The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-02
lBy One of the Interesle,d. !

(By One of the Interestcd.)
Just now while you are hearing
SO much about taking care Of Greater
and dearth Of buildings. or is 1t in
O plea for better care of Clarksburg's
greatest interest and responsibility,
viz: the proper education OF Its boys
and girls.
Fine feathers make fine BIRDS"
but fine school buildings do not make
fine scholars.
Undertake to investigate the cause
OF a failure in any branch in any
grade from first to last in Clarks-
burg's public schools. and you will
be promptly informed that. owing to
the crowded condition Of the grade
the teacher has no time to give in
divdual Observation-Disclosures chill
dren failing to grasp class instruc-
ton must depend on outside help or
fail.
Why this overcoming? Is 1t eu-
tireiy due to q surplus OF children
and derth Of buildings. or is 1t in
part due to a faulty system that has
kept children in helsrades Iron one
20 thrc years1larser thar aecessafS|
for completion Under SAFER, saner
and more progressive methods?
Take for instance the cases Just
cited. where children failed for lack
Of tutoring. Their reports were dec
GRATED with red stars and they re-
ceived conditional promotions or
none at all. We have 1t from reli-
able sources (the records are not dt-
rectly available) that last year thirty.
nine In ono primary room failed Of
promotion. Right here we see the
beginning Of over-crowding and its
accompanying vicious circle; bad air,
dull minds, disconnected pupils,
oyerworked teachers. lack of time
for individual instruction. more
failures and over-crowding next year.
ANY practical pedagogue will tell
you that at least fifty per cent Of the
pupils finishing high school could
have shortened their course by from
one to three years, with benefit to all
concerned. II they had been encour-
aged, even permitted to do SO. Let
some clever statistician figure out
the cost of this retarding, over
crowding policy In dollars and cents,
1t might prove an eye-opener to the
tax payers.
We have been advised by those high
in authority in our present school
system that pupils advanced usually
make good, hence our surprise at the
strategy and obstinacy employed to
block the path Of progress before the
feet Of commendable ambition.
That such state Of over-crowding
should be perpetuated, made an excuse
for much that Is done and more that
Is left undone, almost beggars be-
lief.
Think Of second year high school
pupil being called upon to recite in a
difficult and important study three
times, and three times only, in more
than that many months. Same old ex-
cuse. no time for individual atten-
ton.
Think Of the boys and girls who
waste their evenings with cheap liter
ature, on the streets, in pool rooms,
where not. because they have too little
legitimate demand on their time or
on the other hand do not understand
their work we'll enough to find II at
tractiye.
The present system OF grading is
much to be deplored. Undoubtedly the
easiest way to make high grades is
on daily recitations. but in following
this plan exclusively many fall into
the fatal habit of careless preparation.
With them the lesson is to be pre-
pared or copied for the days use,
recited, credited and remembered no
more forever. and pupils failing to
make a passing grade by daily credits
must put in long hours on examina-
ton, be looked upon with pity or con-
tempt by their so called fortunate
classmates who are given vacation