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In most schools pupils recite nearly all of the time, and there is but little time left for the preparation of lessons in school, where most of the lessons should be prepared. For this reason, either the lessons are not prepared, or they are prepared under the direction of the parents, who should not have to instruct their children, even if they are qualified to do so. With this plan the pupils have more than onehalf of their time in school for the preparation of their lessons. Thus they may be prepared under the direction of the teacher, who is best qualified, both by knowledge and experience, to give the pupils the assistance which they should have, and whose duty it is to relieve the parents of this task. Time is provided, both morning and afternoon, for individual help.

Intelligent principals and teachers realize the weakness of the usual plan. More than 90 per cent of the principals and teachers who have worked under this plan have given, in writing, their reasons for preferring it to any other.

As published, these opinions show that the benefits to the teachers are as many and as marked as those reaped by the pupils. When the plan was started, all were opposed to what they thought the plan would be. On all sides interested parents have expressed great satisfaction with the results obtained.

If pupils receive the same amount of instruction as they would under the usual plan, they would get it in much less time. Pupils now average a loss of about two years. Under this plan they will average a gain of not less than two years. Thus there would be saved to the district what it would cost to instruct a pupil for that time. When this is multiplied by the number of pupils, the financial saving becomes apparent. Add to this the amount saved by the lengthening of the pupils' productive lives and the gain is enormous, though not to be compared with the gain in improved mental habits.

III. THE SEATTLE PLAN OF PROMOTION AND CLASSIFICATION. BY FRANK J. BARNARD, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SCHOOLS OF SEATTLE, WASH. 1. The Seattle schools consist of a high school, grammar schools, and primary schools.

2. The high school is divided into four classes, first, second, junior, and senior, each of which, beginning with this year, is subdivided into two "divisions," first and second.

3. The grammar schools are divided into four classes, A, B, C, and D, each of which is subdivided into as many "divisions" of 20 pupils each as the number of pupils enrolled and the number of teachers employed in the different buildings will permit. The divisions are designated first, second, third, fourth, etc.

4. The primary schools are divided into four classes, A, B, C, and D, each of which is similarly subdivided into “divisions," designated first, second, third, fourth, fifth, etc.

Large buildings or districts afford better opportunities for close classification than the smaller ones, the South district having ten "divisions" of D primary pupils taught by five teachers, and higher grades in proportion, while the Mercer district has six divisions of a corresponding class.

The word "year" is not used in the plan of classification for the following

reasons:

1. The pupils are classified by divisions" in strict accordance with their abilities, and as all pursue the same course of study, it is evident that a sixth division of a D primary, for example, will require more time to complete the work outlined for the D primary than will be required by the pupils of the first division, who perhaps may complete the work and begin that of the C primary long before the expiration of the "school year."

2. The school year varies in length from eight to ten months.

As the plan was devised by the writer and introduced in this city some years ago, the following extract from the published Seattle school report for 1891–92, page 64, may serve to more fully explain the details:

The course of study, promotions, and classifications are questions so intimately connected that a discussion of one naturally involves the others.

School men have for years been attempting to answer the questions, “How shall we shorten the course of study? "How enrich it?" One proposed solution is to almost entirely abolish arithmetic, grammar, and geography, thereby shortening it, and bringing down into the grammar schools such high school studies as German, French, Latin, geometry, algebra, etc., thus "enriching" the course of study below the high school. These solutions are obtained by but one rule, viz, “Save time by the sacrifice of quantity"-that is, win the race by throwing overboard part of the cargo. We all admit that for a large number of our boys and girls eight years is too long a time for the work below the high school. Many could do the work in six years, some in less time, while others, naturally slow, though sure thinkers, would require full eight years.

The questions of time and quantity are entirely different factors. Quantity is the course of study itself, while time is the number of years necessary to complete it. If, then, a certain factor, quantity, made up of more or less arithmetic, grammar, geography, spelling, reading, etc., is required for admission to the high school, why not classify the pupils as to enable them to take the quantity and enter the high school in the shortest possible time? The time of the course of study can thus be shortened for different pupils. Pupils thus enabled to enter the high school in less than eight years take up the enriching studies of German, French, Latin, etc., under the instruction of competent and experienced teachers, but in the high school, not below it-that is to say, the pupils hasten forward toward the "enriching" point, but the "rich" pabulum is not brought down to them.

Such a plan would permit many pupils to complete the entire course of study in the elementary schools and take two years in the high school by the time they are 14 years of age. Pupils having once entered the high school would be apt to remain in school, and that department would thereby be greatly strengthened and enlarged.

How can such a plan be put into practical operation? Stated times for promotions will not accomplish it; semiannual promotions will not solve it.

In my opinion the only solution is to classify pupils strictly according to abilities and qualifications and then allow them to master the quantity (the course of study) in such time as they can do the work well.

To illustrate. suppose there are in a certain school 80 pupils in the A primary grade. I would divide them into four divisions of 20 pupils each, classifying them strictly according to abilities. To one teacher I would give the first and second divisions, to another the third and fourth divisions.

