The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-11
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
MAKING RECORDS
Superintendent Christensen Is
Gratified Over Showing Made
in Past Year.
BEST IN THE HISTORY
OF SYSTEM, HE SAYS
Talks Entertainingly of Past
and the Outlook for the
Future.

ID. ID. Christensen, superintendent OF
the public schools of the city is more
than pleased with the excellent show
ing made by the schools in the year
just closed. More pupils have been
promoted in this time than in any
similar period in the history of the
school system in Salt Lake City, and
higher standards have been maintained,
says Mr. Christensen. In reply to the
question: :: What are the new and dis.
tinctive features that characterize the
work of the year Just closed7" Nj.
Christensen said.
GA larger percentage Of pupils has
been promoted TO advanced classes, and
higher standards have been maintained.
The outgoing high school class will
compare favorablv with the best in the
history of our splendidly and efficient
ly managed high school,
Trend Of Instruction.
"a characteristic trend of instruc~
tion as such, which is more evident
from year TO year, is the movement
from the teaching of the mass Cor the
class) 10 that of the individual. In
each schoolroom conscious effort is
made 10 provide n condition that will
permit the teacher to eliminate IN a
measure, at least, the exclusively group
or class plan of teaching. Under
ordinary conditions this task IS not
difficult. but embarrassing conditions
arise when some of the children in
room, by reason of exceptional native
ability or development, or because of
limited capacity, are above or below
the class standard. These two types of
children have brought into existence
the so called ''ungTaded room. where
The work of instruction is carried out
strictly on the individual basis.
"Some of these pupils range Slightly
above the average child OF their grade
and some below. but all OF them are
capable. at least SO far as we can de-
termine IN advance of a careful indi-
vidual study, of moving eventually
INTO. and perhaps through the high
school, although those in the lower
stratum will REQUIRE more than The
allotted time, But there is still an-
other group-a small one, to be sure
one in which the members are deficient
mentally, some few bordering on idocy.
Unfortunately our state has not vet
made provision for them, They do
not belong in the mental hospital as It
Is organized at present, under the law,
Shi justice lcEDIus InaI INPN ne
permanently excluded from the bene-
FITS of the public school, until such
time, at least, as the state provides for
their care and training. However,
most of these children have no place
in the regular class room. All are a
direct hlndrance to the progress of the
other children, and a few are i menace
to the welfare of the other pupils
Poecjbilitie- Sbo,,,n
For this unfortunate group two
rooms, one on the cast side and one on
the west side, have been organized
this year. While this department. is
still In the experimental stage. enough
has been accomplished to show
that such children have possibilities
that cannot be reached by instruction
suited only to normal children, and /
believe that the future has a promis.
ing outlook for them in the new
scheme.
Perhaps the most distinctive
feature of this years work has been
the organization of two preparatory
schools, the Bryant and the Jefferson
intended primarily for pupils who in
tend later to enter high school. With
that end in view the two upper
grades OF the grammar department. and
the first year of high school, i. G.. sew.
enth, eighth and ninth grades, are
organized rs new unit or depart.
ment, and pupils are permitted 70 elect,
under certain regulations, the work
suited best 10 their individual needs.
Modern language work, for example.
begins here as early as the seventh
grade, and advanced arithmetic NAV be
deferred until the ninth grade, await.
ing added maturity and experience. Re.
suits have been highly gratifying.
Salaries Revised
fFor few years past the salary
schedule has undergone a revision al
most yearly. With the various changes
the scale has been moved progressively
forward. In short, there has been a
slow but substantial evolution, looking
Jointly to the interests Of the teacher
and the pupil. In the constant in
crease IN salary the teacher has been