The Washington times., 1915-10-21
Modern Buildings Should Be
Centers Of NeighborIiness,
View Of Superintendent.
ADVOCATE RETIREMENT FUND
Pensions Needed "For Sake OF
School and Teacher" Says
Annual Report.
A back to the village school, move-

A black to the village school, move
ment is the kind modern education
n1fds In the opinion of L. l.. Thurston.
whN devotes much of his annual re-
port TO urging a wider community use
Of the school plant of today.
Like the village school of genera
tions back" he stated, modern school
buildings and related equipment should
lie used as centers of neighborlness-
that quality of town and village life
which should not be lost to city blocks
and apartments: centers of social in
tercourse and recreation, Centers for
the discussion OF civic affairs that will
promote acquaintance. understanding
and cooperation in matters affecting
common good"
The superintendent again urges
strongly the need of retirement fund
for teachers in public schools. promo
tion OF teachers by salaries rather than
by class grades. the giving OF all ad-
vartages enjoyed by day school pu-
and exchange Of teachers with other
cities.
The report was presented to the Board
Of Education yesterday. The report
covers the school year OF l9l4-l6.
Another report. covering the preceding
year. Is now in the hands of the printer.
Retirement pensions for teachers are
needed for the sake of the school and
tnc teaTncT tne SUPERINTENDENT eS-
plains. In his recommendation regard
Ing the classification of teachers sala-
ries he says: "Our present system OF
promotion of grade teachers handicaps
us. in my judgment. in securing the
highest degree of efficiency in teaching.
Promotion should be from salary
class to salary class instead of from
grade to grade. For example. our third
and fourth grade teachers are assigned
to the same salary class (class 81 and
our fifth sixth and seventh grade teach
ers are assigned to another salary class
class y. Although the fifth. sixth and
seventh grade teachers are recognized
under the organic act as equal in rank
and salary. we require so-called PRONG
tion from fifth to sixth grade and then
to seventh grade before one Is eligible
to promotion to the next salary class
that for cighth-grade teachers.
our present promotion system rccoS-
nizcs division lines. As a result the OPP
portunities for promotion are not uni
form. In growing divisions, and where
group of vacancies happen to occur
promotions are rapid. In divisions with
low enrolment vacancies may he fol-
lowed by consolidation and promotion Is
blocked. The exceptionally valuable
teacher Is often held back because of
her division connections"
The exchange of teachers with other
cities Is to be for periods of year. the
superintendent said.
Already the Washington schools are
doing much in vocational training Mr.
Thurston stated. He pointed that
the high schools. without specifically
aiming to do so. prepare for many civil
service examinations. that the normal
school Is primarily n vocational school.
that the business high school turns boys
into many positions. and that regular
vocational schools already prepare boys
for specific occupations.
A strong plea is made in the report
for the night schools Pupils attending
those do so at a sacrifice, II Is pointed
out, and they are apt pupils. The
community benefits out Of all proper
tion. he said. by the work of the night
schools.
Nature study and garden cultivation,
the superintendent said. has been
work carried on quietly. but he believes
the value OF these schools has been so
marked that the time has come when
they should have public appropria-
ton.