excellencies. am not authorized
to speak definitely, but | do not believe
this services can be secured next veal
without substantial advance in salary
His scholarship, it is true, is not a.
broad as it should be, but he know:
Thoroughly the work he has to do and ii
is thoroughly done
Miss Howell, acting principal central
school, SIS.
Miss Wolff, principal Edwards street
school, $85.
As referred to above Misses Howell
and Wolff performed the duties of prin-
cipal and of supervisors of their respec-
| tive schools during the last half of the
Iyear for the half of each days session,
being relieved by Miss Goldenberg to do
this work. In many important respects
the schools were much improved by this
change The assemblies and dismissions
especially were more orderly and bet
ter discipline was secured A piano was
installed in the central school by Miss
Howell and the marches played at open
ing and closing greatly assisted to bring
about these more satisfactory results.
may remark here that the expense in
CURED in instituting these improvements
was paid by the voluntary contributions
of the pupils without any suggestion of
urging on the part of the teachers, The
expenses included the rent of the piano
md the paying of the pianist, one of the
pupils of the eighth grade. For all this
Miss Howell should be given credit. 1t
is perfectly apparent that the whole time
Of a principal would be spent most prof
itably in looking after the adminstra
tive details, instrucing the teachers and
1oing general supervisory work i'll a
school SO large as the central | know
If no school so large at this in any city
in the country that does not employ the
services of principal for the whole
time This organization is the kind that
is in vogue everywhere in the older
States is has received the sanction of
the most enlightened experience and
with it only can the best results be
hoped for. The board will bear in mind
that in making recommendations I have
been governed by what in my judgment
should be done to make the schools of
Shreveport the equal in efficiency of any
in the country, but of course every
school reform must be undertaken sub
iect to the means at the disposal of the
board to carry them out. On this point
4 am not advised and | wish the board
to understand that | am not counseling
them to go to expenses. that their inan-
sial condition would not Justify; all |
I'm contending foreis that such expend-
lures if entered upon would pay large
return to the people in school efficiency.
With the qualifications implied by the
above statement | recommend that the
salaries of both Moses Howell and
Wolff be advanced to an amount COM
mensurate with their added labors and
responsibilities 1t should be borne in
mind that Miss Howell acted as the
principal of a twelve-room building
while Miss Wolff had only six rooms
to supervise.
Kindergarten-Mis Hattie Schuster,
principal, receiving $4,000 Miss Schus-
ter's work as principal of the kinder
garten department is of very high or
der. | have rarely met with kinder
garten teacher who was more efficient
than Miss Schuster She informs me
that the arrangement by which she re-
.ceives $Ioo month, which pays for her
services, the services of the janitor and
the rent of the room can not be contin-
ued another year. | am unable to re-
commend to the board what provision
for this important department should be
made. The kindergarten is a legitimate
part of well organized city system of
public schools, and it should be housed
appropriately and properly equipped
just as any other department of the
school. The difficulty we have to con-
tend with is that we have no suitable
room for the kindergarten There has
been no building constructed for school
purposes i'll the city which took into ac-
count the kindergarten | think it
would be more satisfactory arrange
ment if the board could secure some
suitable room for the kindergarten at a
reasonable rent which the board would
lpay, pay for the janitor's service, fur
|nish the necessary supplies, and then pay
Miss Schuster a reasonable salary for
her services. The kindergarten teacher
requires broader and more complete
education than any other class of teach
ers below the high school, and Miss
Schuster possesses this education be-
sides showing evidences of more cul-
lture than the average teacher.
Having complimented specially the
teachers named, Prof Blanton read Z