Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-03-17
DEFENDS CROSBY HIGH
Superintendent TIMERS Com.
municali0n 10 Board.


knock or two. At the meeting of the
board last evening Superintendent
Tinker took up defense for the
Crosby system and methods and made
a comparison of the records of that
school with the high schools else
where in the state. Following is his
communications:
Gentlemen: Professor Charles H.
Judd and Professor Herbert E. Greg
DRY of Yale university have inspected
our high school and made their re-
port to the state board which APPROX
ed the standing of our school and rec.
commended that 1.-The courses be en-
larged and so arranged that children
not intending to go to college shall
have broader instruction in English
and history than college instruction
requirements permit" Before discus
sing the above recommendation, de-
sire to present to you some of the sug-
gestions made in the reports of the
inspectors.
Professor Gregory, who inspected
the work in mathematics, science and
commercial lines says, THE Water
bury high school is doing the work
demanded of it by the town and is
certainly to be approved, but it's eff
cheney could be increased by the at
tention to the following: More
crowded and certain work in science
is crippled on account of laboratory
room. A new building or an addi-
ton to this building would remedy
the effect. More teachers are needed
If the curriculum is to be carried out
to the best advantage The instruc-
tor in chemistry should be given more
free time or an assistant"
Professor Judd, who inspected the
English, modern languages and his
tory, reports IN part as follows: THE
school has a four years English
course extending through all depart
ments Of the school. This results
in the employment of five teachers
almost exclusively in English instruc-
ton. In general, l believe that the
emphasis laid in this school on Eng
fish is excellent and should be en-
couraged. Detailed suggestions were
made to the instructors Chief among
these was the suggestion that in the
senior year, the college requirements
should be treated in a special divi-
sion organized for those who need it,
There is here as in other high schools
marked tendency to emphasize the
classics and to encourage students to
take the college preparatory courses
The French course is in the hands of
teacher who has complete command
Of the language. The German class
which I visited is devoting it's energy
very commercially, as l think, to the
mastery of German grammatical
forms. The school is growing very
rapidly. 1t is now very much crowd
ed insafl of its classes, some of Their
being much too large for the most
efficient work. There are one or two
general matters in which the schoo
seems to be most excellent. The Or
der Of the class is excellent. IN gen.
eral the pupils were prepared to re.
cite and the teachers devoted con-
scientiously to their work"
Few high schools in the country
spend as many hours in the study
of English as is done in our High
school, hours per week for fouI
years in every course. being devoted
to its subject. 1t is certainly i'm
possible for us to devote any addition
al time to this work As a basis fol
comparison / would say that the
Hartford High school in its CONNER
cial and general course devotes II
to 14h hours per week for English
work; the New Haven, 10 to IL
hours; Springfield. Mass. 171s hours
while we devote 20 hours. To thC
suggestion that the subjects and tht
work for pupils who do not intent
to enter college should be different
from that for those preparing fol-
college, can give a most hearty as
sent, but 1t is extremely difficult, ever
during the last year to determine jus
who should be in such class. u
many pupils do not fully make ur
their minds until the last moment
and IL they have not had the com.
plete college requirements. they
would be greatly hampered in their
entrance examinations Again the
separating Of these classes would
mean, fear, quite large addition
10 our teaching force. think that
most teachers OF English in the High
schools will agree. that the college
requirements in many particulars are
Illogical and unpedagogical, but
these are burdens placed upon the
high schools by the colleges and must
be borne. II IL is possible TO arrange
the work so that those pupils in the
senior class. who are not planning to
go to college. could have their Eng
fish work rounded out in a more
scientific manner, I am sure that the /
principal of the High school will SC |
arrange II Il Is in his power.
In regard TO the recommendation |
In history. I would state that in our
general course for students not in
tending to enter college. We have pro-
Fided four years Of history. five per
IOds per week as follows: One year
1f ancient history. one year Of gener
II or European history, one year of
English history. and one year oil
United States history. In the other
course for such students Ceommer-
,iaD. We provide for one year o.
United States history as a require
nent. and give an opportunity for
,ne year Of English and one year OF
general or European history. Com