Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-14
HAMM|77 STARTS
NEW SCHOOL PLAN
FORMER PRINCIPAL OF HIGH
SCHOOL HERE ESTABLISHES
YEAR AROUND WORK.

FRANK M. Hamm1tt, formerly pTln
cipal of the Ottumwa high school, but
school at Mason City, has had the
board Of education at that place to
adopt the year round" school plan.
| This system means an additional three
months OF school, which is held yearly
during the regular vacation. Following
Is Mr.. Hammitt's views on the new
plan as taken from the Des Moines
Register & Leader under Mason City
date line:
One phase of high school work that
has attracted considerable public at
tention throughout the country In the
last few years Is the so-called year
round school plan," said Superintend-
ent F. M. Hammitt Of the high school
here in discussing the year round plan
which has been adopted here by the
board of education at the suggestion Of
the superintendent.
This system means an additional
three months Of school, which Is held
yearly during the regular vacation
continued the superintendent, land for
several years past 1t has been used
with marked success in number of
eastern cities. Up to the present time
1t is an innovation In the middle west
and believe that when the board board
OF education here went on record fav
oring a trial Of the plan, Iowa was the
first state In this part Of the country In
which the plan had been adopted by
officials in charge Of the city public
schools
while admit that the plan is not
without its faults. yet believe that 1t
has many advantages. This fact was
brought, out at the convention Of the
National Superintendent association
which met in Cincinnati. The consen-
sus of opinion at that meeting was
that the schools should be in session
during the entire year. Not only was
the point brought out and emphasized
by prominent educators at the meeting,
but p. p. Claxton, United States COM
missioner Of education in his address at
the first days session of the convention,
pointed out. and discussed in detail the
advantages Of the year round plan
Three Years in High School.
Under the year round plan the stud
ent who is DESTROYS Of completing his
course in the shortest possible time,
can finish his high school course in
three years instead Of four. This en-
ables him to begin an apprenticeship to
learn trade, or enter business or col
CSC, one year sooner than he could
under the present plan. In other words.
the year round plan would provide four
twelve week terms In the present high
school year, instead Of two eighteen
week terms, which we have at the
present time.
by cutting year off the time neces-
sary to complete the course, a student
would be saving money for himself.
and also for the school district; and
he would get into the pro-
ducing field one year earlier than I'M
n Nrp No Mo I L.
rather difficult to compute In actual
figures what the students would earn,
a fair average for the first year would
be $500. and figuring on this basis fifty |
students would, earn the first year O |
total Of $4,000.
Viii be Optional.
Zone objection that has been made to |
The year round plan Is that many stud.
snts are unable to attend school forty I
40 intention to compel any student to |
attend school the year round land
whether he takes a three or a four
year course will be optional on his part.
II don't think that the extra teach
ng staff would necessarily incur any
additional expense for the district; for
he teaching staff would be cut down.
We generally have a number Of teach
erg that have charge Of the summer
;chool-in fact the summer school here
g held annually during the vacation
"There is little doubt that there is
l demand for summer school, and that
demand here has been 80 pronounced
hat such a school has in the past been
profitable for private enterprise to en-
gage in here. Under the year round
plan the summer school will become
part Of the regular school year, and It
will not be necessary to make any
change.
While the plan at the present time
s in its infancy. especially throughout
he west, believe that eventually tho
majority Of the cities in Iowa will
adopt it."
wy A r1--