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them as homogeneous as possible and to adjust the subject matter of instruction in both quantity and quality to the ability of the children. The scheme of classification is:

I. The supernormal children, or those intellectually superior.

II. The normal children, divided into three main groups:

The ones, those intellectually bright
and able to do work of three five-
months' terms in two.
The twos, those ordinarily capable
and able to do the work of a five-
months' term in five months.
The threes, those slow, but able to
do the work of a five-months'
term in approximately seven
months.

III. The subnormal children, divided
into three groups:
(a) The moral defectives, those in-
corrigible or chronically in-
subordinate.

(b) The physical defectives, such
as the deaf, or otherwise
physically handicapped.
(c) The mental defectives, the
morons and high grade im-
beciles.

It is estimated that about 2 per cent of the school population is of superior intelligence and that these children are deprived of their rights by hampering conditions in ordinary classes. The desirable plan is to segregate them, to afford them ample opportunity to gain time in their educational career, and to provide instructions fitted to their capacities and needs. We have not yet fully developed our plan, but in due time there will be centres established for these children. Temporarily the supernormal are classed with the ones of the normal division. We have restoration classes in elementary schools for those who for any reason have fallen behind, and coaching or service classes

in the high schools. During the summer elementary and high schools are maintained to assist pupils to improve their work and to gain time by extra study.

It is clear that we cannot use the same standard of accomplishment in these different classes. There must then be recognized three different treatments of the same subject: that for the threes, limited in nature with much formal drill; that for the twos, not so formal, but broader in scope with more associations; that for the ones, even broader in character, including more content and a study of relations, such as cause and effect. The three treatments may be termed the mechanical, the conventional and the philosophical.

The moral defectives are transferred, when necessary, after full investigation by the Department of Compulsory Attendance, to schools distant from their homes, on the theory that a new environment and new association may effect reform. If not successful, they are, after examination by the psychologist, sent to special schools called ungraded schools. This is usually effective, but when it is not they are taken by court action from their ignorant parents and street associations and committed to the Newark City Home, an institution maintained in the country, where every possible provision is made for their welfare and education.

Another plan in making instruction function as vitally as possible is the method of teaching the manual arts and some other subjects of the curriculum. In Newark the manual arts were taught for many years by giving one lesson a week in all grades, with the exception of domestic science in the 7A and 8A grades in place of domestic art. The one-lesson-a-week plan did not afford sufficient time for pupils to acquire the desirable skill. The interest was sporadic

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rather than cumulative, and much of the instruction needed repetition. We have introduced an "Intensive Method" of teaching the manual arts; that is, a lesson each day for boys in manual training and one each day for girls in domestic art or domestic science for a period of approximately five weeks, followed by the subjects, music, hygiene, and civics for an equal period of time. The next subject is taught every day for another five weeks, and so the alternation continues.

The second subsidiary ideal is that the organization of the school system shall be elastic and comprehensive.

Newark has an all-year system of schools within her traditional system. There are ten of these schools ranging in enrollment from 1,522 to 2,568 pupils. These are elementary schools, two special schools, a junior high school, a senior high school. There are four terms of twelve weeks each, with vacations coincident with those of the regular school system. It is possible for the capable children to cover the elementary course in six years instead of eight and the secondary course in three years instead of four. Those capable of gaining time have the privilege; those who should not gain time need not be retarded beyond the period that they would have attended the traditional schools.

The traditional schools in Newark are being supplanted by the alternating or modified Gary schools. They begin at 8:30 in the morning and close at 3:45 in the afternoon. The plan of organization is valuable because it primarily affords better educational opportunities. Newark is developing, too, a system of junior high schools consisting of the 7th, 8th and 9th grades. At present all of these schools are in large elementary schools where the appeal of the new opportunity to begin secondary work early is an effective means of keeping

the pupils in school for one more year. Since great numbers of pupils do not survive the first year in the secondary schools, it is better to make the ninth year a goal from which pupils may depart accredited as graduates of the junior high schools, rather than have them withdraw from the senior high schools. More pupils stay to finish the junior high school course than formerly remained for the first year in the senior high schools.

