The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-17
WOULD CONTINUE
SCHOOL INQUIRY

continued From FIRST Pe[e)
aort be- at this time. Forwarded to
you Tor your consideration. with the
suggestion That rho incoming Council
take these most Important matters up
~ me proper time aud prosecute such
lnvestlgation.
tal. Your committee went at length
INTO INC question OF the currcu!a in
inc elementary grades iu oruer to de-
t'lInine whether VI not the same could
u. pettcfed ana more practical ana
.hcleht course suggested ia lieu OF
tnat no" 'n vogue. as required by
the second section ol the resomtiOu UNI
der which IL WAS acting.
CO. Your committee Is OF opinion
mat conditions Ia the elementary
fTaHcs OF schools. where about 80 per
.sht OF the school population receive
.helr entire education. arc no, what
they should be In the several grades.
The present course Of study is not
preparing our children to earn a Nv
ins or giving them the fundamental
'ducatlon desired. Many grades are
unqlestionah!y oyercrowded In course
oil STUDY as we'll as ia the number Of
pupils. and these could be improved
Dy eliminating parts OF the course
which are too hard or difficult for the
average pupil. and by giving more time
10 the regular subjects. In all Of the
!ower grades the course is too crowded
and the subjects too varied 70 teach
with that degree OF thorOugnncss neces-
sary Tho time allotted 10 the essen
tlais mas been materially decreased in
49, 4hri lew years. WnlcU. IN the
cplnlon ~ your committee. is a serious
detrimeni TO the proper training of
tho children.
CO. Your committee IS convinced that
supervised writing which IL now
omitted ia the irst grad should 10y all
means be- introduced iu that grade. aud
more time given to same ia all the
primary grades.
Ia. That the course in reading
Throughout the entire school should he
lsed ana course graduated IN ac-
SoiHan nee wiih the capacity OF the chill
pfrn Ia tho several grades introduced.
and more attention given TO teaching
hooks read
primary grades should be confined 10
the -FOUR fundamental principles and
,uorousn arm given 10 secure accuracy
aha rap!eity emitting during the hrst
operation.
~ In the grammar grades In rai,h-
lnetlc All work VII oh is not OF prac-
tlcal value, such as compound propor-
tion. partial payments and dlnicult
p1ob!ens IN stocks and bonds should
10 eliminated from tho course In those
years. The text books In arithmetic
are noi the best and should be super
seeded by better graded test books
" our committee IS also convinced
that the course % spelling is too long
Tor IN" time allotted. and many of tile
WORDS 700 dii'lcuit ia III" several grades
40. The drawing and manual train
luS should he omitted during the nrst
three years. and taaf time applied 10
inc more IMPORTANT studies and thnt
whatever instruction 10 given !n draw
ing anu manual training in the remain
lhS grades Eeoult be lone entirely
ny specla teachers. and tile course
snop!d b. practical and systematically
progressive tni.s giving some substan-
tlal training II any IS attempted
o. Technical music should not be
ATTEMPTED during th. nrst three wears
aud no allotment of Time should he
made Cor physical exercise bGt same
shoull bc left 80 the discretion Of the
teacher and ia tho higher grades the
character ~ rAeEciacs arc not such
q should De- conducted 10 a mixed class
of boys ana girls, and when the pupils
aro not properly sttired FOR that char
hties ~ gymnastics.
Cl Your committee has boon struck
throHghou, this Investigation BY the
apparent lnck OF cheerful and syste-
matte cooperation between the school
N'iciai s-noagd, Principals auc teach
"i-, ana feel that the teachers have not
n"'n given that latitude IA tho conduct
~ tae!r classes watch is necessary Tor
tnc proper education of our children.
Ih.y have been ted down By rigid
rules ana regulations ana ovcr-crow!ed
courses. winch have tendency TO dis
and pupils
(Ki The group method as introduced
should not Dr. compulsory measure
and should only be employed in such
GRADES and rooms the superintcn-
dent thinks IL can be successfully oQer-
ht.d.
Tho city school Board should be-
rome more deeply Interested IN school