New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-18
OUR HIGH SCHOOLS TOO
BIG, SAYS DR.. BAL[OU
Their Great Size Makes Them
UnWieId|y. Investigator for
Estimate Board Asserts.
1900 PUPILS BEST LIMIT
Thinks Teachers and Principals
Should Be Consulted Ere.
quently Regarding
Study Courses.

The latest report covering the inyestiga-
ton Of the New York schools is from Dr.
Frank W. Ballou. director OF school anil
aton and assistant professor Of cduca-
ton Of the University Of Cincinnati. Or.
Ballou says the high schools here aye far
too large; that there are not enough
teachers IN them. ana that the principals
and teachers have not been consulted 49,
they should have been.
Dr Balou. who was retained 0y ihe
committee on school inquiry Of the Board
OF Estimate to study problems in hish
school organization and admnistra ti"l.
recommends that the high schools be lin
i.ed to l.JO pupils; that definite method
of estimating the need OF teachers BE- fol-
lowed. that teachers and principals he
consulted as To courses of study. and that
greater responsibility be given 10 the pr'n-
cipals. lie goes on:
\ high school ought NOT To- be 80 large
as 10 prcVrnt Il principal from being the
executive and supervising head oI ia"
school or SO large that It's SIZE interfef~~
with lis s1'fl4N' dhftlsIlANA' "AA'''. 80 w
uupjls should be able 10 assemble al o. !;
iInc IN the auditorium fof general school
PURPOSES The high schools IN TINS CITY
are too large ranging from 20 in Far
Rockaway to 3.l59 In the De WIT CLINTON
y lille Washington Irving has 3.s's.
There are no less than twenty -one an
nexes housing a.050 pupils They hamper
teachers IN their work. compel frequent
changes in teachers. result ia gr'uteI De
niands upon teachers and IN larger sec
nd I'm greater IOSS oil U|lpll< Il0Il
the school
Dr. Ballou declares them AN uniesira-
H.. temporary expedient The teaching is
likely To be inferior: the teachers change
cit.n. and are called upon To do reld-
t,voIv larp, amount Of teaching as com
DE red with teachers in the main building;
the work cannot be made a. eHectiV" III
the annex. because tne equipment Is usu-
ally not ~ SOou.
Or RallOu ascs rtaiued that large
rambler Of sections could be made smaller
by a redistribution Of pupils and by the
employmeni OF additional teachers lie
riade 4 detailed study Of Morris. Boys
ana Richmond liill high schools. and de-
,laies that ''all Of the sections over the
maximum OF the established standard al"
.xoidable through q different distribution
Of pupils or by the employment or addl-
tional teacher" some OF the experts
recommendations are:
'!ue adoption OF standard sue "f see
nan of thirty pupils for all terms as
provisional standard 10 be tested IN pi''-
tee. ...
IN. employment Of enough teachers 10
ak. il possible for principals TO Keep
r.. sig. of sections reasonably within the
limits Of tie standard twenty-eisht Ia
fhirty-nle pupils.
careful study by the principals OF the
subject of programme MAKING 70 me cru
~; unnecessary oversize sections may be
taduced and unnecessary undersize sec
tons may be avodeo.
c.tn, Of the most serious results Of the
,,lt NJ adeauate supervision. ne declares.
are;
Snap Judgments lave 10 be made, by
6rst assistants because thcs are fe9uiird
-, liz. th. efficiency Of instruction given
hv teachers without adequate time for Sc
C!g,r'nr Information upon which 10 base Il
Judgment ,, ,t..t 80
not be given neeesssfSr ,5lr 10 D, ,ns'e 'e
-, OF sepcrvision promotes dilatory
,rothods on the part OF teachers: the
more expectation Oh supervision keeps
tcachers up to the mark.
We recommend tD that me principal OF
IA, Non school be furnished a sufficient
,u,,bor OF competent clerks TO perform
~ cierioal work. and (b) also that the
,,r,ircinai of each high school ne deli
VI i,i.nir allowed "A certain portion Of the
I'm, IF his teaching STAFF for the dis
chnree of such administrative functions
os h. finds il necessary to assign to
them.
o,ber recommends items include the fol-
lowing
rba, bipn schools hereafter established
H.. United TO i,500 pupils
THAT n definite policy be adopted OF es-
-. i,iShirr nigh schools in various parts
20 ,he CITY to take the place OF annexes,
", ,hat additional high schools be estab-
if,n III in accordance with that policy.
,rha, a plan be adopted OF establishing
no Jiffcrent types specialized and cos
,noooIitan. particularly the former OF
high schools throughout the city. ana
III careful study Of their comparative
~ veness be made from year TO year.
'rhat more cassroOms be provided
,hrnmeb the building OF more high schools.
new blank is suggested which gives
Tho net register the number OF pupils and
teachers for each subject or department
M, school terms during period OF I'VE
Years. with the per cent OF increase IN
not register and number Of teachers our
T. p1I.inu