Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-18
sEMI-INDUsTRIAL WORK IN a
MODERN SCHOOL

The old-fashioned set course with
cultural aims has caused many fail
ures, produced hundreds Of insists,
and driven innumerable boys and girls
TO leave school as soon as the law will
permit" declares Edwin I. Canine, su-
perintendent Of schools in East Chica-
go, in a statement addressed to the
United States commissioner OF edu-
cation.
East Chicago is city OF cosmopoli-
tan and strong democratic tendencies,
according to superintendent Canine.
There is no wealthy or especially Gull
tured class and extreme poverty is IN
known. His problem, therefore, was
probably somewhat different from that
Of other school men In his efforts to
solve 1t he emphasizes certain special
features, among which "semi-industri-
al work" observation-disclosures plan
OF assigning school lessons, and a
method of reducing the number of
daily recitations, are conspicuous
Semiindustrial classes were formed
when IL 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 train
/ ing or domestic science department,
where the work was made as pra ctical
as possible Then the special teacher
. took them for about the same amount
of time and coached them in the sub
iects Of the grade IN which they had
failed. Under these conditions, Super
/ interdent Canine reOprts, some Of the
! boys passed not only the grade In
which they had failed but the next
grade as we'll These semi-industrial
classes are open also to children over
/ IA years Of age who have left school
and are unemployed, and to those al
ready at work who are permitted by
foresighted employers to attend school
part Of the time
The maximum minimum plan Of
lesson assignment adopted in Superb
tendent CANNES system is an ingeni
from each according TO his abilities.
The pupils do not all have the same
amount TO do If the average pupils Of
the class are assigned Is problems II
arithmetic, for instance, the slowe'
pupils are assigned 8, 10 or Il typica
problems. while the brightest are ask
ed 70 do 20 or more. The same prin
ciple is applied to geography and his
tory. and 10 some extent TO English.
Believing hat the energies OF tn
pupils are unnecessarily divided ant
dissipated By the constantly increas
ing number OF school subjects, Super
intendent Canine has devised plal
OF reducing the number of studies. II
the four lower grades literature, his
tory and nature study, instead Of form
ing separate subjects in the curricu
.lum. are combined in Language work
Other similar combinations are mad
throughout the course.
AS IN many American cities. tn
school work in East Chicago is by N
means confined to the period OF tn
conventional school term. The princi
pals and industrial teachers are en-
gagged for the full school year, so tina
they may carry on the summer work
In the summer session pupils ma,
make up deficiencies; an EXCEPTIONAL.
bright student may gain grade; tn
industrial work is kept going (espe
clally the home garden) and play
ground activities. under the supervt
sion Of trained directors, are at thei
height