Morning Oregonian., October 23, 1913, Page 18, Image 18

THE MOKMXi OREGO.MA5, l'HUKSUAr, OUTOBJSK 23, 1U13.
PORTLAND SCHOOL NEEDS NUMEROUS REMEDIES REVEALED
Interesting Report in Seventeen Chapters Makes Critical Survey of Educational Facilities of City More Complete Information Relative to Conduct of School District by School Board Is Required.
18
(Continued From First Page.)
resolution adopted by the taxpayers'
meeting which authorized the survey,
was very comprehensive. It outlined
the following- scope for the survey,
which was followed by the experts:
1. Location, type, character and con
dition of existing school houses and
the estimated cost and type of future
school buildings.
2. Organization and methods of ad
ministration.
3. Form and manner of Instruction.
4. Courses of study and quality of
the textbooks.
6. Extent and need of playgrounds
and gymnasiums.
6. Development of domestic science,
manual training, trade, agricultural
and horticultural schools.
7. Salaries of teachers and other
employes.
S. Method and cost of accounting.
9. Form of organization and exam
(nation of school laws of the state as
aDDlleri to this district.
10. Average cost per pupil in com
parison with other cities.
11. Scientific method of raising the
required revenue, either by direct tax
ation or the issuance or Donas or ooin.
In the digest of the report of the
survey committee which follows, much
condensation has. of course, been nec
ressary. In all important particulars,
however, the exact words of the re
port has been used wherever possible,
CHAPTER I.
The Kegal Organization of the Port
land School District.
This chapter traces the state origin
of the Portland school district, offi
cially known as School District No. 1,
of Multnomah County, and shows how
from the very beginning In Oregon the
school district has existed largely for
the carrying out of a state, and not of
a, municipal purpose. The district de
rives all Its powers from the state, and
changes in the general education sys
tem must be authorized by the state.
"This fact has its disadvantages, as
well as Its advantages," says the re
port. "It is much more likely that
Portland will desire to advance more
rapidly than the state in extending its
educational system than that the state
will outstrip Portland. This will mean
that Portland will be compelled, from
time to time, to secure the permission
of the Legislature before It can make
much-needed educational advance
ment. For example, until the present
time the Portland school district has
been compelled to use the uniform
state series of textbooks in Its ele
mentary schools, though these were
adopted with the needs of the rural
schools In view and were, in the Judg
ment of the members of the Survey
staff, in a number of cases wholly un
suited to the needs of any modern
educational system. It would be hard
to conceive of any city, with a modern
educational organization, using such
books as were forced on the city by
the state.
"Another Illustration Is the reten
tion, in a city of 250,000 Inhabitants, of
the old, outgrown and In many states
entirely abandoned system of holding
an annual meeting of taxpayers of the
school district to levy the annual
school tax and to make needed appro
priations for the schools. The only
thing the meeting could do with any
safety would be to follow the judg
ment of the Directors, and if this is
to be done there is no wisdom in hold
ing the meeting.
"We were told that the tax is fre
quently voted by a mere handful of
citizens. Such a situation is fraught
with constant danger. If for any
cause, antagonisms should arise, it
would be easily possible for a very
few people to quietly appear and de
feat the tax, and thus imperil the
work of the school for a year to
come. A city the size of Portland
should be given legislative permlsslbn
to abandon this outgrown country.
school provision and to substitute in
stead a modern method for levying the
school taxes.
Bad Legislation Shown.
An Illustration of bad legislation,
due to state control of the district. Is
cited in the 1313 life-tenure-of-teach-ers'
bill In the Portland schools. This,
the committee says, "was secured from
an unthinking Legislature by repre
sentatives of the elementary teachers
of the city. Probably no legislation has
ever been enacted in the history of the
Portland school district which Is more
calculated ultimately to destroy the ef
ficiency of the school system."
The first need -of the district, the
survey points out. Is a new educational
charter.
