Evening journal., 1913-02-11
REPORT OF
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Superintendent'S Report
Shows Many Children
Ahead of Studies
CITES REASONS
FOR RETARDATION

W. Twitmyer presented his mid
year report of the schools of this /
city, ending January 81, to the Boaru !
OF Education last night and he sub !
mits some interesting figures. IL !
shows that there were enrolled from /
the beginning of the year to the |
close of the term 1O,444 pupils, housed /
in thirty buildings and in charge OF
316 teachers. 4
Superintendent Twitmyer's report !
shows that 1871 pupils are one year
in advance of their grades, 1872, two
years and two are three years in ad-
vance These figures, he states, from
an economic and from an educational
point of view are significant. Every
child retarded increases the cost OF
tuition and he cites several reasons
for such retardation, and especially
calls attention to the necessity OF
medical supervision as great help
to the schools and a blessing to the
children.
He further calls attention to the
system of making a close study OF
every child not promoted. In this re-
spect a record is kept of every pupil
so that his or her progress can be
readily observed.
NIL tMlAllNtl AlAOllnNu AAiE AA'AA
bers of the board that by the close
attention paid to the children and a
record kept of their work has kept
down non-promotion and the card re-
cord system is becoming more valu-
able in this connection. He urged the
parents of children to assist the
school faculty particularly when
their children are at the critical age,
13 and IA years of age when there is
q change in the adolescent period. He
thought with the aid of the parents
non-prOmOtion can be lessened to ten
per cent.
superintendent Twitmyer's report
follows
TO the Board of Education,
Wilmington, Del.
Gentlemen:
I take pleasure in presenting here
with the mid-year. report of the
schools, of this city, for the half year
ending January 81 1913.
There were enrolled from the be-
ginning of the year to the close Of the
term 10.444 different pupils, housed in
thirty buildings in charge of BIG
teachers. The following statistical
statement is an abstract made up
from reports from the several
schools.
Total number enrolled in all
the schools (S995 W; 1447 c. 10444
Average number belonging in
all schools 1920 W; 120S c. 9499
Average attendance in all of
the schools GASP W; 1861 c. S49S
Whole number enrolled in
white High School ...... 917
Whole number enrolled in col
Orcd High School .....--. 20
Average number belonging in
white High School ... S65
Average number belonging in
colorod High School ...- GO
Average attendance in white
High School ......... 500
Average attendance i'm colored
High School .............. 81
Whole number enrolled in
white Elementary Schools S105
Whole number enrolled in col
ored Elementary Schools M 1877
Average number belonging in
white Elementary Schools . TAGS
Average number belonging in
cOlored Elementary Schools 114S
Average attendance in elemen
tary white schools ..... 6655
Average attendance in elemen-
tary colored schools .. 1912
white schools ........... 92.s
Per cent of attendance in
colored schools ....... 800
The grade distribution of the pupils
is as follows: LIST grade 1915; I'd
grade 1852: Sd grade 1891; 4th grade
Il. fnn0.
9TH grade 759; Sth grade 500. High
Schools: list year AS; I'd year 241;
Sd year 1856; 4th year 113.
The distribution by years shows the
following: Number children yrs old
56S: z years old 1892; 8 years old
1870: 9 years old 114S; 10 years old
1161: II years old 106S; u years old
110S: Is years old 915; IA years old
59O; 10 years old 269: 16 years old
122; II years old II; IS years old one.
An examination of the card records
show that 1851 pupils are retarded,
for various reasons, one year; SOS
are retarded two years, and 4lO three
years.
The same records show that 1871
pupils are one year in advance Of
their grades: 1S2 are two years in
advance of their grades and two are
three years in advance. These figures
from an economic and from an edu-
catiOnal point of view are significant
Every child retarded one year dou-
bles the cost of its tuition for that
year; and educationally the loss in
time is very important; every failure
in regular promotion lessons the
chances for completing the public
school course Much of retardation
is due to preventable causes such as
late entrance. in health. durable de-
fects, lack of interest on part of par
ents. outside interests. poor mental
ity. and some to poor teaching. etc.
Medical supervision would be a great
help tO-the schools and a blessing to
the children
The causes specifically assigned for
non-promotion are absence, late en-.
trance. want of application, i'll health,
outside interests, mal-nutrition, slow
mentally, physical defects. use Of to-
bacco,. foreign parentage, lack OF APP
plication. etc.
Our regular promotions we're made
Monday, February 3. 1918. OF the ac-
tual number in attendance 7452 pu-
pills or S2.7 per cent were regularly
promoted, and 1893 or 17.3 per cent
were not promoted. Last year the
percentage and non-promOted chill
dren was 2O.2 per cent; this is a gain
Of % per cent. a very creditabl-
gain, but not as high as il should be-
The percentage of non-promotion has
been reduced by the extra care
thought and attention on the part OF