Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-02-25
SOME INDUSTRIAL
WORK IN THE SCHOOLS
Under New System 0ne-FOurth to
One-Thlrd of the Time is Spent
in Manual Training.

"The old-fashioned set course with
cultural aims has caused many fail
ures, produced hundreds of misfts,
and driven innumerable boys and girls
to leave school as soon as the law will
permit" declares Edwin |. Canine, SUI
perintendent Of schools in East Chica-
go, in y statement addressed to the
United States Commissioner of Edu-
cation.
East Chicago is a city of cosmopoli-
tan character and strong democratic
tendencies, according 10 Superntend-
ent Canine. There is no wealthy nor
especially cultured class, and extreme
poverty Is unknown His problem,
therefore, was probably somewhat
different from that Of other school
men. In his efforts to solve 1t he en-
phasizes certain special features,
among which semi-industrial work." a
minimum" plan OF assign
ing school lessons, and a method Of
reducing the number OF daily reclta-
tions are conspicuous.
Semi-industrial classes we're formed
when 1t was found that some children,
especially in grades five six and seven
appeared unable to carry the regular
work even after repeated trials. Spe-
cial attention was given to these pu.
pills One-third or one-fourth Of their
time was spent in the manual training
or domestic science department where
the work was made as practical as
possible. Then the special teacher
took them for about the same amount
of time and coached them in the sub
jects Of the grade in which they had
failed. Under these conditions, Super
intendent Canine reports some of the
boys passed not only the grade In
semi-industrial work in modern
school in which they had failed, but
the next grade as well. These semi
industrial classes are open also to
children over IA years Of age, who
have left school and are unemployed,
and to those already at work who
are permitted by foresighted employ
ers to attend school part Of the time,
The "maximum-minimum" plan OF
lesson assignment in Superintendent
CANNES sysytem is an ingenious ap-
plication Of the principle from each
according to his abilities" The pu-
pills do not all have the same amount
to do. If the average pupils of the
class are assigned 10 problems in
arithmetic, for instance, the slower
pupils are assigned eight, 10, or IL,
typical problems, while the brightest
are asked to do 20 or more. The
same principle is applied to geography
and history. and to some extent to
English.
Believing that the energies of the
pupils are unnecessarily divided and
dlssipated by the constantly increas-
ing number Of school subjects, Su-
perintendent Canine has devised a
plan of reducing the number of stud
les In the four lower grades litera-
ture, history and nature study, in
stead OF forming separate subjects in
The curriculum are combined in Tan
guage work" Other similar combi-
nations are made throughout the
course.
As in American cities, the school
work in East Chicago is by no means
confined to the period Of conventional
school term. The principals and the
industrial teachers arc engaged for
the full school year, so that they may
carry on the summer work. In the
summer session pupils may make up
deficiencies; an exceptionally bright !
student may gain grade; the indus
trial work is kept going Especially
The home GARDEN; and playground
activities, under the supervision OF
trained directors are at their height,