The Washington herald., 1916-10-19
SCHOOLS WILL DEVELOP
BARRIERS and statesmen
Board of Education Will Introduce New
Vocational Courses.

In instituting new courses in sales
manship, barberinG and janitor and en-
gineer instruction at Its meeting yester-
day. the Board Of Education took radical
steps to advance vocational training in
the public schools of the District.
The action in providing a course in
instructive and advanced salesmanship
marks a victory for the Retail Merchants
Association who were the first to ad-
voCate this instruction as an aid to
graduates entering business life. Ten
days ago they entertained the pioneer
advocate of such instruction and the
action Of the board yesterday followed
conferences with Supt. Thurston and the
committee of the association appointed
after the lecture.
The instruction for tonsorial artists
was petitiOned for by colored citizens
and was favorably recommended by
Supt. Thurston. Tentative plans call for
the establishment OF the barber class
in a colored night school,
The education of janitors in the mat
ter OF handling large buildings was urged
by Supt ThurstOn, because OF inability to
promote janitors who had given efficient
services. He said that janitors to take
charge of the school buildings must have
knowledge OF high and low pressure
Of steam heating, and a District license,
and it was to equip them with this in
l.
Sewing Glass Arranged.
Night school sessions will be held on
seventy-fye nights, a citizenship course
instituted, sewing class held at the B.
B. French School. and regular vacancies
in the force filled by appointment from
the eligible night school list or by selec-
tion without examination, according to
other recommendations of Supt. Thurston
accepted the board.
In his annual report, Superintendent
ThurstOn urges, among other things
better development of physical train
ing. supervised study in school hours
rather than home study, school banks
in the graded courses, courses in ad-
vertising, window dressing. stock
keeping and distribution systems, ad-
vanced stenography. office work and
accounting.
Mr.. Thurston says that time has
come for definite constructive work
in the high sch oil system ani empha-
sizes these points:
Term should extend from October
to Nav /
Grade school work should be given
at central POINTS.
Foreign classes should be given
every possible consideration.
FRvors Vocational Work.
Vocational courses should be extend
ed as fast as needed. and the demands
are definitely shown.
The strongest possible teaching force
Should be obtained and to do this leg
islative restrictions recently imposed
should be removed.
Vacation schools are urged in the
course of the discussion OF summer
Fairgrounds.
Il believe that the time has come to
organize definitely in each general sec
tion Of the city, for both white and
Colored pupils, complete grade vaca-
tion schools and at a central point
vacation high schools carrying basic
studies" Mr. Thurston states.
One OF the most interesting sec
tions, from an educational standpoint,
IS the report OF results made in kinder
garten by use both Of the Frobel and
Montessori methods
The kindergarten principal in charge
OF the room where both systems were
given a trial. reported that the best
results were obtained by a combination
OF the two.
Wants seIectIve Appointments.
One recommendation regarding the
appointment of teachers states:
Il have come to the conclusion that.
while the competitive plan now in force
for the establishment of eligible lists
and for the appointment of teachers to
positions not filled from the gradu-
ates of our own normal schools may
work we'll in general, there IS coming
time when we must consider seri-
ousIy, in the interest Of the most Aff-
cient service. II there are not certain