New-York tribune., 1909-09-12
SCHOOLS OPEN MONDAY
ARNF OF $50 900 CHILDREN
Or. Malr1ceH Tells of Bettermerts
Planned by the Board.

An army ten times num-rous as the one that
Sherman took with MIN on his victorious march to
the see will tramp through the streets Of this CITY
tomorrow II is believed that II will be Blue
army also for its members win answer the call
10 pads and pencils.
The public scho Is Will be the recruiting sta lions
and whether or not the individuals who enroll look
unon the day all that combination OF Blue
Monday and the 18th might reasonably be expected
10 produce in the way CT depression Of spirits there
will be seventeen thousand school, authorities and
teachers on hand 20 smooth the pathway OF learn
ing for approximately go Oo0 lads and lasses tors
and tads OF all nations and all varieties of home
environment
Dr. William H Maxwell. C'tty Superintendent Of
Schools stands at the head OF this army At his
home az Flushing. Long Island last night no told
of his hopes and plans for the coming wear So
far as the school work in the elementary schools is
concerned. the only great change viii the aholi-
tfon of copy books
For the last Two years" said Dr Maxwell we
have been substituting for the copy book instru,-
ton what Is known a. the free arm NOV er,e1t
We md that we get much better and free- penuan-
ship and much more rapid execution, and that the
children or any one else. write for long time
without fatigue writer's cramp. The writing
exercises become pleasure 70 the pupils
Il regard the greatest problem before the
school authorities and the teachers Of the cftv how
to get the ovsr-age, retarded children more rap
idly through the grades The first effort that was
Iudue TO help Jne retarded Cnldren was the eStap-
lishment of special classes There several hun
dred such classes where an attempt is made 10
bring them along more rapidly.
The second is the enlargement Of the system Of
summer schools. not only for the teaching OF man
ual training. but also taking care Of those chill
dren who have nor been promoted IN June -be
attempt being made TO help them so that they nav
be promoted In September. Reports received by me-
to-day show that in the hundred such classes this
year 20 per cent of the pupils had done work suf-
hciently good to enable them to be advanced The
board OF Education has asked for an appropria-
ton 70 open number Of high school classes next
summer TO help those pupils in similar manner.
and also 70 enabls very bright children To save
some ttrns.
The third thing will be the establishment Of The
trade schools There remains, however. much to
be done by teachers and supervising officers before
this problem, which recent Investigations have
shown is found IN all the large and indeed. in all
the small, cities OF the Union, Is satisfactorily
solved
The number Of children on part time would be
less than last term. DR.. Maxwell thought
The registration so far seems 70 show" he con
tlnued' that We shall have large registry during
september anticipate. however. that the average
attendance for the month Of September will be
and 18th OF this month are important Jewish hoIi-
days, and the schools in the Jewish neighborhoods
will be practically empty during those two days
Second. the Hudson Fulton celebration will doubt
less pe q sIronS ma gner 10 draw children aWay
from school
Il am hoping for reduction in the number Of
children on part time as compared with September
a year ago. Although the number Of new build
ings 70 be opened is not large In some former
years, they located that they will give much
needed relief in some conges1Ad districts
For instance probably the most congested
school is 81, in Brownsville. Brooklyn Thi,
school very large building has had more thar
four thousand children on part time. The Iarg'
addition, which viii not be ready Monday, but
soon afterWard, will enable US take the greater
number OF these children OF part time"
Glasses for the blind will BE- established in Octo
Der, under the supervision Of Miss Bingham who's,
experience was obtained az Overbrook Penn Ther.
will be four classes of children suffering from
tuberculosis, and the Board Of Education has asked
for money At 10 twenty practically open ali
rooms for those children, who. while yet tuber
cUlous patients. may develop the disease unIes,
such treatment is early given.
Dr.. Maxwell placed the figure OF increase in regis
trstion this year at about Twenty-Five thousand.