Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-03-22
new SYSTEM TO
.REvOLUTI0N|zE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Similarity and Uniform
Courses In Studies Form
Basis Of New Play Be.
ing Worked Out.

ing Worked Out. |;
San Francisco, Cal.-"In the ele-
mentary department of the San
Francisco state normal school is
now being worked out reform,
which. if proven practicable. and lat
er>is adopted by schools generally,
will revolutionize educational prac-
tice in many respects says Fred
erick Burk, president of the San
francisco state normal school. AT
present all pupils in the public ele-
mentary schools throughout the
country are required to complete all
OF the prescribed work in every sub
iect for graduation regardless of in
dividual variations in native ability.
or in the greater or less importance
of certain subjects or parts OF sub
jects. 1t is silently assumed that
every item in the elementary course
is absolutely essential to every life.
Thus, the musical genius and the
monotone, the natural artist and the
color blind, future literary writer
and the pupil without literary ap-
probation pursue precisely the same
uniform course of study in these
subjects, are assumed to reach the
same standards, and graduate, &C
cording to the accepted pedagogic
theory with the same identical abil-
lily.
Uniform Courses. y /
Similarly, the same uniform
course in arithmetic, in history, geo
graphy, spelling, writing, physi-
oiogy and the same graduation stan
dards are demanded by the school
system from all. The existing course
Of study for elementary schools is
not what all people use but the sum
Of many specialized fields. Much
OF it cannot be learned by all, and
only small part is used universal
". The futile folly of the>plan is
patent. Schoolmasters agree that
there is much pedantic imitation and
the courses are filled with deadwood,
but no reform has been put into ex-
ecution relieving the manifest abb
sHrdity of the situation. AS con-
Sequence of the inability-of all pupils
to too the same final mark, more
than majority OF pupils in the
United States leave school without
completing the eight elementary
grades.
1.-THE remedy which the San Fran
cisco normal school is working out
out is to frame minimum course>of
Just what every person OF reasonable
intelligence actually uses in life and
which all pupils can readily master.
Supplementary to this common core
is being framed a large variety OF
courses possible and desirable for
certain pupils but not necessary for
all; pupils take tho common core
and each. individually, after due con-
ference of teacher, pupil and parent,
may fill out with such other OF the
supplementary courses as may seem
desirable for each. AZ conse-
quence, pupil of great musical abil-
ity may take several advanced cours-
cs in music but the sawdust one may
take none, and those betwixt and be-
tween may take courses up to the
limit of native ability.
To Establish Exact Standards.
"a secood feature of the plan be-
| ing perfected is to establish exact
/ standards of accomplishment by
which abilities can be definitely
measured. Pupils will not be pro-
NOTED by merely going through
courses, but the purpose OF each
course and its standards OF final ac-
complishment are being framed so,
that pupil clearly sees his goal in
advance and works toward it upon
his own initiative.
in developing this plan of school
ing, the San Francisco school is but
carving further its individual sys-
TEN Of instruction, put into operation
five years ago. BY this system, each
pupil in the elementary department.
works Individually in most subjects
independent of all other pupils. He
establishes his own rate hampers no
one and is unhampered. As . conse-
quence, great differences in rates Of
progress have been developed. A
few pupils complete the eighth grade
course in FIVE years and are very |
| evenly distributed between these ex-
| tremes. The average time under |
h. the existing exist. school systep is nine to
Pupils Organized. |
| "Another feature of normal |
| school~plan 10 the substitution Of
4 dynamic motive for study arising |
| from the pupils own initiative and
i personal purpose to supplant the ex-
/ listing system of forced exaction
/ without motive other than fear of
/ non promotion. The freedom from !
| unnecessary restraint which the in
/ dividual plan fosters goes far in this
/ direction, but the school, by tapping
/ native abilities. frequently draws up
4 on unexpected forces.
u TO assist in developing this dy-
4 manic thinking, nearly all the pupils
l in the upper grades have been or
ganized as the Loyal Legion" TAX
4 ing in many, respects to the Boys
Scouts and Camp Fire girls but for
I younger children. This organiza-
| ton stimulates many activities of 4
1 physical, industrial, scientific, con-
1 structive, historic, musical, artistic,
dramatic. and above all civic nature.
It comprises several successive or
ders. The "Columbians" know the I
lore OF the early pioneer life, its his
tory, geography, etc, and they take
as their watchword Sail on" regard
4 less of difficulties and discourage
nients; they prove their member
u ehso hv Some conuuest Of a real per. |