Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-28
SCHOOLS PREPARE
| FOR NEW POLICIES
TO BEGIN IN FALL
Music Probably Will Be Made
Elective in Preparatory
Courses.
UNIFORM GRADING
SYSTEM TO BE USED
Principals Approve Additional Half
Hour in Daily Class
Schedules.

District Of Columbia public school
officials are engaged now in the prepa-
rations incident to the installation of
certain new policies and practices for
the coming school year in accordance
with the approval given by the Board
OF Education at the close of the last
school year
Foremost among these is the new
schedule of music study, which will be-
CONSIDERED by the board at one of its
earnest meetings this Fall.
IN previous years music has been a
required subject in the ninth n
twelfth, years of the public school
course. Under that plan one hour
week OF music was required of all senior
hleh school pupils and those of the
lhlrd year in the junior high schools.
during the next school year, however.
music probably will be made an elective
subject IN the tenth, eleventh and
twelfth years, while only the first-vear
senior high schools and the third-year
Junior high school pupils would be re-
CURED 10 take the subject. The music
leacnlng staff of the system Will take
up WNhln the next few days or early
IN september the plotting of a cours,
in the higher grades.
Classed as ma jor."
AS an elective subject. music would
nave full consideration as a ma lor.'
subject and would receive as much at
tention AS any other subject, including
, the academic courses. Whether ths
music course Will require home prepara-
tlon VII! determine how much it will
count for graduation in the compilation
OF students credits. it was indicated
at the Franklin School today. If prem
aratlon is required, it was pointed out
full credit toward graduation will be
given, but II the subject is taught as
an "unprepared' subject, students
taking it will receive only one-half a
credit.
Meanwhile music would be required
in the ninth year, with the subject
taught two hours week. Following
consideration of the details of the ad7
mlnlStration of the music course. the
music staff will present its recommen-
; oatlon to the Board of Education.
Uniform Grading.
The 1929-30 school year will witness
Tor the first time the uniform grading
system in all District public Schools
! This year the elementary, Junior high
and senior high school pupils will have
their efforts rated on their advisory
cards on the following scale: A for
| superior" B for "above average" C.
for average" D for below average"
F for failure" This rating system Will
replace the old order of E for excel
lent G for good p for fair" and p
for poor The Introduction of the
new system will do away with confusion
which has resulted in recent years from
the use OF both systems by various
schools.
The coming year also will witness the
Introduction of the 9-tc-3 school days
for senior high schools. Heretofore the
senior high schools have convened daily
at am. and have been dismissed at
! $50 o'clock in the afternoon. Upon
recommendation, however. of Dr. Frank
w. Ballou. superintendent of schools,
who says he has the approval of the
senior high school principals. the extra
! half hour was added to the day.