Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-03-10
SUPT. OSBORNE
GIVES OUT DATA
ON K|NDERGARTENS
ALSO HAS INTERESTING OPIN-
IONS ON MATTER OF SEMI
ANNUAL PROMOTIONS

The questionable recently sent out
by Supt. Osborne in an effort to learn
the prevailing practice in the public
school kindergartens of Michigan in
cities from three 10 thirty thousand
population gives the following infor-
nation: number of schools reporting,
So OF this number four have no
kindergarten and 32 have kindergar-
tens. In six of the schools children
are permitted To enter the kindergar-
ten at four years of age; in five schools
at four and one-half years of age; and
in the remaining 2l schools at five
years of age. The number of hours
taught ranges from two 10 four and
one half Eleven schools give two
hours per day TO kindergarten work;
10 schools give two and one-half
hours; three schools give three hours;
four schools give three and one-half
hours; one school gives four hours,
and three schools give four and one
half hours per day. Twenty-Five of
the schools have only one session "a day
and seven schools have two sessions a
day. Where the children attend only
one session a day the usual practice is
that the teacher teaches a different sec
ton of the kindergarten each half day
This is the case in 16 schools. In nine
of the schools the teacher teaches on
ly one session per day The number
of pupils per teacher ranges from 20
to SO. The average for the 80 schools
having kindergartens is 80 pupils per
teacher. Nine of the schools devote
a portion of the Kindergarten time to
sub-primary work, that u.s. to the
teaching of reading, while % do not
attempt any OF this work in the kind
ergarten year. Nearly all of the
superintendent who do not attempt to
teach reading in the kindergarten year
are emphatic in condemning this prac-
tice. Some of those who do attempt
the teaching Of reading in the kinder
garten year are very uncertain of the
wisdom of the practice, while others
indicate that there is a decided gain
in such practice. The preponderance
Of opinion. however is in favor Of
devoting the kindergarten year wholly
to kindergarten work, and beginning
the teaching of reading in the first
grade proper.
Another question investigated at the
same time and with the same schools
was the question of promotions. OF
the SO schools IL promote semi-an-
nually and rs annually. In reply To
the question as to whether semi-an-
nual promotion is of sufficient advan-
tage to warrant its use in a small city,
where owing To the arrangements of
the schools, il is necessary To have
three sections in a room, Y superin-
tendents We're very positive that such
a practice was not advisable, while
seven believed such a practice desir
able and seven were uncertain. Some
of the comments made by supernten-
dents on this question were as follows;
"Semi-annual promotions are all
right in a large system of schools like
Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Detroit, etc,
but it is not necessary or of special
in smaller cities.
II am of the opinion that it is diff
ticult TO carry out with the limited
Of teachers found in most
smaller schools
Il do not think the plan would be
Of practical value here Getty OF
s, 00O).
II do not believe il will work very
well in smaller cities. We try TO ac
the same end by individual
promotions OF exceptional children"
Makes a very serious situation in
the high school where the teaching
force is limited"