This could be secured In the form of
a general law, applicable to any city
in the state having 20.000 or more
school children. It Is suggested. Though
the organization, election and size of
the Beard of Directors Is held to be
along good lines that should remain
as they are, the law, it is pointed out.
should provide for a good modern
educational organization . . . and
should specify the main powers of the
Board, the Superintendent of Schools,
the Superintendent of Properties and
the Clerk or Secretary. Certain powers
nnd duties should be guaranteed to
each, and they should be safeguarded
in 'tiie exercise of them by law. The
right of the district to make its own
courses of study, to adopt its own text
books, to set its own requirements for
entering the teaching service, to con
tract with its own teachers, and to es
tablish such schools and such types of
educational - activity as seem needed,
should be included In the law as a mat
ter of course.
"The right to determine the rate of
the amount of school taxes to be levied,
up to certain maxima, for buildings,
equipment and annual maintenance,
ought to be given to the Board of
School Directors alone, and with the
further right to submit the question
to a vote of the people if. In their
Judgment, still larger sums are needed
to meet emergencies or special educa
tional needs."
CHAPTER II.
The Administrative Organization of the
Portland School District.
That the Board of Education devotes
too much of its time to trivial matters,
that it takes too prominent a part in
the handling of details of school ad
ministration, with the result that ex
ecutive officers have too little author
ity and too little Initiative, which has
had a depressing effect all the way
down through the schools, are Import
ant conclusions of this important chap
ter. The chapter begins with considera
tion in detail of the business depart
ment of the school organization un
der the School Clerk, and the educa
tional department under the Superin
tendent of Schools.
"The business department seemed
well organized," reads the report, "and
quite efficiently managed throughout.
. . . . In the Judgment of the sur
vey staff this department seemed to
be the better organized and more ef
ficiently managed of the two. This is
perhaps only natural, as its work is
perfectly definite, the principles of
good business organization are well
known, the personal element plays a
much less important part, and effici
ency in service Is much easier to ob
tain and to maintain. It Is the part,
too. which the Board of School Direc
tors are most capable of properly or
ganizing and supervising; it Is the
part that, both by training and ex
perience, they are best able to under
stand; and there is a constant tendency
on the part of boards to over-em-1
phaslze the importance of this side of
the school organization.
Board's Devotion Praised.
Especial attention was given to the
work of the Board, "as it was felt that
the work and attitude of the Board
was, in a way, the key to the whole
situation."
Making it clear that there is noth
Ing personal in its criticism of th
Board, the survey committee prefaces
its analysis of conditions there by ex
pressing appreciation of "the devotion
to the public interest of the different
members of the Board of school JJi
rectors and in particular with the time
spent on the work anl the interest
taken in it by the president of the
Board." Members of the survey, it Is
asserted, "consider It all the more re
markable that the district is able to
retain the services of such men, under
the Dresent plan of doing business
The report then goes on: "A reading
of the minutes of the meettings Is suf
ficient to show that the Board attempts
to handle in person far too many
things and to transact, through its
committees and then by the Board as
a whole, many pieces of business which
ought to be delegated to the heads of
departments and other subordinates.
"The minutes show clearly that the
Board spends a large proportion of its
time trying to handle technical and
professional matters, largely relating
to teachers and instruction, which no
Board is competent alone to handle and
which ought to be referred to the edu
cational department - for attention. A
reading of the minutes further shows
that the Board also spends another
large proportion of its time in receiv-
ng communications, referring them to
committees, considering them there, re
porting them back to the Board with
recommendations and then formally
taking, action, when the matters con
sidered are of such a special or rou
tine nature that the communications
should have been referred at once to
the heads of departments for action.
"Many of the communications, too,
should not have gone to the Board at
all and would not if It were generally
understood by the people that the
proper heads of departments were in
possession of power to act on such
matters. ...
Saving Time Important.
