The Washington herald., 1917-05-07
PLAN TO Aid TEACHERS
CONTINUED PROM PAGE oNE.

the superintendent, Il must be decided
where special emphasis Is TO be placed.
OF course the largest general problem
we have before us is that of complete or
ganization OF our manual training, pre-
vocational and trade Instruction" said
Mr.. Thurston. During the last year 1
have been making studies OF the situa-
ton here to determine in what way the
public schools may serve the community
most effectively along these lines"
These studies" he continued. ''are still
going on. but expect a general plan will
be completed early this summer, so that
all development Of this work. beginning
with the next school year. will At into
this plan We can then plan our estl-
mates intelligently and have no waste
eaprt."
More Manual Work.
In discussing the proposed extension of
manual training Mr.. Thurston explained
that the tentative plans already prepared
call for special instruction from the
fourth grade up through the high school,
The extension, in other words, would be
downward in the grades. becoming more
specialized, probably, in the higher
grades.
1T Is my desire to have the number of
the pre-vocational schools increased so as
to give one to each general section of
the city. They would not necessarily
have the same shop work. For example
the one In the southwest might well sub
stitute forms of metal work for the wood
work Of the Smallwood School"
In time, the superintendent explained,
1t is hoped to have these schools capped
by regular trade schools for training In
the large basic trades and for such op-
portunities as may be found to offer real
opportunity in Washington.
Mr.. Thurston also spoke OF the need
OF a retirement law. No community, he
said, ought to permit 1t to be necessary
to drop from the teaching service with
out financial protection the teacher who
has served her community through long
years and Influenced for good many boys
and girls, only to weaken under the
strain and long years OF work.
FRvOrs Retirement Law.
The school system must consider the
efficiency Of the class room work. but II
this means retirement in any case, 1t
ought to come with honor and protec-
tion." he said.
Washington Is cursed with small build
ings," continued Mr.. Thurston. The
eight-room building multipliss admins
trative units unnecessarily and makes
endless difficulties OF organization, and Of
proper teaching"
GOOD educatlOnal ana business admin
istration demands that We group our
small buildings in twos and threes and
place them under one principal who
shall be relieved moro OF the burden of
teaching so that he may be free to really
administer the group and closely super
wise the educational work"
Another part of the coming program
calls for the elimination of unimportant
matters so as to make every course worth
while.
Encouragement IN the participation in
civic movements, such as the cleanup
campaign. safety-first work. and garden
making. will be further broadened dur
ing the coming year.
Aids Civic Work.
Teaching Of the history of the District
and of local elf-government, also. will
be given special stress. The aid will be
to fit students to take their places in
community life.
The extension of savings banks In an
other direction in which the efforts of
the school superintendent will be put
forth. Supervised study and socialized
recreation are to be extended and there
is likely to be amplihcation OF the study
of the home.
These are Just a few Of the problems
on which We are actively engaged and
on which we are making progress" con-
cluded Mr.. Thurston-