The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-25
TEACHERS DO NOT
AGREE ON COURSE
Objections Made to Some Text
Books in Use and to Division
of Time.
OPPOSED TO GROUP SYSTEM
One Witness Favors Developing
Commercial Value OF Child
at Early Age.

Investigation OF the public echool
curriculum by special committee OF
the City Council was continued last
night. several teachers giving the com
ant witness OF the might admitted that
her objections were II q minor char
acter. and that the school system
whole was excellent.
Miss Cornelia S. Adair, who mad tes
titled at former meeting. was re-
called. She had been asked TO gather
the opinion OF the teachers in ner
grade-3 A-as 10 the value of manual
training. She reported that she had
conferred with eighteen % A. teach
ers. of whom seven would eliminate It
altogether. while eleven favored Its
retention. provided the outline were
simplihed. The association had de-
ciared for majority rule. so she report
ed the teachers as favoring manual
training with notifications in tho
course She considered a Supervising
Instructor In manua! training unnec-
essary. were the course simplified SO
that each teacher could readily handle
Objects to Books In Use.
Miss Josephine Halloran. a teacher
in the 3 Il grade at Springfield School.
occupied the witness chair for mora
than an hour. Her pupils averaged
eleven years old. this being the first
year in the grammar grade The
reader used. she considered beyond the
Intelligence Of children of that age
giving, as an example of its contents.
i.incolns Gettysburg address. The
course In arithmetic she thought too
long and varied. Many Of the de-
fccts she explained. would not exist
II every child entering school remain
20 10 complete the course as dehci-
encies In one grade would be supplied
In another. but as a matter OF fact
EerF large number do drop out after
TOUR or hve school Years. when but
twelve or thirteen years ofage their
parents finding 1t either necessary or
Hesira Die to make productive the com
mercial value of the child. Th,a cor,
merciai value. che thought wor,d -.
greatly enhanced by more thorouah
inning In spelling and writing In the
rover grades. than by in.tructio, ir
manual training or music.
rreter5 Literary to Manual Tr,I,,,.
enc could not say what proportion
~ .Hose leaving school at early years
earn their living by some manual on
cupauon. rather than by pen or lit
terary pursuits. The school course
she considered as being extensive
rather than intensive; the smelling
course long and the Supplemental list
oi'hcult, and that the children from
me primary grades had not sufficient
h.
netic' In manual training she taught
her girls TO sew. while the bows of
ner class go over TO Bellevue School
TOT carpenter work az that hour. There
had been no so-caIled "noucssentiaI''
or additional study added TO the course
IN the past three years. she testified
Inc children enjoyed singing. but
round the drilling in note singing and
reading music !rksome She expiatned
the daily exercises given in her room
for but five minutes. considering them
entirely unnecessary when recess Is
given. and OF no pcrceptible value to
the child. Assistant City Attorney An
derson explained that the exercises
described by Miss Halloran were sim
liar in many respects to setting I'm
drills used in all the armies of the
world. Miss Halloran said she did not
know soldiers used physical exercises
other than in street parades The
drawing. she said. did not impress her
children. 1t required thirty minutes
a week. Manual training Is given
forty five minutes 4 week. while mr.
teen minutes per day is set apart for
music.
Opposes Group System.
Miss Bessie Sutton teacher in
Stonewall Jackson School. In the sixth
year grade, was the last witness she
opposed the group system unless an
assistant were allowed so that eacn