Milford chronicle., 1917-07-13
AN INCIDENTAL ADVANTAGE
OF Adopting A Scale OF Standardization
OF Schools.


schools win be brought up 10 standar
requirements at once, and in thos
schools the children will have idean
favorable conditions and circumstance
for schol work. A second and close,
following result VIII be that in man.
other school efforts will be started (,
change old and unsatisfactory conditions
TO make them conform to standard re-
quirements. Perhaps few schools viii
entirely miss all benefits from the pub.
| lication Of these requirements. Con
/ sciously in most places, but also uncon.
sciously in many other places, wher
! changes or improvements must be
made, the standard requirement is mel
in item after item, so that positive
changes for the better will be under way
very generally even where there is nc
attempt TO reach full conformity with
standard requirements. Standard re-
quirements win become fashionable in
Delaware Schools. and then will be uni
versally prevalent, like straw hats in
summer Gradually, therefore, better
and better conditions will be established
and maintained, and the children viii
enjoy and profit by them. II is the
cumulative power or force Of "Sugges-
tiOn" that spreads this benefit this way
The Parent-Teacher Associations are
the agencies and the media.
Next year now there is a fixed and
adopted standard for the state, it will
beDossible to make such an estimate of
housing conditions as could never have
been made before. Every teacher and
every School Committee in the State
can now survey" can now compare the
condition Of the school for which they
are responsible with this standard; can
find the points or items that are missing,
score up the total points on which the
school can qualify, report the total
points scored, and from these reports
the Commissioner of Education can now
present a tabulated distribution of the
schools and their rating by the standard
scale. The range or ratings will be
from less than 100 points, up to more
than the necessary 400 points to be
classed as a standard school. Such a
distributed table of ratings VIII show
how many schools of each rating there
are, as so whose rating is 100 credits,
40 whose rating is 100 credits. and so on
for tie 500 or more schools Of the state
BY study Of this distributive table and
by comparison of the rating of each par
ucular school with the tabular list. ev-
cry community can see just how it's own
school ranks, whether high or low,
whether there are many others as high
or as low. and from the study realize
that the school i'm that community oc-
cupies a place and is in a group, which |
Is cause for pride or just and proper |
reason for shame Such a comparative |
standing should be brought home TO
zach community for its school house and
equipment. School betteAnent would |
ret its healthiest impulse and impetus /
rom such comparison.
The scoring up the points or items Of
,redit would be most valuable lesson
o the teacher and the Commissioners.
rhe inexperienced young teacher and
he inexperienced Commissioner would
ret the best lesson they have ever had
N the right conditions and circumstan-
es for a modern school. The marking
ip of the credits would give knowledge
f proper requirements. would act as a
uggester of betterments that are desir-
bic and possible, and would also awak-
n a sense of responsibility to secure
ossible betterments; the stimulation of
he sense of duty and obligation, Of
loral responsibility to get the best pro-
urable for the children. is the surest
ependence, as motive force to work
eadily and unfiaggingly for better con-
itions. If for no other reasons. the
department. Of Superintendence should
ext year. therefore. require from each
.acher, as part 'of Annual Report, a
'Oring up Of her school and room on
lis standard scale. The reports tabu-
ted would make such a survey OF
conditions Of the state as no
ate as yet had the means TO gather.
ne of the results that would surely
How would be the preparation and
lblica ton by the State Board Of Edu-
.tion. Of suitable plans and drawings
r school buildings and grounds adapt
to supply the needs Of its commune
es, whether the need be a three-roomed
le-teacher school or a ten-roomed
wn building.
If proper diagnosis is the first step
r the physician when called TO visit a
tient, then this scoring up of school
emises and properties according to
e adopted standard, to find that en-
-onmental pulse and temperature
l.ch make up the sound working condi-
"a for the school child. should be taken
thout fail. as the indispensable first
sp toward the thorough planning Of
Sc reconstruction Of the system.
ius Il would be learned beyond any
ubt, and beyond the possibility Of ar
ment or controversy. which localities
We school properties that are not
nth repairing OF improving. and
itch properties and localities should
once be helped by making them part
an ultimate Consolidation Plan.
e old building should be abandoned
4 temporary provisions for the pupils
,uld be made at the point or place
ich is TO become the future Console
ion centre.
as the necessary
it step in such a far-sghted forma-
e program win vindicate itself as the
fection Of council, and as the acme
professional foresightedness and of
icational craftsmanship. Thus will
er new laws also justify themselves.
CHAS. A. WAGNER,
Commissioner Of Education.