Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-04-05

in six hours. We have found. as 9TH
ers have found. that the work we used
TO DO reasonably well in six hours can
not be well done in the shorter school
day, with the distractions OF the pres
ent day to contend with Most OF the
communities that first changed from
the two-sess!on to the one-session day
have changed back 10 the old hour
schedule. The one-session plan that
was fine in theory proved poor IN proc-
tice. The idea was that pupils would
do their studying in the privacy and
quiet OF their homes after the close
OF school hours. In practice this did
not work out, and the percentage OF
failures due TO lack OF preparation in
creased rather than diminished. The
one-sessiOn plan is too short TO pro-
vide time for preparation and recita-
ton. For this reason. II for no other.
the two-Sesalol day should be restored
and thu dav heightened.
Why They Changed.
We are az present working on what
is known as the four and a half hour
basis. Most committees have found It
necessary TO change from this as Is
shown by the following figures.
1870 towns reporting en- the length
OF the school day report as follows:
33s report a school day OF from four
and a half TO five hours; 81 report q
school day of from five 20 i've and II
half hours; and All report a school
day Of from I'VE and q half to six
hours in length. Putnam Is numbered
among the 3SS.
Schedule Favored.
am convinced that $50 to II and
I TO $50 would be the best arrange
ment OF hours all things considered. II
seems to me that in a school day of
six hours a school days work could be
done and done well With the length
ening of the day and the lengthening
OF the periods with moro time for pre-
paratiOn. IL stands to reason that more
We secure better results. naturally we
improve the grade OF work done by
/ the school
The Problem OF Grade VII.
With Grade VII. housed in the High
| School building. Grade VIII cannot be
run satisfactorily on a two-session
basis. as the high school is now run
Boys and girls who have done fair
i work below Grade VIII, as a rule. dc
not keep up the standard they have
set in the other grades in their last
year OF grammar school work Among
other reasons that may be assigned
for this sag is the reason OF shorter
hours than for the lower grades
| Whether the high school IL maintained
on a one-session plan or on a two
session plan, ] am convinced that tbs
| work OF Grade VII. can be mort
DrOfitably done IL this grade, witt
Grades V. VI, and VII were houses iT
the same building and We were to one
for them departmental instruction
Departmental Plan.
In the different elementary grade
different teachers are handling differ
ent phases OF the same elementar.
subjects. In one grade find q teach
er who IS especially strong in mathe
mates, in another grade / ind
teacher who can make language an
technical grammar work OF appealin
interest. in still another grade / fin
a teacher who can teach history an
civics in sush a way as to give tn
average grammar school graduate
coherent idea Of his country's stOr
and. At the same time. the proper ide
OF the duties and obligation Of citizen
ship.
Never have found n teacher VIII
was equally good as an instructor
! all the elementary branches TO b
: taught in her grade.
: Under the departmental plan
! should use the teacher who was
e strong teacher in mathematics fC
mathematics instruction In Grades '
! VI, VII, and VIII; the teacher who wa
strong in language and grammar Il
instruction in these subjects in n
c grades mentioned; and the teach,
z who was especially strong In hiatoi
e and civics for instruction in these sus
Z jects for these grades In this way
II would distribute the work OF tn6txus