The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-01-06
THE GROWTH OF
.CITY'S'SCH00LS
2,lN Students Enrolled - New
Buildings To Meet Mod
ern Needs
BY PROF. S. L. SHEEP,
Supt. of City Schools.

lea1HeIs anu Hlteen cOl0red teacnerS.
There are 1497 white children en-
rolled divided as follows: 575 in the
Primary School; 619 in the Grammar
School, and 303 in the High School.
There are GS7 pupils enrolled in the
colored schools making a total of 21S4
in all the schools.
These figures are possibly surprising
to most of our citizens who have not
kept as closely in touch with the
schools as they should. The above fig
ures show that practically all the class
es are badly crowded even with five
classes or about four hundred pupils
who are getting only half time in
school every other month. The pros
poets are that it will be at least -
months before the new building will be
ready for occupancy and the work will
have to be pursued under the same un-
favorable conditions for that length of
time. 1t will not be practical to in
troduce many changes or additions to
the curriculum until more room is
available.
1t is hoped that several new features
may be introduced when the additional
building is ready for occupancy, not
able among these are the founding of
Junior High School which will inclrde
the pupils of the 7th, Sth and 9th
grades and the Senior High School
will include the 10th, 18th and 10Th
grades, thus adding one year to the
school course. This additional year
will be specially beneficial to the stu
dents who cannot 60 farther than the
High School, as broader course of
study can be arranged which will in
.ude number of the more practical
subjects, such as an enlarged CONNER
cial Course, Shop Work, Domestic Sci
ence end Domestic Arts under which
heads will be included courses in Do
mestic Chemistry, Farm or Soil Chem
stry, as well as Cooking, Food Values,
Dressmaking and textile values, Draw
ing and Vocal Music should and prob
ably will be taught. In the new build
ing q gymnasium is included in the
plans and this will require a physical
director Gnd play ground supervisor.
Largely Matter of Finance.
The above are subjects that our
school should have included in the cur
riculum and its consummation depends
On the amount of money our people
are willing to put into the school treas
ury. Too long have we been attempt
ing to build bricks with q very small
amount of straw. We can have a
school the equal Of the best if the peo-
pie will put up the finances. The Board
and Superintendent have been anxious
to do many things for making the
school more efficient but the condition
Of the treasury would not allow them
to do so.
1t might be we'll to add that it will
be possible for students who expect to
take college courses to complete the
College Preparatory Course in eleven
years after the twelve year program is
put in operation. but all students will
have a better and broader foundation
for college or university work who take
the full twelve year course.
Practically all Northern and Western
Public Schools have the twelve year
course of ten months each while ir
North Carolina and most of the South
ern States there is an eleven year
course of nine months o each which
makes difference of twenty-one
months in the school life of fall stud
ents who complete the high schoo
course and this accounts for oul
schools inability to cover the broader
curriculum of the schools that have tht
twelve year system.
Want Patrons to Know Schools
Invitations have been issued to al
church and civic organizations to ap
point committees to visit the schools
monthly and invitations have been is
sued at any and all times. Many oi
these invitations have been accepted
and We have had more visitors already
this year than in any four or five years
combined. We want the patrons to
know their schools and the superin'
tendent and teachers are always GLAD
to have constructive criticisms or sug'
gestions for bettering the work OF the
school. What we all object to are crl-
ticisms of the school and its work by
those who have not put themselves to
tho trouble to make personal investi-
CATION and who have only hearsay evl'
dence. of which number there are com
paratively few.
An effort is being made to organizs
2 Parent-Teacher Association and it Is
boped that all mothers will be interest
ed enough in the schools welfare
which means their childrens' welfare
TO cooperate in organizing this help
full organization.
Free Health Clinics
The State Board of Health ha'
promised to hold dental clinic for th'
school children of the town and county
at an carly date, and Public HSle
nurses &, examines the children foE>agF
lnoids. 1Alaggea t0nsils, and sotser 4itS
d will be- ,ese about rthe same. sas. ' srh' !
SSstate bears all tie sspepss y e g + thss' Z
agisy l s , As; a 70 Ss