The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1921-03-25
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE
FIFTY YEARS OUT O. DATE
Astounding Facts About the Defects of Elizabeth
City Public Schools Revealed In Survey
By Federal Educational Experts

Inc curriculum \COuISe OF
study of the Elizabeth City ele-
mentary schools does not meet
any of the requirements of a
modern elementary curriculum.
1t contains no subject that was
not taught 80 or 40 years ago in
practically all our schools, unless
we except domestic science, and
omits still some subjects that
our better schools taught fully
50 years ago." Thus, in no un-
certain terms, does the Federal
Bureau of Education condemn
the present elementary school
system of this city in the prelim-
mary report submitted to the
city Board Of Education several
months ago-a report which has
just become available for publ
cation through the enterprise of
the editor of THE INDEPEND-
ENT, and in spite of the efforts
of certain school board officials
to keep the public from finding
out Just what was contained in
it.
From start to finish, Commissioner
CIaxton's report of the findings of his
Commission is a denunciatioh of prac-
tically every department of our City
Graded Schools. The buildings are bad
ly constructed and unsuited to tbe needs
of the pupils; the subjects taught are
mostly poorly presented and ill ar
ranged; there is no adequate provision
for physical training; good music, with
its cultural, moral and physical values,
is virtually left out; training in citizen
ship is entirely lacking in the grades
below the high school, in spite OF the
fact that many Of the children leave
school before reaching the eighth grade.
The Board of Education is convicted
of lack of real interest in the progress
and welfare of the schools by the fact
that the attendance of former members
of the Board at the meetings held dur
ing the past three years did not exceed
60 per cent or in other words, an
average, only a fraction over half of
the 16 members of the board were pres
ent at the meetings.; and the city Board
of Aldermen is shown not to have taken
sufficient interest in the affairs of the
school since, although four vacancies
occur in the School Board each year,
the Aldermen found it necessary on
December 6, 1920 to appoint nine new
members to fill accumulated vacancies.
The fact that this lapse should occur
without public protest also suggests the
absence of a keen interest in their
school on the part of the citizens and
taxpayers of Elizabeth City.
These are a few of the things en-
bodied in the voluminous report of the
Education Commission upon our local
school system; and in a series of ar
ticles of which this is the first, THE
INDEPENDENT will give its readers
the details of the findings of the group
of experts sent here last year by the
Federal Government to survey the
Elizabeth City graded schools.
What Do the Schools Teach?
The elementary schools here, accord
ing to the report, include in their
course of study reading, writing, Ian
guage, arithmetic, physiology, geogra-
ply, history, spelling and some draw
ing and home economics. Important
features of modern public school sys-
TENS are lacking; and although it is
generally understood that the courses
offered should be selected with refer
ence to the immediate needs of the COM
1unity where the schools are located,
the course offered at Elizabeth City
would fit just as well in New England,
Alaska, Montana, or New Mexico. The
course is made out according to the
adopted books, from page to page. Most
modern school systems write out
course of study to meet their own
needs. Elizabeth City has no such
course, but should have one.
Most courses of study are so arranged
that the slower children are not re-
Quired to do the same amount OF work
n the same time as the brighter chill
dren. The practice of making every
child progress through school at the
same rate ought to be discontinued.
Study of the results here shows that
the bright child gets little more from
school than the dull child, and accord
i4g to his ability not nearly SO much
Is there any recson for holding a child
back and giving him less than he wishaSi
10 do simply because he was crea
with more ability than his fellows! -
curse Offered at Elizabeth City, is en- !
tireIy infexible, except as the child |
bends it to suit his own mentality.
Acquiring Useless Facts.
The child is largely occupied with ac-
sll.iring facts which, while Interesting |
perhaps in some instances, are entire
y useless now or hereafter. PRACTI-
CALLY NONE OF THE SUBJECTS |
HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL TO Do
WITH SHAPING HIS CHARACTER
OR ESTABLISHING PRACTICAL,
SOUND IDEALS. Many of the facts
ne gets will never be used. To correct |
Continued on Page Ten.9