The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-17
PASSES ITS WORK
To NEXT COUNCIL


~ HLht e SAs~s~
1ContInued from First Page1 -
forwarded TO you for your considera-
ton. with the suggestion that the in
coming council take these most Inn
portant matters up ut the proper uIhe
and prosecute such investigation.
Ia. Your committee went at
length into the question OF the cur
rtcula in the elementary grades in or
der 70 determine whether or not the
same could be betteged and more
practical and efficient course suggested
In lieu Of that now in vogue, as re-
CURED nv the second section Of the
resolution under which II was acting
tb) Your committee ~ of the
opinion that conditions ia the sie-
mentary grades OF our schools, where
about 80 per cent Of tho huul popu-
iation receive their entire education,
are not what they should be In the
several grades The present course
VI study IS noe preparing our chii-
dren L earn living or giving them
the fundamental education desired
Many grades are uNQ ucs3oBahly over
crowded in course of study ~ well as
ia the number % pupils. and these
c0flG be improved BY eliminating
hard or difficult for the average pupil.
ana by giving more tlue to the regu-
lar subjects. In ali " the lower
grades The course Is too crowded and
the subjects too varied to.feach with
. that degree OF thoroughness necessary.
( The time allotted TO the essentials has
been materially decreased in the las
! few Years. which in the opinion OF
( your committee is ii serious deLriment
! 10 the proper training OF the chill
dreD.
tcJ Your committee y convinced
that supervised writing which is COW
/ omitted in the tlrst grade should ~
all means be introduced IN that grade
and more time given to same IN all
the primary gades.
(d) That the course in reading
throughout the entire school should
be revised and course graduated in
/ accordance with the capacity Of the
/ children in the several grades intro
duced, and more attention given 10
touching the meaning and under
standing OF the books read.
/ {c) That the arithmetic course In
the primary grades should be con-
fined TO the four fundamental prtn-
oiples and a thorough drill given "a
secure accuracy and rapldity. omittlng
during the first three years problems
of more than one operation.
f) In the grammar grades IL
arithmetic all work which is not o.
practical value. such as compound
proportion, partial payments, and dit
acuit problems In stocks and bonds
should be- eliminated from the course
: In those years. The text books ir
arithmetic are not the best. and
should be superseded by better grad
ed teXk books
) 60 Your committee Is also con
vinced shat the course of spelling Il
too lo1tg al the time allotted and
many If tbs words too difficult IL
several grades
(hJ The drawing and manual train
ing should be omitted during the
,, first three years and that time ap-
pied to the more important studies
$ and that whatever instruction i
given in drawing and manual train
ing Ia the rema ming grades should b
} dome entirely bN spccla! teachers an
the course should he practical an,
Systematically progressive, thus gip
= ing some substantial training IL an
Il IS attempted,
81 Technical music should not b
attempted dslring the first three year
and no allotment of time should b
= made for physical exercise. hut sam
y should De left IN the discretion o
. the teacher and in the higher grade
the character Of exercises are not sue
e. as should he conducted in nlxvt
y class OF boys and girls and when III
:, pupils are not properly attired 70
that character Of gymnastics.
;, % Your committee has been strucI
. throughout this investigation oy III
y apparent lack OF cheerful and sys
i tematic cooperation between III
y schopl oficials-board, principals an
, teachers. aud feel that the teacher
. nave not been given that latitude j
y, the conduct of their classes which
4 necessary for the nroper education q
n,,. chfare,, ,rhe,, bova BEEN tie
Il w." -, rie'ts r,,ies ana reg,I,+inr
80 ,,lr,,,f-,,l,,,,r ,,g,,rs.s mich ba,-
n "''" -, ,,t.t,nsr,e, ~ aeracr
y ~ ,aot,l. - ,,,,fIs
q "i@g 80 -
ny - - fl'
. mr. and sbnuld oufv h., ,eYnpLyVe3 /