The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-01-22
John F. Bobbitt of Chicago
University Says Spirit of
Cooperation Here Most
Desirable.
PROGRESSIVE WORK
. SHOWN BY SCHOOLS
Art Movement and Musical
Studies, Directed by Prof.
Earhart, Are Given High
est Praises.

That the spirit of cooperation be-
tween the community and the public
school system is more pronounced in
Richmond. perhaps. than in any other
city of approximate size in the coun-
try is the opinion of John F. Bobbitt,
graduate student of the university of
Chicago, who has been in the city sew
eral days inspecting the schools.
"The school system of Richmond"
says Mr.. Bobbitt, "is as well develop
ed and progressive as any to be found
in any city near it's size in the coun-
try and in some respects is very much
in advance of the systems Of our larg-
er cities. The most commendable
feature about the system is that it is
growing and changing to adopt itself
to the changing social needs"
"One of the forms of cooperation is
that between the schools and the
Richmond Art association says Mr..
Bobbitt. "The placing of the art gal
lery in the schools is a feature very
unique, and peculiar to Richmond. 1t
is very valuable to the school and in
the long run will be for the benefit Of
the association, as it tends to develop
the art conscience in the community
and to sustain the appreciation OF art
as represented by the association.
's Not Boom ToYn.
when one comes into this COM
munity he does not feel 1t to be a
boom town, as one feels when enter
ing many other cities of the same
size. 1t is different in the general at
mosphere. There is much more cul-
ture manifested than In other places.
In addition to the art movement a
similar sort of cooperation is seen
in musical affairs. Richmond un-
doubtedly has one of the best men in
the country at the head of it's school
musical department. In orchestral and
class work Prof. Earhart is doing a
very superior sort of work for schools
and also in the organization of a city
orchestra and chorus. He is making
the schools of Richmond leader in the
community in the development of mu-
sical knowledge and appreciation In
the development of instrumental work
l have never seen a school system
even attempted anything SO complete.
Indianapolis does not. Chicago does
not, and none of the smaller cities do.
And SO far as my reading gees have
never read Of anything so finished. In
fact ! think Richmond is to be con-
graduated on having Prof. Earhart,
and on the cooperation of it's resi-
dents. 1t is movement which is to
be very much more general in other
cities in the future. Richmond is the
first city to develop it SO thoroughly
Another Feature.
Another form of community co.
operation noticed was the meeting OF
parents regarding the choice oi
courses for their children. That is an
other aspect of the work not develop
ed much anywhere else 1t is begin
ming here and likely to spread to 9th
er cities. developing as in Germany
where the parents decide as to the
general future of their children b.
the time they are ten or eleven years
old.
Unless we know to some exten,
| what the future of the child is to be
we cannot choose course of study
intelligently. That. | should say, is
one feature of particular value OF the
| grammar grade school. 1t brings about
a differentiation of course severa
years prior to the time final choice
must be made and provides for cor
rections and changes That is the
function performed by the Gar6elc
school here and is of utmost import
ance.''
| Relative to the plan of maintaining
a proportion of one half men and one
half women teachers in the Garfield
and high school faculties, Mr. Bobbit1
was particularly high in his praise
THE tendencies of school systems.
says Mr.. Bobbi,t. .'has been toward
the elimination Of men tecchers. chief
/ ly~ because women teachers can be Sc
cured more cheaply But the intro
duction of vocational courses is de
manding that there be men to teach
the boys from at least the seventh
grade up.