Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-06
AMERICAS NEW school, METHODS
ny FREDERIC j. HAsKIN

, pupil Is naturally bright enough IN
nm.p u grade or two. or by study dur
ing me summer is able to do SO. he
is not held back because he hannens
10 be only twelve Moreover In mani
citles now there arc Junior hiri,
schools. Instead OF the old system ~
eisht years of elementary education
ana TOUR Years of high schol. the
seEch'h ana eighth grades have been
added to the high school course, SO that
there are six grades anu six Years
OF nigh school. This ncw orpaniza
'ion' which is called the ix-six sys-
tenn, has proved Il big success wh.rover>
mas been tried out. so far as the
e"uc'tofs can tell from the limited
'stne II has bccn in practice
Has Four-Foid Advantage.
According TO the bureau of Educa-
foi' inc Junior high school is an i'm
hroNcmcni over the old school division
IN -FOUR ways; II makes greater pro-
VISION Tor individual differences in the
pupils: II makes the break from tho
graded school TO the high school much
easier II decreases the number OF M
pills VIII" formerly left school at the
END OF the eighth grade; and 1T fur
hishcs AN opportunity for various re-
forms in instruction."
Perhaps the most irnportant resu,.
accomplished by the Junior high school
~ the third qualification made bv the
bureau OF Education II kccps p,inIls
III school who under the old system
stopped at the eighth grade. Concern
ing THIS feature, DR.. Dean of the l-ni
r"rsity Of Cincinnati, makes Mis- cs
tin-te; III all school children under
eighteen years attending schools I'm
the United States were nut In a
straight limo one foot apart the line
would extend dlagonally across our
continent from the northern mart OF
Main" Ia the Pacific Coast at Southern
California. and Ii those were taken
away from this line who droppcd out
AZ about the age of fourtcen-most
OF them observation-disclosures remain
ing would extend only across the state
OF California"
Another Improvement to he adonted
by several schools this fall Is the ex-
tension Of the course to eleven months
beginning in September and cxpIrinc
In August. Knoxville is among the
hrst cities to try this experiment.
When THIS measure is called an I'M
provcment 40 account il taken OF the
many child authorities who think that
q three months summer vacation Is
necessary TO the health OF n normal
child. Under the present circumstances
however the average school year is
lC' days: hence III eight Years os ais
NE the child receives about four years
Of schooling. The eleven month course
viii doubtless afford much better on
p"rtunity for thorough instruction, as
well as several additions to the cur:i-
cula.
Other schools this year are planning
to wage Toothbrush campaigns"
among their pupils. The amazing facts
brought 10 light by a school dentist
in Kansas City las; year have startled
the school authorities into this limo
Walton. Ont of lT,02+ pupils examined
in the Kansas City schools, 1000 had
never used toothbrush; just ZOOS
children out Of the 1923 had mouths
that were clean and in good condi- -
ton.
Thus the modern school is looscnirE
Itself from the grip Of tradition and
gradually fitting its equipment to the
changing requirements of the public.
The child is told how to wash his face.
what TO eat for breakfast, and is adj
vi.ed as 10 his life OCCUPATION.