Evening star., 1919-11-27
PLATOON SYSTEM :.
URGED I0PREVENT
SCHOOL cR0WD|NG
Supt. Thurston EXPLAINS Plan
to Education Board-Per-
sonnei Changes Ordered.

| The platoon system. which 81 being
considered as means of relieving con-
gestion in the local schools. would
make 1T possible to accommodate more
| than 1900 pupils in building now
housing 900. Superintendent of Schools
Thurston told the board of education
yesterday afternoon.
| Mr.. Thurston did not make definite
recommendations yesterday. but told of
: having inspected certain buildings to
determine their fitness for the platoon
! system. He told the board halliday
classes in some schools will he inevt-
! table unless some other plan of relief
is worked out.
The superintendent said all the large
grade buildings that have 'auditor1ums
could be made platoon schools. and
thereby provide for many more chill
| dren. How to make more room in the
small grade buildings that have no
auditoriums is q problem yet to be
| worked out, said Mr.. Thurston.
Under the platoon plan the classes
| of a building are divided into two
groups. One group uses the class
rooms for elementary studies while the
other group is assembled in the audi
/ torium or gymnasium for special sub
| jects and physical exercise. The
platoon plan gives all the children q
/ full day at school.
| Talks of Junior High Schools. ;,
| Thurston outlined the organization Of
! the junior high schools he saw on his
i recent trip The superintendent will
not make recommendations to the
| board as to how far the junior high
| school plan should be developed here
1 spectien ef New England schools. g,
The superintendent made the point
yesterday, however, that junior high
schools could be built cheaper than
senior high schools, and in view of
! the fact that they take in the seventh
! of senior high school they would re-
lieve congestion. both ways
! Junior high schools. the superin-
tendent declared. tend to hold in
! school many children who would leave
at the eighth grade. because it gets
at the end of the sixth grade.
! Even if the girl or boy does not go
, on to. senior high school, said the
superintendent, THE Junior school will
! give him or her a year more than the
grade school course. The chances are
! the work of the Junior high school
will get the pupil so interested in
certain subjects that he will want to
4 continue these subjects for three years
| in the senior high school.
Definite suxgestfons Expected.
! 1t is probable that MIR. Thurston
! will: make definite recommendations
He Will NOT reach final conclusions on
the Junior sifsi, @scf1obfaplan until he
returns from his next trip.
! The beard decided yesterday to seek
SETS Office before determining whether
to make an appeal in the case of Miss
Alice Wood, who obtained a writ of
/ ma ndamus from the District Supreme
! Court setting aside the action of the
board in suSpending her for week
for alleged indiscreet uterances in
/ class.
The following changes in personnel
| in the school system were approved:
/ e...r-z Appointments.
! NJ. J.sRashforf; probationary teacher,
fourth grade, Van Buren,; d. X. Shep-
ard temporary teacher. first grade,
Msnroe; sudyse Mellichampe,s I fempo-
IN. 6. Sullivan, temporary teacher,
\ third grade, %Brookland; j. H. Brown,
| iaborer, New Central; w. Fl. 'Dade,
1 iaborer. New Central; James Hughes,
! laborer, H. D. Cooke; c. W. Adams.
Temporary teacher. ,Garnet-Patterson-
Phelps nights, II. W. Thomas, tempo
rary teacher, rnetaPatterson-P PHI elps
i night; NJ. f.. Crafts. teacher, class 8,
domestic Art. on .proba tionary tenure.
f%# Promotions and Transfers.
>. Sudye Melliohampe. teacher, fourth
grade. Van Buren, to Cleveland; Mrs.
tC; w: Lee. probationary teacher
iclass 3. Domestic Art to permanent;
Margaret Birdsell, temporary teacher
third grade. Force. to probationary
teacher; Anne, Christensen. temporary
teacher frst grade, Takoma, to pro-
! bationary teacher; NJ. A. Dawson,
Temporary teacher first grade. Pierce,
to probationary teacher: B. L: Dore,
farp nvNfNrs <l~
Eaton, to probationary teacher; L. A.
Fulford. temporary teacher fourth
| grade, Pierce, to-prebationary teach
1 err J.. A. Helliwell. temporary teacher
! first grade, Blair. to probationary
teacher: e. NJ, Hussey. temporary
bationary- Teacher; Ruth Lindsay,
aemporary teacher. Petworth. to pro-
! batienary teacher; S. A. ManRufa,
temporary teacher third grade, Ia
koma, to" probationary teacher: Mrs.
70. G. Martha temporary teacher class
'E3. Eaton, to proba ticaary teacher;
! Mrs. g. G. Nix, temporary teacher
! third grade. Eaton. to probationary
teacher; .N..F. Neil temporary teacfe
fourth grade, Brightwood Park. to
] probationary teacher; Mrs. NJ. w. New
love. temporary teacher fourth grade.
Corcoran, to probationary teacher;
Mrs. Mary Newman. yempor rary teach
| er class 3. renley. to probationary
teacher; Mrs. "A. IS. Speir. temporary
| teacher . second grade, Congress
Heights. to probationary ,. teacher;
! Mrs. A. .. SallivsH. temporary teacher
!, fourth grade, Congress Heights, to
probationary teacher: Ruth Weeks,
/ temporary teacher, first grade, Jack
! son, TO probationary teacher: V. e.
| Wooster. temporary teacher third
Igrade, Maury. to probationary teacher:
O. G. Wright. temporary teacher third
| grade, Jefferson, to probationary
| teacher: r.. A, Wright, temporary
! teacher third grade. Fairbrother. to
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