The Washington herald., 1913-02-02
NOTES OF THE SCHOOLS

The schools open tomorrow morning
with a clean. unmarked page, for IL is
the beginning of the second school sem
ester. In the early days OF mid-year
promotions, only a few ''repeaters" were
sent on to the grade above; but the two
semester plan has been found to SO sue
cessfully solve many OF the riddles OF
promotion, that the list Of changes on
February nearly equals that or the
school year in June. In the MAJORITY
Of cases an entire class, excepting re-
peaters. does the work OF the secohu
semester under a new teacher. sometimes
in a different room and often in dlner-
ent building According to statistics SUD-
mitted to Assistant Superintendent 4. l..
Thurston, a gratifying percentage OF all
tho boys and girls in the District have
successfully mastered the requirements
of the first semester's work, and are
ready for the opening page of the second
semester.
Superintendent w. NJ. Davidson gave
permission for a one-sessioh day In all
of the grade schools last Friday. This
gave an opportunity for teachers TO finish
the numerous clerical details necessary
for closing the semester. and arranging
| for reorganization. Record books were
verified. free textbooks and supplies
! carefully checked OF, and semi-annual
! reports submitted. These items are first
submitted to principals Of buildings and
afterward summarized In the Office OF
the assistant superintendent.
One Of the most notable changes Is
the transfer of the "critic schools" con-
| nected with the Normal school, from the
| Franklin to the new James Ormond VIII
son School at Eleventh and Harvard
Streets Eight schools Of the first four
grades. in charge of Misses Hardy, Breen,
Hummer. and Mentally. Of the normal
faculty staff. are already located in the
new building and the students take up
their practice work there tomorrow The
academic work Of the normal school will
be continued at the Franklin School un-
til the Easter holidays. and the kinder
garten department will remain at the
Thomson until the close OF the school
year.
| A suggestion Is made that parents de-
string TO have pupils enrolled at some
particular school or with some chosen
teacher. withhold their request for few
| days after the beginning OF the semester,
when officials are taxed TO their limit in
adjusting matters Of organization. II will
be possible TO grant all reasonable re-
quests by the close Of the week.
\ OF the four score applicants taking the
principals examination for admission to
high schools. only four successfully
passed the test. and all Of these at high
rating. They were all pupils of eXcep-
! tiOnal ability who had done the full
| years work i'm one semester. Much has
been done for the atypical and retarded
pupil. and the time Is at hand when the
| exceptionally bright child will be given
similar attention.
Miss Elizabeth V. Brown. director OF
primary instruction. will attend the edu'
CatiOnal convention in Philadelphia the
, closing days in February. 4 ten-day stop
over privilege I'm Washington has beer
granted by the railroads TO those attend
i ing the convention. Miss Brown is al
the head Of the committee securing ac-
commodations for delegates who come
on to Washington.
| The faculty of Central High School gave
a musical last Wednesday in honor OF
the February graduates. The solo artists
were Mrs William Won Boyer and Rich
ard Lorleberg. The class responded BY
| presenting the school with a shield-shapt
plaque of heavy mission wood on which
was mounted the seal Of the school ir
/ cnameled brass. The presentation wa'
made by the class president. Chaun
ccy Winstcad. and Principal Emory vii
son received the Sift
Wisconsin Avenue Vocational School i:
being wired for electricity 10 furnish tht
power for operating q band-saw. grinder
and wood-turninG lathes. foot-powel
mortisinG machine also has been in
stalled recently.
| III ~
pIiCatIon for the new system Of creditinl
the study of business for a major study
Specification writing. transportation, anC
the grocery business will receive the at
tention of these practical business stu
dents.
one of the novelties of the semester
just closed was the introduction of class
night exercises into graduation events o
eighth grade schools. At the Emer!
School a reception and dance following
an entertaining programme was tender
ed the graduates. Miss Rawlings schoo
at the Wallach. and Miss Pattersons
school at the Hubbard were similarl!
entertained.
Friday was matinee day" in higl
| schools 1t Is the one day of the semeste
dreaded by the delinquent who has falleI
below the mark just far enough TO war
rant another trial. Sometimes the eN
animation is taken for work lost through
enforced absence. more often a las
chance is given pupils not quite up 4
the average for proving that unsatts
factory work has been made satisfactory
The halls and first floor rooms Of tn
: IanG,lon School are being lighted an
suitably equipped for meetings held /
hhis suburb. The use of school building
: as social ccnters seems to be needed NOR
in the outlying sections than in the cit
proper.
Last week the contract was signed 70
the benefit production of the Hanfor
production of Shakespearean plays by tn
Tech Alumni Association. The associa
ton is to receive Cne-half of the pro
Ceeds of all the tickets sold during tn
week. II is given in the interests OF tn
athletic fund.
Officers were elected at the last meetin
Of the "Philologean Society held a
, Eastern High School, January q Pres
: dent; Miss Katherine Ealbfus; vice pres
: dent, Miss NJ Z. Brockman; secretar!
Miss l.. NJ. Cook: treasurer. Miss Lilli
RittnOur. and mistress-at-arms. Mis-
Katherine Jarboe. 4 resume of the lead
ing works of Scott. Shelley. and Keat
. was given in papers. discussions, an
| recitatiCns.
Miss Annie NJ. Wilson. director of draw
ing, is having samples of work sent :
her from all the grades. Next weel
1 u-iu lao ularad in bc eNhihitin