The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-12-30
HOW THE GARY
SCHOOL SYSTEM
. WORKS IN GARY
Florence Patton Writes OF Day
Spent in Model Educational
Institutions.
WORK ALL PLAY FOR PUPILS
Family Spirit Is the Strong Feature
of the System-Teacher Is Like
Mother of Flock-GroWn-Up
Attend Night Schools.
BY FLORENCE PATTON.

Chicago-A day in the Gary Qnd.)
schools and half hour with William
A. Writ, educational wizard, has just
been my privilege.
The day began at eight and ended
at five, the regular school period OF
q Gary child, and l came away filled
with an almost reverent admiration for
this quiet, simple man of accomplish
ment. | could understand why his
revolution of Gary schools had urged
his name for superintendent of Chica-
go schools to succeed Mrs. Young, and
why New York city begged his advice
to the tune of $4,000, recently.
Standing in the warm family atmos-
phere of this Gary model place, know
that had hated the stereotyped school
day; the stiff standing shoulder to
shoulder in line t. march to class; the
everlasting sameness of that morning
assembly; the clang of the bell; the
depression of that watch upon whis'
pering-I always did have so much
to say to Mary or Sadie or Rose;
the "sit up children traight"-Gt
was so comfy to lounge bit could
think better) and all the rest of it that
still endures and inks child unmerci-
fully.
How can the grade teacher with her
smattering of Information expect to
compete in interesting child, with the
tutor, who, through specializing, is
thorough, interpretive, intuitive and
resourceful?
1t isn't the grade teacher who is to
blame. It's the system.
1t came over rue so suddenly, so re-
freshingly in the Emerson trip, that
| confess l was ratified when William
A. Writ, superintendent of schools OF
Gary, said he was ready for talk.
what is it? What is it about this
place that fits one like rocking chair,
made to order?'' 1 wanted to know.
And the quiet answer came pat; Its
the family spirit"
No OVerWorked Children.
l mentioned the long period from
eight until five o'clock. Let nobody i'm
agine there are overworked children in
the Gary schools. Primarily, the extra
two hours from three to five, are
meant to keep the boy and girl out of
the street. 1t is crime. according
to Mr.. Writ, to let those two hours be
wasted, when they can be put in with
interesting play in the school.
For there is no work in the Gary
schools. 1t is all play, meant to be so.
And by the appearance of the children,
you know this to be so. The Elmer
son, like the bigger Froebel school, &C
commodities the high school pupils,
the grade children and the kindergar-
tens, all at the same time. Again it is
the family idea. The younger ones
have constantly before them the eX-
ample of the older children.
For instance, a Kindergarten room
may be placed next to the botany room
or the physics laboratory. How the
big eyes stare into those more digni-
fed quarters, how the little magma
tions plan to reach there some day!
And I saw a high school pupil racing
along a corridor with a little tad in
AS to changing there is not set or
der, no rule, no stiff lining up. In class
and out, pupils are not subjected to the
constant "Sh!" ACCOMPLISHMENT. The
teacher is more like the mother of
the flock or the big sister, and down in
the shops the boys appear to be work
ing with father. 1t is just because
there are no set, prisonlike rules, that
there is no noise and no disorder.
Some Group Always Playing.
And some group is playing all OF
the time. There are about five acres
Of playground about the school and a
wading pool and garden for the spring
and summer. And the auditorium,
gymnasiums and swimming pool are
seldom empty Some group is always
playing. When one of three groups
returns for arithmetic or drawing, an
other group goes out to romp or to
music in the auditorium or down to the
city market And things are so ar
ranged that, if the parents of child
so desire, a play hour may be put in at
the family church for religious instruc-
ton The churches have co-operated
with Mr.. Writ in this.
Peeping into the class rooms I saw
arithmetic pupils sitting about as they
pleased, whispering if they chose, han
ding objects freely. In the shops,
in most cases, presided over by a
union man by the way, nobody ap-
peared to be instructed by the instruc-
tor alone. A boy appeared to be learn
ing forge work, for instance, as well
by consulting with a more advanced
student, as from the teacher.
In drawing class, seventh graders
we're lined up at easels with fourth
graders and one high school boy was
working there with charcoal. This
whole room by the way, had been
painted by the painting boys. had been
stenciled and filed in by others; a