Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-10
D. H. Christensen, Supt. of City
Schools, Delivers Address to
Principals and Supervisors.
ENCOURAGEMENT is URGED.
Troubles of Students Generally Arc Set
Forth and Individual Needs and
Tendencies Dwclt On.

When tho new high school building Is
ready and the city has two high schools
the elective system may be inaugural
cd. D. n Christensen, superintendent
of city schools, declared Wednesday in
his address at tho monthly meeting Of
the principals and supervisors. His sub
ject WIS Effective Work Below the
High School," and Supt. Christensen
contended that it would add materially
to the efficiency of the grammar grades
and to the quality of the first years
high school work, II q course of instruc-
tion were permitted, based upon indi-
vidual needs and tendencies and not
organized arbitrarily. In Germany, 1t
has been successful, Supt. Christensen
said. whore 1t was carried on under GER
tain restrictions and we'll guarded Mr.
Christensen does not believe in begin
ming the system too early in school lifc
but he is of the opinion that the oppor-
tunity for some degree of choice should
be given at the beginning OF the sew
enth year. In part Mr.. Christensen
said:
Every year 1t is necessary in the
interests of justice TO promote to the
mum mark in some subjects and
condition in others. Tho minimum
subjects are supposed to be those for
which the child has a minimum capac-
ity and in which he cannot with per-
sistent effort reach the degree of at
taInment required for promotion.
CHANGE is ADVISED
"They are always, however. the ones
for which he has a dislike and the ones
In which little interest Is aroused The
requirement that makes it compulsory
for him to pursue these studies frc-
quently results In a permanent aver
sion to them, whereas a temporary dis
continuance of them during period OF
development of one or two years would
likely bring the child to the place where
he not only finds pleasure in pursuing
them but where he can do so at a much
smaller expenditure of energy and with
decidedly better returns than would
formerly have been possible
j would not Of course include in this
class reading and language and other
branches, the necessity OF which as
fundamentals all recognize. 1t Is. how
ever no way rare to find n bright and
promising young girl forced to the point
OF failure and subjected to constant
humiliation In her arithmetic, when
r1dlng and language work give un-
1istaksible evidence of an unusual In
Meet. The constant dread and the
Einiliat,on caused by her low standard
l;work in arithmetic not only robs her
5 he charm and delight of her school
: d to which she is justly entitled.
kut her efficiency in the subjects in
rh her aptitudes are pronounced is
eeptibly lessened.
Md then, too. 1t is not improbable
q, the constant worry consequent up
the doing of that work for which
n child has a natural aversion, an
'Tsion which the best teacher can
overcome. may have an adverse ef-
upon the health OF the pupil
STUDY OF LANGUAGES.
Experience shows that many OF
such pupils during their seventh and
eighth years, and here I have In mind
the girls, can distinguish themselves
and at the same time realize the max
imum of pleasure in the effort, In the
study of languages. particularly mod
em languages Unfortunately the teach
ing OF languages has heretofore been