The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-05-11
ANVIL CHORUS ON
SCHOOL SYSTEM
Other Places Ahead of
Skowhegan
School Children, Parents and a Large
Crowd of Citizens We're Present
and Enjoyed Discussions.

Although the big Methodist yestry
was crowded Monday night with par
ents and friends of the school chill
dren seeking to better the educa-
tional environment of the rising gen
Grafton, the superintendent and the
school committee were conspicuous
by their absence. This fact caused
considerable comment, and gave add
ed emphasis to the anvil chorus that
ran through the evening and long
past the usual hour of closing. Speak
ing from the standpoint of a parent
and also in the light of her own
school experience, Mrs. E. w. Mar
BILE opened the discussion of What
changes in our school system are
most desirable?" She laid especial
emphasis upon the present failure to
effectively teach the art of speaking
in clear and concise English; ex
pressed the opinion that girls es-
pecially should have some training in
estimating weights and measures;
and took sharp issue with the attitude
of the superintendent regarding the
teaching of agriculture. She attribut
ed the hostility of the average wo-
man to farm life, to lack of sympa-
thetic understanding of the processes
of nature, which in modern agricul
ture put the farmers into the class of
practical scientists. Teaching agri-
culture to the girls would, in her
opinion, do more to stimulate the
much needed back to the land move
ment, than any other one thing. Mrs
Marble also had some caustic criti'
cism of the official attitude which
makes a bugaboo of the periodical
test
Major John w. Fogler gave a brief
but mastery analysis of the German
school system which has placed the
Fatherland so far In advance of the
rest of the world. He explained the
significance of the smaller school
rooms, and the arrangement of the
curriculum so that language and
studies that chiefly tax the memory
are taken up first, leaving those that
test the reasoning powers to come
later. This conformity to scientific
principles gives the German student
a clear advantage of two years over
his American contemporaries. Maj
Fogler also condemned the examina-
ton, and plead for shorter hours
with longer year.
Levi w Weston made some inter
esting comparison between the old
time and the modern methods of
teaching spelling, and gave it as his
opinion that no gain had followed
that change.
f. E. Greenwood plead for shorter
hours, particularly in the lower
grades, and opposed any lengrhening
of the school year. He thought there
is tendency to hurry the school
children beyond all reason. He also
wanted move emphasis laid upon the
work in English, and teaching of some
special branches that arc called for
IN every day life. He cited the bung
ling efforts of a recent High school
graduate to render a simple bill for
services, as indicating one serious
omission. When he said with parti-
cular emphasis II would abolish ex-
aminations," the audience broke in
with loud and continuous applause
S, F. Emerson heartily endorsed the
attitude of the preceding speaker, and
also made a plea for a better consid
Grafton of the health of the children.
Nothing could be worth while so long
as the vigor and vitality of the little
ones was impaired.
+. l.. Savage wanted the schools to
get closer to business methods He
pointed out the value of elementary
book keeping, condemned the giving
of long strings of hard examples for
which the pupil could see no earthly
use and also expressed the opinion
that not one boy in hundred really
learns how to study
l. l.. Walton spoke for the ar
rangement of the curriculum to cor
respond with the psychological de-
'elopment of the child. He too re-
lerred to the system of teaching the
languages at the natural age when
the child absorbs naturally what can
De acquired later only by hard work.
NJ. Gerry Plummer stood up for
our over-worked and under-paid
teachers, and taxed the parents with
sending children to school altogether
100 young, Just for the sake of get
uhg rid of them. He also deplored
We tendencies to try to load upon the
'eachers a part of the responsible
ues that of right are the parents
Mrs. R. T. Patten spoke of sar-
odsm in the school room, conveying a
instinct impression that it is one of
'ne superfuous things in certain
grades. Brief inquiries and com