South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-04
SAYS SOUTH BEND
SCHOOLS BEHIND
IN ARITHMETIC
Montgomery Urges Exhaustive
Survey to Determine Needs
Shown BY Preliminary In
veStigatiOn.

south send Scnool pupils are ap-
proximately one wear behind the stan
dard for the country in arithmetic. at
least. This is the conclusion drawn
from a report Friday on the Courts
arithmetic tests which have been Civ
en- in two OF the sixth grades OF the
city. The tests are regarded as fair
gauge of the work throughout the
curriculum.
Under the supervision OF Supt
Montgomery the standard tests were
given in the sixth grades of the Elder
and Studebaker schools. representa-
tive OF the city. in May and then re-
peated in September. A comparison
Of the results OF the September eX-
aminations serving as a gauge Of tho
summer school benefits. showed con-
siderable advance among those stu
dents who attended the eight weeks
session.
At a meeting Of the PRINCIPALS az
which the reports OF the examinations
were made Supt. Montgomery. in
talk on the work for the year. pre-
scented a plan whereby the supervising
authorities are urged TO take up some
line Of investigation with view %
strengthening the school system.
Among the subjects which were sug-
gested are
Medical inspection.
Vocational guidance. To furnish ad-
vice 10 vocational students regarding
occupations TO be chosen and TO -
operate in securing positions.
Retardation OF pupils, its cause and
remedies.
Survey by Experts.
Mr. Montgomery also pointed out
ways in which the school system
would be improved If suggestions re
sulting from an educational survey
by experts are made in this city. Poor
lighting and ventilating conditions in
many OF the buildings give the most
room for Improvement on the physical
side of the school system 4 cUrricu-
lum which in some instances, is out
of date" and mot meeting the require
ments of modern times is another of
the defects which needs attention,
according TO the superintendent
The arithmetic tests which showed
the children a whole year below the
standard. furnish a striking illustra-
ton OF the ineficiency which the
uperintendent pointed out should be
attacked by a systematic study
The results obtained were entirely
based on the work in the Elder school
/ sixth grade. since TT. /. incl. who was
principal at the Studebaker. resigned
at the opening Of the school term this
fall. The examinations have been
/
practically all OF the large cities Of
the nation and from these results the
standard has been obtained.
a chart of the results has been
made, revealing that in some branches
Of arithmetic sixth grade pupils had
not passed the standard for the third
grade. The class as q whole attained
no higher than the fifth grade stan
dard and individuals fell even as low
as the second grade standard in some
branches
The results of the September ex-
animation showed q decrease in the
standard among those who did not at
tend the summer school, these pupils
falling even farther than they We're in
the spring. The summer school
pupils, except in one instance. attain
ed a considerably higher standard as
/ result Of their work The exception.
which was in subtraction. the school
officials could not account for. The
chart showed the summer school
pupils fell below the others in ability
to perform that operation.
The greatest advance to be revealed
by the comparative examinations was
in the fundamentals Of arithmetic.
a subject on which special stress has
been laid in the Elder school Al
though the tests were not primarily
intended as a gauge Of the summer
-
" accurate indication OF those bene-
fits. in the opinion Of the superintend =
emit
What an educational survey would
reveal in South Bend" was the gen
eral topic Of Supt Montgomery talk
at the first meeting OF the principals
Besides poor lighting and ventilat-
ing in many buildings which the
superintendent is convinced is the
cause Of retardation of pupils in many
cases, and an "Out Of date curricu-
lum. these points we're brought out:
That the superintendent. the
principals and the various super
yisOrs OF special subjects estab-
lish a more thorough super
vision Of the class room work II
teachers
That more professional work,
in the lire of reading and study.
be required Of teachers during
the school year and that require
ments for becoming eligible %
teach be raised. The time has
passed when school teaching
means coming 10 school IN the
morning at S o'clock and leaving
at $500 said Montgomery.
That provision be made for
mentally and physically deficient
children. AT present there is not
place in the city where sub
normal children can De given
the attention they need. our
one ungraded room had 10 be
abandoned when the teacher was
required 10 take charge OF "a room
OF pupils who could not speak a
word OF English he explained.
THE 'sub-normar pupils should
be grouped by medical inspection
and given special attention by
teachers specially prepared.
That an even greater effort be
made 20 increase the evening
school results I'VE Ught 10
have at least ]. 900 enrolled this
year with our added facilities"
said Montgomery.
The superintendent explained that
his outline OF defects was not actuated
By "A spirit Of destructive criticism.
but was made for the purpose or
forming a basis on which a systematic
plan for increasing the efficiency could
no devised