New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-21
EDUCATION BOARD LAX
Mr. Bachman, Cleveland Expert,
CritiCiseS Its Members.
roR INTERMEDIATE GRADES
Their Many Advantages Pointed
Out Despite Opposition of
Officials.

nr Frank T. Bachman, former as
s;tant superintendent of schools in Cleve-
uho was retained by the Board of
,...,rste's committee on school inquiry
i ,,vestigate the so-called intermediate
.soos in the city system. issued re-
oo,t yesterday which embodies a severe
-,.c;sm Of the Board Of Education and
.r,sin district superintendent and prin-
cpals
Although. according TO his findings.
.sssa schools are much superior in point
-, economy and educational efficiency to
.,ose with ali grades, DR.. Bachman says
10, they have been constantly opposed
s.. certain school officials. and that no
.,,. have ever been collected by the
po.rd of Education TO determine the
,.ue of the Institutions.
Tho Investigation which the Cleveland
Van conducted comprised studies. first,
:, the efficiency of the schools from an
.a,cational point of view; second. their
.,onomic value. and. third. the opportuni-
,.. afforded for adapting the instruction
:, the varying needs of seventh and
.shth year pupils
railing I'D the matter Of efficiency. DR..
u,chman asserts that his investigation
,os established the fact that the conten-
linn that when seventh and eight grade
,,c,,s were removed from a school in
order 10 organize an intermediate school a
larger percentage left the new grade
,.tbout completing IL than in the schools
having all grades is without foundation.
nr Bachman says that he finds the
rsverse is true. and that more children
lave IN schools having all grades than
lssv. the corresponding classes in the in
,.rnediate schools He also says that the
boldjng power of one grade, known as
"A. which is peculiarly trying, is greater
IN the intermediate schools.
The intermediate schools, moreover. af-
srd big opportunities for shortening the
elementary school course, according TO
pr Bachman, who says on this point:
In schools having all grades. during
the seventh and eighth years three terms
Of work are lost to one terms WORK
Gained. whereas in intermediate schools
the terms for work lost and gained are
about equal. This difference in terms OF
work lost and gained suggests also that
rhools having all grades afford small OPP
rortunity 10 children TO complete the
course Of the seventh and eighth years IN
lsss than the regular four terms. while
Intermediate schools give large oppor-
tunltiss 10 shorten the course.
Dr. Bachman figures that difference
Of thirty-eight rooms required in favor
@, intermediate schools represents saw
lrg in money Of 100000 and an annual
difference Of approximately per cent in
cost Of upkeep and operating expenses
we're schools Of the intermediate type or
.snized TO accommodate 1900 pupils,
equally divided between boys and girls
These schools. Or. Bachman SAYS, re-
ouire. moreover. 5 per cent fewer regular
class teachers. 5 per cent fewer manual
training teachers and 5 per cent fewer
cooking teachers. figured on the basis OF
nstructing 2).C00 pupils. Thus the saving
in money, he asserts. in the matter OF
Instruction alone would amount to an
annual difference in cost of not less than
r50O
In his summing up Or. Bachman says
hat BY the establishment Of more schools
Of the type different courses OF STUDY
may be offered to meet the needs OF three
classes Of pupils-namely. those who plan
10 20 to high school or college, those VINO
are going to a vocational school ana
those who must leave as soon as they are
legally exempt from further attendance
The instruction may also be adapted TO
meet the common needs of both sexes
and the high school requirements and Tor
Use in educational experiments. He rec
ommends that intermediate schools be es-
ablshed ~ once wherever conditions
ssem favorable, and that the Board OF
Education keep records Of their work ana
~ to harmonic their relation 70 the
bver grades and the high schools.