Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-01-15

WHICH IL oelleVeQ made for mead.
room and greater efficiency.
The matter Of adopting the G.
system for the schools was mentioros
as q remedy for the crowded coma.
tions and tho erection Of q new =,
room school building to acconmod,,.
the junior higa pupils. Judge NJ,
thieu said that this would cost mona.
but he felt. that the result would ~
fully worth the sacrifice.
Superintendent w. II. Patten We.
then introduced by Mr.. Knicknr
booker. Mr.. Patterns talk was in
tensely interesting and he was give,
close attention. He said that n,
public school system is in a cruci,,
condition at present and that it mus,
be attended to before very long Or T.
would be impossible to house ,ba
children who would go to school and
that no matter what a city may do !,
cannot progress until there is A..
school system that would well TAX
care Of all the children of all tho
people.
Hon. John p. Deering Of Saco VII,
was a guest at the meeting. was The
last speaker and expressed his hear,v
endorsement Of the addresses which
had been given. He strongly urgel
the necessity of proper education for
the children of the country and said
that much Of the Bolshevism ans
radicalism could be abolished wers
proper educational facilities fur.
nished. He referred to the statistic;
shown in the first draft of soldiers
in the world war, which proved that
a large per cent Of the young men (
draft age could neither read or Writ
also to the fact that there has been
a decrease Of so per cent in the gradu.
atoms from normal schools becaus.
Of the unattractiveness of the pre-.
fession to young people because o
the poor pay. He said that the.ave
age pay Of a teacher in this count
is $3.50 per year.
Mr.. Patterns subject dealt with
schools and he took UP Vhe position
of the public schools in Watervil'c in
general and led up to the develop
ment Of the eighth grade system He
showed the system in operation III
GLIDING the semi-yearly promotions
and the facts Of the dilemma IN the
schools of the city because of the
semi-yeariy promotions. which have
now reached the high school, Where
there is no room and no teachers for
the extra numbers of pupils
He told the company assembled
that if they wanted good schools in
waterville they will have TO pay
salaries sufficient to secure good
teachers as teachers are the first con-
sideration of good scivuie.
He called attention to the glarng
difficulties in teaching good English
under the present system and SCI
forth the need of a good English s'i-
perintendent to. take charge OF the
work of that department. He said
that pupils are not properly trained
in English, that they simply don't
know the art Of composition eithe:
oral or written nor technical gram
mar. due to the fact that English Is.
the hardest subject for the teacher
to teach. And again there is the lack
of uniformity to the teaching in the
various schools. An English super
who would 90 into the
schools a certain period osy and
teach would make it uniform. She
would get around to the schools
about once in every two weeks and
lay out the work for the teacher TO
take up. Such a method, Mr.. Pattea
said, would be a great improvement:
over the present one.
The need Of a physical director Of
the public schools was also touched
upon, one who will go around to the
grades and instruct the teachers and
pupils alike. telling the teachers wha.
to do to carry out the work among
the pupils.
Mr.. Patten then recommended the
junior high schools or the 6-3-3 plan
for various reasons, some of which
he explained at length. The first,
he said, is to bridge the chasm that
has seemed to exist between the eie-
grades and the high school.
The question of proper grouping 0:
children was the second reason. b.
that Mr.. Patten explained that chill
dren who arrive at the end Of the
sixth grade are about in their 18th
year. at the opening of the adolescen:
period and they do not like to be as
ISOLATED with small pupils as they
have no responsibility to assume Il
grouped together in one school build
Ing, they feel a sense of respons-
oiltty for their school and feel tina.
they are unit by themselves of the
school system.
Mr.. Patten stated that almost -
per cent. Of the decrease in attend
ance occurs between the sixth and
the ninth grades and there is a Pro
rata decrease between the ninth and
the 18th grade SO to speak. a yoca.
tional educational system, he eA.
planned, would do much toward heep-
ing the pupils in school between tie
sixth and the ninth grades and opcr5
up to the pupil the things of which
Inc world consists and gives linn
grip on things and in many cases It's
interest Is so great that he CONTINUES
through senior high school. Anothr
advantage in the junior high schoci
system, Is the departmental WORK
Ohe teacher teaches the same sub
)ect through the entire three years
ana this makes for better and more
uniform instruction. Mr.. Patten ey
planned that the entire movement.
IN attempt to unity the whole syS'
lem OF education and divide it iao
Iour periods. primary, intermedia''
which will take up to the ski
grade; junior high, seventh to niH'h
inclusive. and senior high school 10th
10 18th, inclusive