El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-10-09
Of
SCHOOL BOARD
Ask Cooperation of Public
and Assert Their Faith
in Present Plans.

e
members of the board except A. L
Hawley, who is out OF the city. It fol-
lows:
our attention having been called
to certain criticisms recently lodged
against the alleged long hours and GER
tam features Of organization as applied
70 our public schools this year, We deem
II advisable TO make a few eXplana-
tons for the benefit Of those citizens
OF FL PasO and patrons Of our public
schools who desire to he correctly in
formed and who have at heart the well
rare OF our schools.
objection has been made to the
length Of our present school day on the
ground that il works a hardship on
/ the teachers ana on the school chill
dren- We wish to say rhat our present
school day OF seven hours is longer
than il has heretofore been. but this in
crease in hours has been made by the
board in compliance with the public
school law which requires that the
school day shall not be less than seven
hours, including one hour for noon in
PERMISSION. Moreover, The teachers en-
ployed in the schools this year were
. notified before they signed their con-
/. tracts that they would be expected TO
teach six hours per day In some OF
the grades last year the teachers ac-
tually taught less than four hours out
of the day, although they received pay /
for the full six hours. Most of the
complaint which has been brought 10
our attention has been directed against
the longer day, but we feel that no
reasonable person will feel aggrieved
because the board Of trustees has com
piled with the plain mandate Of the
law, which we do not believe works
a hardship upon teachers or pupils.
The Gary System
ITO those who have been disposed to
criticise the adoption OF the socalleo
Gary system this year, we wish TO say
that the board Of trustees has adopted
Fslr ~ no 81
cessfully used and conducted in the .
public schools Of Gary, Indiana, which /
have not only worked successfully 3
there and in other cities Of the United ]
States, but have been approved by the Z
department OF education at Washington :
and by many Of the leading educators I
Of the nation
First: The departmental plan OF I
teaching formerly used here only in I
the upper grammar rsdes, has been +!
extended downward INTO the primary I
grades for such special subjects as 4
music manual arts. etc. The sOcaled !
three RS are still taught in the lower .
grades by the regular grade teachers !
This plan gives each child the adVan-
tGge of being taught by specialists not /
only in the special subjects but in the /
three RS as well, which must lead 10 7
more scientific instruction, ana hence /
to a higher degree OF efficiency
Rearrangement of Play Hours
Second. The other feature adopted !
is the Encouragement Of the play hours
under which change the different {
grades and classes play 81 different in
tervals throughout the entire day. al
ternating with classes that are at reel Z
tation. during which play periods they
are under the supervision Of special
teachers
Under the old system at play re-
cesses. from 500 to 900 children were
crowded upon the Fairgrounds At the
same time, under conditions which =
rendered IL impossible Tor them to play
0- IA z
erCise, and large number OF the
smaller or more diffiden- children re-
ceived no exercise whatever.
Fairgrounds Not Crowded
@Under the present system as
adopted. only small sections Of the
school are upon the Fairgrounds at any
one time and while there, these are led
in various games by thei- play teachers
who are thus enabled 10 see that no
children are crowded out and that no
unfair or rough treatment is accorded
TO the less assertive children upon the
playground. and while doubtless in the
earlier part OF the term some Of the
smaller children may have been awed
by the presence Of a new teacher and
strange children, we invite the public
TO observe the Fairgrounds during the
day now as they pass the SCHOOLS and
see for themselves whether the Iree
and assertlve spirit Of our future
American citizens is being crushed IN
der the iron hand Of desDOtism-
System Success.
These changes were not made with
out a thorough demonstration Of their
merit They were adpOted and tried
out by the board Of trustees during last
year in the largest school Of our city
(AOy) under Miss Gorbutt, the principal
of that school. where they worked sue
and they have the approval OF I
that principal and the teachers Of that
school who have reported TO us as being
in their advocacy Of them
I'VE wish 10 say further that with
the enormous increase in the attend
ance in our schools and the lack Of
room and facilities for their accOmmo-
dation, we do not see how we could
begin to take care Of the school chill
dren under the old system without
holding many half day sessions, an
which we do not care to
consider. We feel therefore, that we
must use this system at least until we
have more buildings to house the
school population Of the city
Invite Investigation
We realize. and the public must eN- l
pect. that under the present crowded
much inconvenience will be
suffered in individual cases, both by Z
pupils and parents, but we invite
honest investigation and ask patient I
under trying conditions, {
and we assure the public that while
We welcome suggestions really intended
for the public good, we at the same !
time assert that no unjust criticism !
will deter US from the fun discharge
Il our duty"