New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-24
Report Shows Practically
No Time Is Allowed
in School.
TEACHERS AND
METHODS POOR
BOYS Can't Add Six and Two and
Abuse Englisl, Language
with Iinpunity.

Those who ha wondered why New
York school boys and girls trudse home
daily with an armlosd of books may
learn by reading the report OF survey
or 800 boys IN Public School 1856, Mar
haitian. The report was made to the Blu
reau of Municipal Research by investi-
gators invited to the school by Principal
Mandel
The report showed that the pupils had
less than per cent OF the school day for
study-about fifteen minutes week-and
that they studied at home l73 to lS min
utes day.
The report was not hsttering 70 some =
the teachers \ stenographic report Of
several Rotations showed that ofttimo5
teacher did three times as much talk
ing as his pupils permitted the English
language to be misused without correc-
ton, and allowed questions to be an
swered incorrectly
The investigation developed some car
toons illustrating the situation.
One showed a boy. his head buzzins
with misspellings like "sertain,' 'be-
leave" "becuse," "comming," around"
GIRL" "answere." business" "bugza-
lar" while his lesson required him TO
spell ductle. commitment. accessible,
amphibious. neuralgia, Intangible. grot-
toes. terrestrial. schedule. etymolosy and
| buoyancy.
! In arithmetic the children were surpris-
! ingly backward. one teacher asked how
many six oranges and two oranges made,
but failed to get the correct answer. She
asked how many six boys and two boys
made, and he looked blank. The invest-
gator asked Suppose you have cents
and somebody gives YOU cents. how
many cents will you have Quick as a
fash the boy answered. Eight cents
The report in Grade "a, on the study Of
Julius Caesar. follows:
"Lenth of recitation. 81 minutes time
spent in changing from one lesson to an
| other minute; in individual quiz. 10
minutes; in use OF dictionaries, 3 minutes;
| in reading, % minutes.
Errors in method.
"a-Textbooks with pages numbered dif-
ferently were used.
"b-There were sufficient copies OF
| Lambs Tales from Shakespeare" for the
full class but they were not used.
'c-Seeing that words were being mis-
pronounced. the teacher gave the boys
three minutes with their dictionaries.
| There was no appreciabe effect, as the
boys were unable 10 use dictionaries with
sufficient ease 10 get more than word or
two each.
"d-rhe teacher had to consult his book
! frequently in order to be able to ask
| questions.
'e-The teacher used leading questions
and told where he should have ques-
toned. For example:
TILE finally did promise 10 tell?
"A.-'Yes, sir
"T.-'Then the conspirato tors ALI?
| "A.-Left.'
"T.-'And We find ourselves in Cesar's
palace
"f-When the teacher himself took part
in the reading he read Ifelessly.
Point of Excellence.-The teachers
n amer was quiet and restful.'
| The survey indicated that the course of
study should be adjusted to the individual
and not TO the classes. Statistics showed
that many of the boys were not properly
placed and therefore learning little. IN
| the seventh and eighth grades simple
problems in arithmetic were incorrectly
solved by p per cent OF the boys.
| The report showed that 1875 pupils were
earning from 10 cents TO y a week The
total weekly earnings amounted 10 s435 s..
or 81 20 pupil. Thirty occupations were
| followed by the boys.