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To the teachers and pupils of all the divisions "I would say: Now, the theory upon which the course of study for the fourth years is constructed is that it will take one year to complete it, but if you can do the work thoroughly and easily in less time, why do so, and then at once begin the work of the fifth year, overtaking the lowest division of that class, if possible." This means daily promotion. Progress is constant. The first division" of one class will overtake, for a time work with, but finally pass the lowest "division" of the next higher class, while the lower "divisions" will go steadily forward, many of the pupils "working up" to higher "divisions" of the same class. In schools like the Denny, where there are more than two teachers to a grade, the classification can be still more thorough by having a greater number of "divisions" in each grade.

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The crosses (X) represent the different "divisions." The classification of the pupils and the rate of progress given is simply an ideal one, and represents a class entering the first year primary in September, before classification, and its further progress after classification through a course of eight years, individual reclassification being frequent. The progress-i. e., direction of the "divisions" as represented in the table--is from leit to right, and the objective point is the high school. The vertical columns, headed by the names of the months, serve to show the relative position of the "divisions" of higher classes, for, while the progress of but one class is here represented, other classes are ahead and behind in the race, and hence their positions are also shown. The rates of progress for the four “divisions are 10, 11, 12, and 13—i. e., the fourth division is supposed to do ten months' work in ten months, the third division eleven months' work in ten months, and the second division twelve months' work in ten months, and the first division thirteen months' work in ten months. The term or expression "months' work" represents the factor quantity or course of study, and is used as a mere matter of convenience.

If we let the word "mile" represent "months' work," the word "hour" represent "year" (ten months), it being assumed that the journey (course of study) is 80 miles (months) long, the chart will be easily understood. The problem of the first division would then be, "How many hours will it take to complete a journey of 80 miles, traveling at the rate of 13 miles an hour?" Answer. Six and twothirteenths hours (years). A study of the chart will thus show that the first division will be able to complete the course in six and two-thirteenths years, the second in six and two-thirds years, the third in seven and three-elevenths years, and the fourth in eight years. I am decidedly of the opinion that the rates of progress assumed for the first and second divisions are much too low. The subclassification of the February class is not given, as its members would soon be able to work into" different "divisions" of other classes. It will be seen that such a plan of classification affords opportunities for frequent transfers of pupils from higher to lower "divisions," or vice versa. Such a classification of pupils will give those needing it more careful attention, as they will have more of the teacher's time, while those able to think and work more rapidly will be able to go ahead, and not be held back by their less fortunate mates.

The one rule necessary to the complete and perfect success of such a system is, "Study the capacities of each individual pupil." Some minds develop early, others late. The dunce of the class, if kept chained to the "honor pupils," may always remain a dunce, but if unchained, if studied and allowed to study under proper directions and influence, he may become the wonder of the school, the genius of the age.

RELIABLE RECORDS NECESSARY.

As, under such a plan, many individual pupils will "work ahead" or "drop back," and entire "divisions" may, with their teachers, be promoted and begin the work of the next class in the middle of the year, a few important items of information should be recorded very carefully and kept ready for use in case of transfers, withdrawals, and statistical comparisons and information.

The following are the most important:

To be recorded in September

1. Name, age, birthplace, and residence of pupil.

2. Date of first enrollment in lowest division of D primary class.

3. Total months' attendance, all classes and schools from date of first enrollment to date, including temporary absences.

4. Received by present teacher from what division, class, school, and teacher? To be recorded in June

5. Total months' attendance from date of enrollment in D primary to date of promotion to present class.

6. Total number of months in course from D primary to and including last class from which promoted, assuming time required for work of each class to be ten months.

7. On above basis, total number of months gained or lost.

8. Assigned for next year to what division, class, school, and teacher.

PROMOTION STATISTICS.

The first practical results of this plan are now in evidence, as many pupils who entered our schools at the time of the adoption of the system (1891-1892) are now in, or about to enter, the high school. Owing to incomplete records during the first few years the summaries given below are not absolutely accurate, but being approximately so, they serve to show the first practical results. (See promotion statistics below.)

Some unexpected results were reported by individual teachers; as, for example, some reported "no promotions during the year," and hence no per cent; while others who promoted a division in October, and keeping the same pupils but doing the work of the next higher class until the end of the year, completed that course of study also, and therefore reported one division as twice promoted in the same year, or 200 per cent. Both reports are technically correct.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PROMOTION.

Primary classes: Average, 70; no study less than 50.
Grammar classes: Average, 80; no study less than 60.
High school: Average, 80; no study less than 65.

The standing of pupils in the grammar and higher primary classes is determined as follows: First month, by written tests, questions prepared by the teacher. Second month, recorded opinion of the teacher, but no written or oral tests except as required in regular lessons and recitations. Third month, one regular recitation in each subject to be in writing once each week and graded and averaged for the month. Such recitations are not to be announced and are to be conducted at irregular intervals and unexpected hours. Fourth month, written tests; questions to be prepared by the principal. Fifth month, same as second month. Sixth month, same as third month. Seventh month, same as first month. Eighth month, same as fourth month. Ninth month, same as third month. Tenth month, same as second month.

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Number of pupils who have neither gained nor lost since entering D primary.

191 123 117 81 Total months' time gained by entire grade. 595 1,167 1,373 1.629 2.298 2,290 2,012 1,728 Total months' time lost by entire grade..3,812 4,778 4,839 4,882 3,216 1,269 1,020 535

394

61

33

1.053

13, 122

24,451

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