Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-18
Work in ? Modern School.


The oidfashioncd set course with
cultural aims has caused many fall
ures. produced hundreds OF insists. and
driven innumerable bHys and girls to
leave school as soon As the law will
permit" declares Edwin L. Canine, su-
perintendert Of schools III East Chi
caco. in a statement addressed TO the
United States commissioner OF eiuca-
ton. s,rA.'
East Chicago is a city of .cosmopoi-
itan character and stEsSg democratic
tendencies. according to. Superintend-
ent Canine. There is no wealthy nor
especially cultured class. and extreme
poverty is unknown. His problem,
therefore. was probably somewhat diff
serent from that OF other school men.
In his efforts TO solve il he emphasizes
certain special features. among which
! semi industrial work." maximum
minimum" plan Of assigning school
lessons. AMI method OF reducing the
number of daily recitations, are con-
epicuCus.
Sem-industrial classes were formed
when il was found that some children,
especially in grades five. six, and seven.
appeared unable to carry the regular
work, even after repeated trials. Spe-
ciai attention was given 20 these pupils.
One-third or one fourth OF their time
was spent IN the manual training or
| domestic science department.. where
f, the work was made is practical as pos
| sible. Then the special teacher took
! them for about the same amount Oh
| time and coached them in the subjects
! Of the grade in which they had faIec.
I Under these conditions, Superintendent
! Canine reports, some of the Boys
! passed not only the grade in whlcn
| ttev had failed hut the next grade as
well. These semi industrial classes are
| oper also to children over Ia years OF
age who have left school and are un-
! employed and 10 those already at WORK
! 81, are permitted by foresighted en-
| pIoyers 10 attend school part or the
! time.
! The maximum minimum plan oil
! lesson assignment adopted in superb m
tendent CANNES system is an ingenious
application Of the principle from each
according TO his abilities. the pupils
do not all have the same amount TO 90
Y the average pupils of the class are
ASSIGNED fifteen problems iii ar:th !
metic, for instance, the slower pupils
arc assigned eight, ten. or twelve typlca
problems. while the brightest are asked
to do twenty or more. The same prin-
ciple is applied to geography ana his
tory. and to some extent to English.
Believing that the energies OF the
purijs are unnecessarily divided ane
dissipated by the constantly increasing
n,,rlber Of school subjects, Superih'
tepdert Canine has decised plan g
reducing the number of studies. In tht
four lower grades literature, history
and nature study, instead OF tormifs
separate subjects in the curriculum
are combined in lang uage work. otn
err similar combinations are mad'
, turnout the course.
AS in many American cities, Tn
, school work in East Chicago Is by n
means confined to the period OF tn
conventional school term. The prin
cipals and industrial teachers are en-
gazed for the full school year, so ina
they may carry on the sum
mer work. In the summer ses
sion pupils may make up denc'
. encies: an exceptionally bright studen
may gain grade; the Industrial wor
is kept going Especially the nom
garden): and playground activities
: under the supervision OF trained o'
!, | rectors, are at their height.