The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-29

UPHOLDS CURRICULUM


pert witness by the city School board
Or, p, p. Claxton. commissioner of
education of the United States gov
! eminent, testified last night before a
I councile committee. and an assembly
/ of citizens and teachers in favor of
! the school work now being done in
| Richmond. In his address made be-
| fore the committee he laid especial
stress on the Importance of those
branches of study which have been
/ characterized as "fads and frllls men
! ioning particularly drawing frtttsic
and physical exercise. He stated that
I IN effect physical exercise was neces-
sary SO far as his observance had
led him--and he had seen and observ-
! ed school work not only in the United
States but in Europe a. welt It's tafk-
| ed from his own experience. On oc-
7 CASTOR ne was dramatic In his expo
sition; on others he was merely hui
morous, or emphatic in his points.
! DR. Claxton was summoned here to
controvert the statements made by
| SINE OF the elementary teachers and
private citizens that there were too
many 'frills' In the school course
He absolutely denied that the social
ed frills were unnecessary. and point
ed out, so far as his own belief and
experience had led him, that they
were not only necessary but BENEFIT
cent.
DIR. C1axton was questioned by only
one member Of the board--Dr. j. A.
c. Chandler. An invitation TO all
others present to question him was
extended, but the only one to ask him
a question was Chairman Gilbert X.
Pollock, who asked him if he knew
anything about the curriculum in the
Richmond city schools. DIR. Claxton
replied that he did not know anything
OF the local curriculum, and no fur
Their questions were asked him.
DR.. Claxton did not arrive until af-
ter O'Clock. Though called as
witness. he delivered a long address
in favor of the present methods of
preliminary education and then an
nounced himself as ready to answer
all questions that might be asked.
Aside from Chairman Pollock no one
questioned him. There were many
teachers present.
In his preliminary address DR.. Clax-
ton brought out the fact that the
school course should be so varied that
II would fit the needs of all the pupils,
that 1t should be so arranged thai
each pupil would be able to seek and
follow up his own ambition. He laid
especial stress on the idea that the
school life should be correlated with I
the home life
He dwelt in lengthy-but convinc- |
ing-manner on the idea-which Is as
old s the history of education itself /
that ii Is necessary TO provide ply !
sical education and that without ply
steal training the child may be rem
dered practically useless The !
speaker recited an experience he had
AT Rugby. the famous English public
school. where. as he informed his
hearers, physical exercise was con-
regular curriculum. There cricket
sidered of as much Importance as the
ana football We're taught aus thor
oughly as Latin. Greek and marhe-
mates.
DR.. Claxton also spoke favorably
for the eaching of drawing, In which
he stated he saw the training OF the
eye and the hand. And drawing he
pointed out was better taught in
the lower grades, in which the pupils
were more facile and more easily
taught. lie believed also in the
teaching OF music, whenever II is pos
sible. and cited the cases of German
teachers. all of whom are required to
have knowledge OF music and to be
able to teach 1t. He expressed him
self also in favor of the handicrafts
of teaching the girl pupils how 10 sew
and make clothes
Arithmetic q fad"
After what was rather an impas-
stoned address, to the committee, DR. Z
Claxton was questioned by Superin- !
tendent Chandler. DR. Chandler
asked him If 1t were too early to take
up the study OF music in the third
year. and Dr. ClaXton replied that II I
was NOT too early.
He was asked as 10 what are termed [.
the 'frills'' of the course. and he re- I
ferred to arithmetic. which he said I
had been a fad for more than 200 /
years.
DR. Chandler asked him what his 1
opinion was in regard TO having so |
per cent. of the old-line subjects |
taught in comparison with 20 per cent.
Of the neMer- suhiects--and- DE1~lax-
ron replied that he thought the pro-
portion was too large
Chairman Pollock asked members Of !
the board. citizens and teachers to !
question DR.. Claxton, il any of them ,
desired information and none asked
him question Chairman Pollock !
asked the witness II he knew any |
thing of the curriculum established |
In the Richmond schools, and the ex-
pert said that he did not know any
thing Of the curriculum Though !
there We're more than a hundred peo- |
pie in the hall. no one else asked the |
expert for information.