' "By a proper organization of the
educational business It ought to be
possible to transact all the school busi
ness of the district by a meeting of a
couple of hours once in two weeks. All
such means of saving time are impor
tant, if citizens of ability and mature
Judgment are to be attracted to posi
tions on the Board."
Examples of some of the trivial mat
ters considered by the Board are given.
For example, two principals asked per
mission to hold school garden meetings
in their buildings and to make such an
announcement to their schools.
"Full authority in such cases should
rest with the school principal," is the
comment, "with perhaps advance noti
fication of the superintendent of prop
erties as to the use of school buildings
at irregular hours. The schools are
public property and the Board should
encourage their use as neighborhood
centers and for any legitimate public
purpose. If a school principal is to
be much of a neighborhood leader he
must feel free to invite his neighbors
to meet with him at his school for any
legitimate end. If the principal can
not use such authority wisely his suc
cessor ought to be elected soon.
Of another request, from the Super
intendent of Schools, asking permis
sion to have a small eight-page folder
printed, relating to the adoption of
text-books, the comment is:
Evidently the Superintendent of
Schools has no authority to take the
Initiative in such matters. The same
is evident, from other minutes, with
reference to the superintendent of
properties. In a school system the
size of Portland's some freedom of ao-
tion in the matter of expenditures
should be granted heads of depart
ments. The Superintendent of Schools
and the School Clerk each ought to be
able, on their own authority, to Incur
an Indebtedness up to $100 a month and
the superintendent of properties a still
larger sum.
Again the report says of trivial re
quests: "If the Superintendent cannot
handle such matters, the sooner the
Board gets a Superintendent who can
the better and if the principals cannot
take and wisely use such responsibil
ity, they ought to be replaced by prin
cipals who can, or have their salaries
reduced to that of mere clerks. It is a
waste of money to pay salaries large
enough to buy Judgment and dlscre
tion and then not permit Judgment and
discretion to be used."
Village Days Recalled,
Without attempting to fix blame for
the methods of the board, its numerous
meetings and handling of many admin
istrative details that ought to be
passed over to the board's executive of
ficers, the survey committee holds that
it is an inheritance from business
methods of the days when Portland
was a village. That the board, how
ever, owes It to itself as well as to the
best interests of the schools under its
charge to break through the system
and evolve a better plan is emphasized.
The present method of conducting
the educational work of the district is
not only wasteful of the time of the
directors," reads the summing up. "and
wholly unnecessary from an education
al or a business point of view, but It
has a depressing effect on the school
system as a whole. . . . The board
s too prominent in the administration;
the executive officers have too little
authority and too little Initiative; and
the effect of such a condition la felt
down through the whole school sys
tem.
'Whether the Superintendent of
Schools has continually shirked respon
sibility by passing It on to his board.
oi whether the board has assumed au
thority and taught the superintendent
that he must act cautiously and must
not assume too much authority, we do
whatever may be
MOST IMPORTANT FINDINGS OF SCHOOL SURVEY IN EPITOME.
The great fault with the Portland public school system Is declared to be a depressing uniformity, lack
of initiative and adherence to mechanical rules, from superintendent down to principals and teaching
staffs. There is lack of educational leadership, it Is asserted; not enough stimulus for thinking, and too
great a tendency to stay in the beaten paths.
The curriculum, which is classed as "mechanical" and "dead," Is . regarded as merely reflecting this
condition. It is termed poorly adapted both to the needs of the children to be educated and of the com
munity to be provided with efficiently trained service. -
The Board of Education Itself is held to be largely responsible, though unintentionally, for this condi
tion. This is asserted to be due to the too active part assumed by the Board in the administration of school
affairs, large and small. The Board, it is pointed out, through a long period of time, and almost as an in
heritance, has come so thoroughly to dominate the whole organization as t6 have crushed out personal Ini
tiative by assuming all authority and responsibility Itself.
On the other hand, making clear that there is nothing personal In this criticism, the devotion to the
public interest and the personal sacrifices in time and effort made by members of the Board are warmly
referred to.
