The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-03-25
JOHNNIE MISINFORMS
JOE.
TRYING TO START AIN AGITATION FOR
POLITICAL PURPOSES.
Citizens Very Angry Over UnCalled
for Attack On High School Methods.
For the Advocate.

cisms Of the public school system
which recently appeared in the edi-
tOrial columns of the Sentinel. This
reply appears also in this weeks is
sue Of the Sentinel
In the editorial column of the Senti-
mel, issue of March II, appeared an
article, arraigning and criticising the
methods of instruction in the public
schools. Some of the statements made
are entirely erroneous and at variance
with the truth.
We are liberal enough to assume
that the writer was misinformed on
these points, and that it was not his
intention to disparage the work Of the
teachers. We feel that in justice to
ourselves these mis-statements should
be corrected, and it is with this pur-
pose that this article is written.
That the rooms in the primary
grades are over-crowded is true, and
we know that more efficient work
could be done if such were not the
case; but even under these unfavor-
able conditions, we can not agree with
the writer when he says that the work
in these grades is not properly done.
We believe that a visit to the school,
change his opinion on this point. This
over crowded condition prevails in
nearly all cities and towns, and should
be remedied by increasing the school
facilities.
That many of the graduates Of high
schools are deficient in reading,
writing, and arithmetic il utterly un
true, and we stand prepared to prove
III Il 1n,n hxr n1fr %ncf
are some pupils who cannot spell, and
can not be taught to spell, no matter
what methods of instruction are en-
ployed; it seems as if the writer must
have come in contact with one OF this
class, and is using him as glaring
example of the work done in the pub
lie schools. This is unfair both to the
teacher and the public school system
at large. Be fair with us, and use the
good student, or at least the average
student, as a criterion by which you
pass judgment upon our work.
That pupils are passed on from
grade to- grade regardless of prOfici-
ency is another erroneous statement.
A certain amount Of work in the diff
ferent branches is laid out for each
grade, and the pupil who expects to
graduate must complete this work be-
fore he can be promoted to the next
grade. There may be a few excep-
tions i'm which the teacher is justified
in promoting without regard to fit
ness-cases in which the pupil had
been in the same grade for two or
three years, and could not have COM
pleted the work required if he had
been kept in the same grade for any
length Of time. Pupils of this class
are never candidates for graduation,
and never reach the high school de-
partment.
All pupils are not equally endowed
with the faculty for acquiring knOwl-
edge; for this reason we believe that
one of the greatest needs Of the
school system at the present time is
special department for pupils of
this kind, in which the course Of
study should be suited to the mental
capacity. BY this plan we believe
that one of the greatest obstacles to
successful teaching would be over
come.
We can not imagine to whom the
writer is indebted for his creditable
misinformation in regard to the as
signment of work to the classes in the
Westminster High School. We are
pleased, however, to notice that he
has gone to such extremes in his state
ments that it is scarcely necessary to
contradict them. To any intelligent
reader they contradict themselves.
Never have more than ten problems in
arithmetic or algebra, nor more than
two theorems in geometry been as
signed for any recitation. The idea
of assigning twenty or thirty pages Of
history or literature is SO absurd that
we shall offer no comment.
The State Board of Education has
out course Of study for the
schools Of the state. The plan Of this
course of study was worked out by
men of experience along educational
lines, and we believe is admirably
adopted to the purpose Of the public
school system. No pupil was ever
asked to keep up or get OUT because
he could not do the work required in
a certain grade; he is asked simply to
review the work of his grade, which
plan we believe is III accordance with
the writer's views upon the subject
of promotion.
The School Board OF Carroll county
has never laid down any set of iron
clad rules for the teachers to follow;
nowhere are the teachers allowed
more freedom or given more chance !
to show originality in their work than
in Carroll county. We know that
there is a great tendency toward fad !
dism in teaching as well as in every I
other profession, and it has been our
effort to avoid it, and we assert that
we have not permitted ourselves to be
led into grasping at every new fad I
that came along simply because it was
held up as a new idea. The criticism
Of the Sentinel came IN the direction
least expected.
We, too, believe that the public
schools we're established for the
masses, and we believe, too, that the
masses are deriving the benefit from i
them Every boy or girl, regardless Of
creed or social status Is given an even
chance for distinction with every
other boy or girl; our awards of
class honors in former years will
prove the truth Of this statement.
III Is not our purpose to detract
from the lustre of the old time peda-
gogue of the three RS. He did his
work we'll, and it was probably enough |
Tor the time In which he lived; but
The present conditions demand more
han this, and the State owes more than
--a- Mn