El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-06-21
OFF GARY
SCHOOL SYSTEM
Board Eliminates It in the
Lower Grades; New Plan
of PIaY to Be Given.

3 After an argument consuming
nearly half the night. the school
board decided Thursday night TO abol-
ish the Gary system from the first
I and second grades of the american
schools Of the city. This action was
T the result Of movement started by
citizens nearly a year ago. IL was
I not without opposition. however. trus-
+ tee G.. s. Stevens and u. d. Whita-
ker opposing the change in its en-
tirety and trustees $. j. Prudential
stevens and Whitaker opposing the
. half day plan
The action of the board means thai
i'm future pupils OF the first and sec
Ond grades viii attend school only
a half day and viii have but one
Trustee Roy NJ Walker brought the
matter to a head by moving that the
Carr system be abolished in the
American schools, later amending his
motion TO eliminate departmental
work up 10 and including the third
grade and thus give small children
TO the care Of single teacher, and
to eliminate the supervised play fea-
lures OF the schools.
Frcudenthal's Amendment Accepted.
Trustee w. s. Clayton and Dr. r. L.
Ramey heartily endorsed this. but
We're strongly opposed, the latter eN-
pressing the belief that the change
would put the schools back % or 80
years. After some argument. it de-
veloped that the board could not come
together on the proposition. where
upon trustee FreudenthaI offered an
amendment, that departmental work
be eliminated UP TO and including
second grade in American schools and
that the playground features as now
mlttee be appointed TO recommend a
new system
An members voted favorably on
this, but trustees Whitaker and Stew
ems Trustee EameE then moved
that the first and second grade chill
Ia half day each, and this motion
passed, with trustees stevens, Mhita-
ker and Prudential opposing.
Play Committee Appointed.
The chair appointed trustees Freu-
denthal Ramey and Clayton. with
SupL r. j. Tighe, the committee 10
report on new plan Of supervised
play The trustees were apparently
agreed that there should be some su-
perFlsed play, but they differ as 10
the amount trustee stevens appar-
emily favorinE the present plan in its
entirety and trustee Walker favor
ing only one teacher for every two
schools.
Affects -Four schools.
The action Of the board viii az
feet 1Iorehead, Bailey Villas and Alta
Vista schools. As to the last. the
board received a petition signed by
80 parents requesting that the Gary
plan be eliminated. and during the
meeting Mrs j. II. Benton teiephoned
DIT Ramey and said that the more
than 30 names on the petition had
been secured within two hours and
that longer list could be secured, II
the board requested
One Teacher Handles TOO.
10 developed during the discussion
thar the crowded condition Of some
teacher is often called ON TO handle
100 students day. assistant superin-
tendent r. r. Jones said
Miss Bronson. Principal. Unassigned.
Miss Catherine Bronson. of the ju-
NOR hieh school, was elected princi-
pal % fin a vacancy caused by the
death of Hiss Willie B. lIcCrery. Of
Bailey school Miss Bronson VIZ not
assigned. however. the board having
in mind the possible changing of sew
eral principals from their present
schools TO others.
Urges Teaching Deaf Mutes.
Mrs. r. IT, Binlllev. whose young
son. @ deaf mute. has been attending
a special school at st. Louis reported
there are about no deaf mute children
in El PasO who could form a special
class here. If the board should decide
70 enEaEe a specialist for this work
AIRS Binkley WAS accompanied by her
son, who demonstrated the results Of
his training The board deferred ac-
ton i'm the matter.
Doesn't Abolish Supervised Play.
at was not my understanding that
the action OF the board in any way
abolished that particular feature Of
the Gary system known as super
vised play" said trustee S. J. Freu-
denthal Friday morning. "hut that
the action of the board simply meant
that we should modify that feature.
so as TO overcome certain objections
that had been made. especially in
reference to the children going out to
play too soon after getting TO school
All the members of the board ex-
pressed themselves in favor Of con-
tinuing at least a part Of the play
ground work.
Hopes For Board Harmony.
ct am in complete accord with the
older members of the board. Messrs.
Whitaker and Stevens We have
worked tremendously for over three
years, during which time we have
given much attention TO the socalled
Gary system. or. rather. the few fea-
lures Of that system that are used I'm
our schools. and from what informa-
ton gathered in a recent trip to the
east ] am more than ever convinced
that we are working on the right
lines. and that our present plan OF
organization is progressive and salts
factory TO a great majority Of the
patrons OF the schools. I hope that
The new members OF the board viii
not be unduly influenced by the few
ones. and that there viii
be no reaction in our splendid upto-
late school system %