The Newark school system includes a Junior College, established two and onehalf years ago, giving freshman and sophomore work of distinctly collegiate grade. While housed in a building with a high school, the Junior College is separate in aim, in methods of instruction, in texts used, in laboratory work, in recitations, and in customs and spirit. The faculty is composed of successful high school and college instructors holding graduate degrees. The courses are arranged for students desiring to obtain baccalaureate degrees and for those wishing to enter secretarial, journalistic, or medical courses in other colleges or in universities. Students must be graduates of a four-year high school course, and must take college admission examinations if they expect to proceed to a degree. Seventy of the best institutions in the country have agreed to admit the students on the same basis as students from other colleges. Fifteen of the seventeen graduates in June entered without conditions Rutgers, Brown, Princeton, the medical college of the University of Maryland, and other institutions of equal rank, and are making satisfactory and creditable records.

The third subsidiary ideal is the selection of good teachers and the conservation of their happiness. The teachers are the most important factors in education, because their insight and attain

ments and character influence the pupils precedent, adopted a rule that permits powerfully.

Newark has made provision for the selection of well equipped and competent teachers by a system of competitive examinations conducted by a Board of Examiners composed of the superintendent and six professional associates. This Board has the statutory right to license teachers. Its members must possess teachers' licenses or an education equivalent to that required to obtain them.

The effort is made to secure the happiness of teachers by making the conditions under which they work comfortable and attractive and by providing adequate compensation for acceptable service. For years teachers have had permanent tenure after a probationary period. The teachers belong to a state disability and pension system. The salaries, though less than metropolitan salaries, are good. There have been several new schedules adopted in successive years and another has become operative in September, 1921, The minimum salary will be $1,500 in elementary schools, and the maximum $4,400, for heads of departments in high schools. The annual increment is $100 in the lower and $200 in the higher schedules.

The Board of Education appointed a Salary Schedule Committee composed of representatives of the Board and of teachers' organizations, together with the superintendent and other officials to discuss and to formulate salary schedules and to prepare rules for their operation. Some years ago the superintendent developed a system of collegiate and professional training in cooperation with New York University for training teachers in service. To stimulate teachers to broaden their scholarship and to improve their professional equipment the Board. following the

teachers to be advanced one additional step on the schedule every three years provided they present certificates covering collegiate work, or an advanced degree, or research work of approved quality, and have made a record in the classroom of at least good during the period for which recognition is sought. Furthermore, there is provision for granting of leaves of absence of one year for study and observation to teachers of ten years' service and a year for rest and recreation after twenty years' service.

The great national ideal of educational effort is the making of worthy and loyal American citizens. For this we have an Americanization program for the adult foreign born. It covers the maintenance of classes in the evening schools, where not only spoken and written English is taught, but where the ideals of American life and character and the responsibilities of American citizenship are stressed. This we seek to do in all schools for all Americans. It is a Newark ideal to perfect her schools to this end and as a helpful means to inaugurate a system of educational guidance founded upon psychological tests that shall eventually help pupils select the type of work they are best able to do efficiently. There must be no blind lanes, but rather open roads, broad and level, leading to the coveted goals of life-personal efficiency, worthy character, and thoughtful and loyal American citizenship.

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History, Our Opportunity

By LOUISE R. JEFFREY.

History as a subject in the seventh grade curriculum is one to ponder over. School must be made attractive if we are to achieve the results desired. History may be a bore, a nuisance, something which a child can just tolerate, or it may be made so attractive that the history period is happily anticipated, eagerly enjoyed.

Which result do we wish? Do we wish our children to go out and say, "I hate history," or do we want them to say, "I like history best of all," and "I never knew that history could be made so interesting?"

In my visiting and observation which has lasted through twenty years of eager service, I have witnessed many varieties of history lessons. You know them. Here is the teacher who gives an excellent lecture while the children take notes which they despise. Tired and worn out, they pass along only to be questioned next day on subjects dry as dust and lacking in interest. This teacher has a glib tongue, she knows her lesson, but I did not come to hear her recite, I came to hear boys and girls tell what they know.

Next comes the teacher who questions word for word from the organized facts of the history textbook. She gives out another page and does the same tomorrow and tomorrow and endless more tomorrows.

And then comes the teacher who uses topics one, two, three and always and forever uses topics one, two, three.

