South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-10-28

Supt. l. j. Montgomery OF the
South Bend public schools has issued
his biennial report for the fiscal year
ending Aug. /. 1914. along with re-
port of the school survey made by the
department of education OF the Unl-
versity of Chicago which was under
the direction of j. T.. P~Dbitt, Pm. ID.
The report bv SUI Montgomery
shows many changes lid improve
ments in the present school system
during the past few years while the
survey offers number of important
criticisms on the methods Of teaching
and conducting the South Bend
schools.
According 10 the report made by
those in charge OF the recent survey
The educational work in South Bend Is
i'm state OF rapid and healthy
growth due to the recognition OF two
legitimate functions, first. overcoming
of illiteracv in the whole population;
second the giving OF college prapara-
tory training To those looking forward
10 professional and managerial Ia
hors Prof Bobbitt asserts in his re-
Lort that vocational training is the
third important function IN educa-
ZION and that this has been given par
tial but inadequate attention.
CritiCi~c- Reading Matter.
Although much is being done here
10 promote education along citizen
ship lines the survey shows that pur-
poses have not been defined and that
conSequentlv the work is waVering.
Practically every phase of the school
work I'm South Bend was taken up by
those i'm charge of the survey for the
University of Chicago. Instruction
methods for reading were criticised
and suggestions offered by DR.. Judd.
who assisted Prof. BObbitt He said
that the wrong kind of reading mat
ter was used in many of the lower
grades The teaching OF spelling eX-
hibits many merits. according to the
report OF the survey. the methods of
instruction being commended but sew
Cral new suggestions offered TO fur
ther increase the efficiency In this
phase of the work.
Quality Sacrificed for Speed.
Quality is sacrificed for speed IN
the South Bend schools from the first
90 eighth grades. according to figures
compiled by Dr. Frank y Freeman of
the University of Chicago. The aver
age speed of writer's in these grades is
l5 letters per minute while 81 letters
is the average for South Bend or 10
per cent above the average. Quality
average is % per cent but South Bend
has an average OF but 81 per cent 1t
was noticed by the survey that second
F.
eighth while third grade is even bet
ter. Suggestions for the betterment
OF this condition are made in the re-
port.
In referring To the vocational
branch of the schools il is suggested
10y the survey that more work along
this line be taken up and that il be
given further attention. The students
should have some definite purpose in
view and the many industrial oppor-
funities In South Bend offer concrete
examples OF the nature OF the work
90 be taken up tn the public schools
iH the vocational line.
CritiCiSe Rooms for Sewing.
Some criticism is also made on the
rooms in which the sewing classes are
compelled 90 work at the high school
as IL is shown that these are the dark
est rooms IN the building and could
be used for other purposes while the
Hghtest available room should be
converted I'm the sewing department
Domestic science work in the
school Is being developed rapidly and
satisfactorily according 20 the survey
ors. but they state that there should
be an added variety. considerable de-
velopment I'm the related technical
science and an expansion OF the work
so that IL viii bring in 100 per cent OF
the girls In referring 20 the teach
ing OF geography, the report on the
survey says:
cit does not appear that south
Bend has clearly defined To herself
her purpose in the teaching Of geog-
raphy. She clearly has not definitely
taken the subject in hand as one Of
the two chief instruments for the de-
velopment in an industrial population
OF wide industrial vision and under
taking"
PhySsc0l Equipment Inadequate.
EQuip,aers for training Of physical
efficiency fn the schools Is inadequate,
according 20 the report 1t IS recon-
nended that an effort be made by
South Bend to secure legislative eN-
cmpti0n from the uniform text book
laws in order that the teachers and
people may select the curriculum
more judiciously
In referring 90 salaries OF teachers
the surveyors state that II the city
wishes 90 attract able experienced
teachers and 10 hold them in its serv-
ice the salary schedule should be
raised 10 level equal 90 that OF
Evansville or Fort Wayne. south
Bend Is shown 10 have next TO the