Morris tribune., 1909-08-21
SCHOOL IL MONTHS.
Supt. Heeter, Of St. Paul Pro-
poses Radical Change.

|
ary plan for reorganization of the st
Paul public school system. The plar
is unique, nothing like it having beer
proposed or established anywhere in
the country.
While Mr.. Heeter has thought out
his plan in full detail and has cata-
logued all of it's advantages and its
drawbacks, he has not decided when
be shall urge it upon the st. Paul
board of school inspectors. Atpresent
it has reached the stage of discussion
and interchange of ideas.
Mr.. Heeter's plan is to have school
year of twelve months, divided into
four sessions of three months each.
The parents of each child would be
obliged to see that it attended three
of the four sessions or terms each
year. These three terms would con-
stitute full years work.
Parents would decide what three
terms were attended. They might send
their children autumn, winter and
spring, as at present, or they might
vary it to spring, summer and autumn
and take their vacation in winter.
From the standpoint of the parents,
therefore, the plan might prove con-
venient. Persons of family wishing to
escape the rigorous Minnesota win
ters by going to California or to Flor
ida for three winter months might do
so without breaking in upon their
children's educational opportunities.
Others who cannot bide the lingering
springs might choose that season as
the time for absenting themselves and
taking their children out of school.
These considerations, however, are
not what Supt. Heeter had in mind in
working out his plan. Educational
betterment is the thing which appeals
to him.
SPY the plan which I suggest" said
Mr.. Heeter, '.the school plant would
be in use the entire year. That would
be an important advantage. st. Paul
has great deal of money invested in
it's educational plant and it would be
economy to make the best use of it.
The four term idea would have ten
dency to relieve the pressure upon the
schools. A considerable number of
pupils would be on vacation all the
time.
eve would have four promotions
instead of two each year. Backward
pupils would not get so far behind.
They could catch up with their classes
by remaining in school the extra or
fourth term in the year. In that way
the problem of backward pupils might
be solved to a great extent.
"Slow, plodding pupils might give
The whole year to school. We might
broaden out little in the way of
manual training, and pupils who took
the whole year would have the ele-
ments of vocational training at the
and of their course. Bright and ambi-
;ious pupils might remain in school
The whole year and thus shorten the
course materially. They would natur-
lily advance more rapidly.
"We could grade the classes more |
closely and more accurately and make !
jhe teaching problem less difficult. |
"The first important drawback to
he plan would be the extra expense
involved in conducting the schools for |
jwo and one-half months additional. |
At present we have actually nine and |
,ne- half months of school. Under the |
plan each pupil would have
1ine months work in the school year,
out the school session would be twelve |
"In my judgment, the expense
would not be anything like one third
greater. But there would be an addi-
ional expense. There would be jan
tor service and incidentals, as well
Js extra salaries for teachers.
'The other important objection is
he difficulty we would find in keeping
rack of the children. That difficulty
,ould be met by an accurate school
census each year, and such census is
necessary in any event."
Twas A Glorious Victory.
There's rejoicing in Fedsra, Tenn. A