Now, all of these methods are usable and are probably occasionally advisable, but why not make history a play time, a time of pleasure, and a time of imaginative development? Isn't it better to imagine ones-self a Pilgrim and really take the journey than to tell the facts

as an ordinary history textbook gives them? But more of this anon.

It is my contention, and I believe that in hundreds of instances, I have seen the results, that the only necessary aim of a teacher of history should be constantly, assiduously, joyfully and eternally to make the history period a period of pleasure. and in some way, and by some method unknown as yet, but aimed at always, to get her children acquainted with the millions of wonderful books written on this most wonderful of all subjects, and to do away as much as possible with the history textbook.

Just as much as our history students consult outside reading, just so much are we opening for them a storehouse of knowledge and a wealth of pleasure. Is it better to know that John Smith came to Virginia in 1607, or is it better to want to know more about the same John? Is a boy any better off if he has learned wherein John Smith succeeded and wherein John Smith failed? Is a boy any better off if he enjoys delving into these tales of long ago? Is history to be made a study wherein we may influence a boy's life, his character, his principles?

Take for instance, the story of Salem witchcraft. "Horrible," you say, and possibly, you say, "Not a subject for children to dwell upon," but here is a letter written by a girl of twelve, alive. with the spark of throbbing imagination, startling with its atmosphere of actual experience. This child was a little Salem maid for an hour and something was put into her life which helped to develop her vision:

Salem, Mass. Bay Colony,
June 12, 1692.

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Dear Prudence:

I have some very sad news to tell you.

You know that old lady who lives on the edge of the forest all alone. And how queer she acts. Well, next week she is going to be burnt at the stake. Everybody who acts queer is accused of being a witch and some are burned. They fling torches at the victim.

and thickets. Sometimes, we had to circle miles out of our course in order to elude roving bands and camps of savage Indians. Many times, we had to wade knee deep in ice cold rivers in order to keep our way. We drove herds of cattle, on in front of us so as to have

I wish that I was back in England in plenty of food for our followers. Someyour big house. I am so scared.

I knew that you would want to know the news, but it isn't very good news, is it?

I'm so afraid the people will take Grandma Allen for a witch because she goes around scaring little children, you know. She is a little foolish.

I am so frightened when I go to bed at night. I'm afraid some witch will come and pop me into her great kettle and eat me up. It makes me cold all

over.

I have to close now for Mother is cleaning house and I have my dreadful dishes to do.

Your friend,

MARGUERITE BROWNE.

Or here is an account of a journey to Connecticut. This boy goes with the Rev. Thomas Hooker and is one of the first settlers. Evidently, his imagination worked very strongly for here we have an original result, the atmosphere is primitive:

Windsor, 1634, Our new Colony. Dear Friend John:

It is during a rest period that I am writing this letter. We have been working, I can tell you. We were on the road about two weeks. The Rev. Thomas Hooker was the leader of our crowd. We succeeded in traveling only about six miles a day, pretty slow, but we were all tired, sick and often hungry.

Fearing Indians and wild animal attacks, the men with guns would surround the people like foot guards and march steadily onward through swamps

times, I had to travel with three or four men miles and miles away in order to get water. I was mighty glad when we reached our destination. Many of the people were nearly dead and some of them, we thought, would not be able to get there. But we did arrive. Poor Mrs. Hooker had to be carried on a stretcher. I tell you, John, it was an awful experience and I wouldn't take it again for a good deal.

But the pasture land is fine. They are all of the time talking about government here. I guess all of the fellows are going to be allowed to vote, whether they are church members or not. So long, John. There's a fellow going back on horse back.

Friend,

WILLIAM BROOKS.

Or here is a story of a terrible Indian attack; this girl, I feel sure, had become extremely interested in history.

Mendon, Mass., July 14, 1675.

Dear Faith:

We have been having a dreadful time here. Just a few days ago, we were all living happily in our village. That day, the men went out looking for Indians, for they had heard that they were around. When they had gone, we heard the most fearful yells and then we knew the Indians were coming.

Mother and I had just been washing the dishes and when we heard the yells, we dropped the dishes, picked up baby and started for the fort. Looking back, we saw some of the houses burning and

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