The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-01
FARGO TEACHERS
HANDICAPPED BY
LARGE CLASSES
Average Number of Pupils
Teacher Shown In En-
rollment Data
SOPHOMORE YEAR
ATTENDANCE HIT
Analysis Shows Many
Leave High School After
The Freshman Year

Teachers and pupils of the Fargo
public schools are handicapped in
their work because of too large class
es, pupils not getting the individual
attention which they would other
wise, and the big falling off in at
tendance between the ninth and the
upper grades is believed due to the
fact that Fargo is unable to properly
care for her students, according to
the analysis of school enrolment
conditions for the month of Novem-
Der made by superintendent Arthur
Deamer.
This state Of affairs was brought
out after the superintendent OF the
city schools had carefully studied the
reports made to him by the principals
of the different schools for the cur
rent month. One of the interesting
features in connection with the
analysis reveals that the school pop
ulation Is moving to the schools in
the west end OF the city.
Superintendent Deamer's figures
show that the total enrolment in the
city schools for. the month of Novem-
Der in 1915 was 1929, and for the
month of November in 1917, 3,l96, or
an increase in total enrolment of 267
pupils. The pupils actually belong
ing and in attendance at the close of
November in 1915 numbered 2,SO9,
and at the close of November in
1917, 3!C56. an~actuaI gain of z47.
Where are these students?" asked
Superintendent Arthur Deamer this
afternoon, and the answered 1t with
the open statement that they are
crowded into the Agassiz, the Long
fellow. the Roosevelt, and the high
school buildings.
Number of Pupils Per Teacher.
The total enrolment in the Long
fellow school is 341 with nine teach
ers or an average of 38 pupils to the
| teacher. AS a matter of fact there
are AZ Fifth grade pupils in attend
ance in the portable school building
in connection with this school.
The total enrolment in the Roose-
welt school is 324 with eight teachers
| employed, or an average in this
| are 40 students in the first grade in
this school where 80 should be the
limit.
The Agassiz school enrolment is
sos. Fourteen regular grade teach
ers are employed. The average
number Of pupils per teacher in this
school is AZ.
The enrolment at the Civic centre
is 131 with four teachers, or an aver
age of 80 pupils per teacher. This is
considered high for this building
since two Of the schoolrooms are very
small.
In Schools On the East Side.
| This naturally suggests the ques-
ton, What is the average number
Of pupils per teacher in the other
schools?"
The monthly reports show SO in
Hawthorne; IS in the Washington
school; 80 in Mckinley: rs in Lin
coin, and IS in the Horace Mann
school. In these schools the size OF
| classes is about right for best school
work. In the four large schools in
the western part of Fargo, the chill
dren do not have the same chance
and the teacher cannot do her best
work: She is overtaxed with as high
as from IS to 20 more students than
what she should have under her per-
sonal direction and supervision.
20 Per Cent Increase In High School.
! Superintendent Deamer's analysis
| shows that the high school enroll
ment was 427 for the month OF
November in 1916. and for the cor
responding month in 1917, was 503,
or an increaes of 90 per cent This
enrolment is divided as follows:
| Nlhtn grace '....'''......... =, .229
Tenth grade .....,..............
Eleventh grade ................. 30
Twelfth grade .................. 81
| IOtal .....E.s. 5O3
One of the most lamentable facts
in connection with these figures is
the falling Off in attendance between
the freshmen and the sophomore
years, and then continuing down to
the senior year. With two colleges
in Fargo offering courses to the
trained high school graduate, and
Moorhead Normal advance diplomas
to students who complete high school
work and take two years Of work,
conditions as shown in the figures
should not exist in the opinion of the
superintendent. .'
His theory as stated this morning
resolves itself into the statement that
the Fargo schools cannot properly
take care Of their children.
In his 1917 report to the city board
Of education during the summer
superintendent Deamer called the at
| tention Of the members of the board
to the fact that the city of Fargo
has experienced some difficulty IL
keeping it's school plant abreast with
the rapid increase in population. The
Agassiz and the Horace Mann build
ings are the only two schools that
embody the more modern ideas for
the training of the student.
/ A city of $4,000 people with a state
| university located near it should
have larger high school enrolment
than 500 pupils. It is felt that the
proposed new combination grade and
high school building with its provis-
ions for physical and Industrial edu-
cation for both girls and boys will
hold pupils in the high school and
prevent the loss in the tenth, elev-
enth and twelfth grades.