New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-18
This is another column for teachers
Attendance in the Gary Schools.

This is another column for teachers.
Attendance in the Gary Schools.
The following letter has been re-
ceived from a teacher. The letter was
signed. but the writer does not wish
her name known:
Zone Of the papers stated recently
that the attendance at the Gary school
is about 20 per cent of the registered
number of pupils. Is this correct? II
so, it does not compare very favorabiy
with New York's SO per cent"
That statement was not correct. In
Public School SO, Brooklyn, the per
cert of attendance on register in May,
1914, before the school was recognized
on the Writ plan, was 900 per cent.
In May, 1915, after the school was re-
organized on the Writ plan. the per
cent of attendance on register was
9O.i per cent. In Public School '45,
The Bronx, in May. 1914, the per cent
of attendance was 92.9. in May, 1915,
il was 90 per cent.
The per cent Of attendance on regis
ter for the whole city for May, 1914.
was 92.1 per cent. For May, 1916, it
was S9.4 per cent. In other words, in
1915 the attendance in the city as a
whole was below that in the Writ
schools. The per cent of attendance
for the city as a whole for 1gl3-14 was
not SO per cent, as our correspondent
states, but go per cent.
These are important facts for the
teachers to know. because one Of the
most frequent statements made by
those who oppose the Gary plan is that
the attendance in the Gary schools has
fallen off. We should like TO know
what paper made the statement that
the per cent of attendance in the Gary
schools was 20 per cent.
Three RS Have Full Time Under Writ
Plan.
Another teacher asks us if il is true
that "the advocates of the Gary plan
believe that the three RS must wait"
That question arises from the fact
that on November "The Globe" pub
lished on its school page 2 report of
meeting held by the Long Island Coun-
ell Of Women's Clubs, at the Brooklyn
High School, 10 discuss the Gary plan.
Under the Caption "Three RS to
Wait, Says Advocate of Gary School
Plan," partial quotation was given
from a speech by Mrs. Ritter. princi-
pal Of Public School SO, Brooklyn,
with the following comment by the
= II.
there has been presented so clearly
instead of it being the flexible plan
that il has been represented 10 be,
the Gary plan makes for rigid time
prescription that absolutely prevents
the teacher giving more time to Eng
lish or mathematics if she finds that
the class needs it,"
That statement misrepresents both
the letter and the spirit of Mrs. Rit-
ter's speech ] was at that meeting,
and~I sat on the platform only two
feet away from Mrs. Ritter when she
made the statement referred 10. What
she said was that when Public School
50 was first roorganized the teachers
complained that they did not have as
much time for academic work under
the new system as under the old. When
she pointed out that they had exactly
The same number Of minutes, tho
teachers finally admitted that they
had been stealing time from the spe-
cial activities in order TO coach chill
dren in academic work. lest they
should not come UP 70 the required
passing standard Mrs Ritter then
said, That's one Of the big advantages
Of the Gary plan; it protects the spe-
cal activities. The teacher cannot
steal time from them for the three
RS"
Later on Mrs. Ritter in her speech
pointed out that in case child was
behind in any subject. say arithmetic
in the sixth grade, il was perfectly
possible for him TO continue his sixth
grade arithmetic and at the same time
90 70 fifth grade arithmetic class
instead Of TO auditorium. In this way he
could be worked up on his weak points.
But such q transfer was not permitted
without the principals consent. In
other words. the Gary plan is so hex-
ible that boy at any time can have
double work in any subject II after
careful consideration il is deemed nee
essary. But no child can be continu-
ously and secretly deprived Of any
special activities simply because his
teacher is afraid he is not going TO
pass. II the whole class needs extra
time in any one subject there is some
thing the matter with the teacher.
Some More Incorrect Statements About
the Gary Plan.
In the same issue Of "rhe Globe"
the following quotation is given from
an article in the magazine America"
by William f. Grady, principal Of
Public School 81 Manhattan. II takes
IN n number Of the points about which
questions have been asked:
cit is plain that the scheme involves
n number Of novel features in school
administration. such as departmental
teaching fer all from the first year 20
the eighth, supervision Of classes b.
pupils instead of by teachers, promis-
cuous grouping Of older and younger
children for auditorium. laboratory
and shop work. the omission OF formal
vhysical training, the deferrlng of
scholastic work for young children
until very late in the forenoon or al
ternoon.' q,
The Gary plan does not necessarily