Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-07-31


the number of subjects is reduce,
not because the grade is of less in
: portance. From the above it will b
seen that four hours and thirty mil
utes are the absolute minimum
e which the first five grades can be ado
V quately taught. The remaining on
-lhour and half of six-hour schoc
3 day should be devoted to the sixt
A and seventh grades.
: The two-room school offers NOR
satisfactory arrangement, particular
with reference to the elementar
lgrades. In the two-teacher school
the first grade should have at leas
; 10 minutes, the second grade, 81
minutes; and for each grade from
: the second through the seventh
, ninety minutes ought to be allowed
I With an average enrolment, on
teacher should be assigned to tn,
first three grades. and the SECOND
teacher be given grades from the
third through the seventh. If moi
more than 20 pupils be enrolled in
1.-THE first four grades, all of these
classes may be assigned to one teach
er, thus leaving the fifth, sixth and
seventh grades to be taught by the
second teacher.
In the three-teacher school with
an average enrolment, the first and
second grades should be assigned to
one teacher; the third and fourth to
second teacher; and the fifth, sixth
and seventh to third teacher. This
arrangement should be followed
wherever the enrolment in the fifth,
sixth and seventh grades is not more
than one-thir dof the total grade en-
rollment
1t is apparent that the two and
three-room school buildings offer
very great advantage over the one
room building in the matter of max
ing provision for the elementary
grades. A two or three-room school,
with well-qualified teachers, can be
made highly efficient factor in the
school system. 1t is extremely diff
ficult to secure the same efficiency
from one-teacher school.
The following revision of the fore
going regulations for the standard
ization of elementary schools was au-
thorized by the State Board of Ed
ucation on November IS, 1924.
1. No elementary school shall be
accredited as standard. beginning
with July 1, 1925, if the teacher
holds less than an elementary GER
tificate with one years experience or
a first grade certificate with three
years experience.
2. While the standard salary of
$500 is maintained, the Depart
ment of Education is given discre-
ton to accredit schools with the
teachers salary below that amount,
provided no individual salary in such
school be less than $1,000 per month
and that the average salary in the
elementary schools of the division
seeking Standardization be not less
than $500.
3. Exception may be made to the
requirement that the school yard
have fwo acrac Of orauad nrox-;1oa
the school board by rental or other
wise. has control of added play
ground facilities convenient to the
school which, in addition to the
school site, will equal at least two
acres.
The above regulations of the State
Board of Education make it very
clear that under this plan rural
school can be raised from a seven
month to a nine-month session. with
little additional expense from local
sources, and in some cases the State
appropriations for these special
types of schools will be sufficient 10
cover the entire cost of the increase
( in term.
At meeting of the County School
Board here in this Office on July 20,
this question was given quite a lit
tie consideration, and orders to be
referred to the trustee of each dis.
trict and the superintendent as a
committee, in the case of communi.
ties making application for this ex.
tension of term. In communities
where this increase in term is de.
sired, the whole question should be
discussed before the School League
This should be followed possibly. b,
a petition of at least rs or 80 ne,
cent of the patrons asking for sucf
a school. The fact must not be over
looked that when a term is extended
from seven to nine months, the Com
pulsory Attendance Law then apple,
to that school for nine months ant
not for seven months.
The Division Superintendent will
be glad to hear Immediately of an,
rural community in the county tina
desires this extension of term for tn,
: coming session. The County Schoo
Board set September IA, 1925. TO
the opening of the nine-montl
schools. Furthermore. it will b
I. necessary to make detailed stud
of all the facts connected with tn
school so that the appropriation
) would be assured before a decisio,
e .cnuld ha raanhnd ,nIna;.-z