The way out Is held to be primarily through reform by the Board in Its own methods, by placing au
thority and responsibility where they belong, under executive heads; by leaving, to its executives everything
pertaining to direct administration of school affairs. Including selection and handling of teachers, and then by
Important changes In the school system.
not know.
the origin or cause, the Superintend
ent of Schools is given at present too
little authority, and the one-year term
of office tends to hold him in subjec
tion
As a result, he comes to act cau-
ti6usly, and to defer continually to the
board. He comes to the meetings, but
his opinion is seldom asked. Matters
which are clearly within his province
are referred to board committees and
not to him. He is entirely too little
of a leader; too much of an office clerk.
Principals Mast Be Cautious.
"Having little authority himself, he
can in turn give but little to hia prin
cipals. They, too, must be cautious,
and must not assume too much person
al authority. They In turn pass on the
same spirit to their teachers, with the
result that all who really think come
to feel themselves part of a system, in
the devising of which they were not
consulted, and in the conduct of which
they have but little to say."
Of the way out of this condition, the
report declares the present to be a good
opportunity for remaking the school
system, and introducing in it right
principles of organization.
The present independence of the
department ought to be replaced by the
centralization of them into one depart
ment, the educational, with sub-departments,
under proper executive heads."
s the conclusion. "The present Inde
pendence of the school clerk, thtaugh it
works very well with the present ap
pointee, 13 iunaamentally wrong in
principle. . . . While exercising
large independent Jurisdiction In many
matters, both he and the superintend
ent of properties should be subject to
the jurisdiction of the Superintendent J
of Schools. He cannot properly be held
accountable for the successful conduct
of the educational affairs entrusted to
him unless in the final analysis he has
such final control."
After clearly outlining the duties
that should devolve on the heads of
the various departments, and the rela
tionships that should exist between
them, with the Superintendent of
Schools as the executive head of the
entire system, the report returns to the
board and Its duties. Such a distribu
tion of details. It la pointed out. will
leave the board free to devote its time
to the larger problems of its work.
Among which are set forth: Selection
of its expert advisers, upon whom much
care and time should be spent; the
larger problems of finance, present
and future; the selection of school sites,
always with future needs and growths
In mind: the approval of building
plans; determination of the budget of
expenses; final decision as to proposed
expansions and enlargements of the
educational system, and prevention of
unwise legislation by city or Leglsla
ture.
CHAPTER III.
The System of Supervision.
In proportion to salaries paid in other
cities for high-class teaching service,
the survey committee finds that salar
ies in Portland are not high, but that
they are high, in most cases, for the
kind of service now given in Portland
Weaknesses in the teaching system,
consisting mainly In an "appalling uni
formity," general lack of supervision
and mechanical instruction are held
due to the same causes set out In the
ast chapter, namely, the too prominent
part taken in the supervision of teach
ers by the Board of Education.
"What real strength the system has
today," is the conclusion here, "it has
more by reason of the youth, good edu
cation and character of its teachers
than by reason of the system of super
vision under which the system is
guided. Of real educational leadership
there is altogether too little; of stimuli
to independent action and thinking
there are altogether too few. As a re
sult, a certain timidity and lack of
character. Indicating a fundamental
weakness somewhere, seems to pervade
the supervisory organization. In most
matters the supervisory officers keep
close to the well established paths, and
do not assume much independence in
action. The school system, as a natural
result, is strong chiefly along the old
traditional lines and a uniformity so
marked that it Impedes progress char
acterizes the educational system."
That the city is not getting good re
sults from its school principals was as
serted, due to lack of responsibility
placed on them, and a resulting lack of
opportunity to exercise Initiative re
sulting in "a uniformity In the schools
that Is almost appalling." Responsi
bility for much of this deadening in the
schools is placed on the "rules and reg
ulations" of the Board for schools of
the district.
tutlon for fining system of "Judgment
and common sense."
Rules Held Petty.
The "rules and regulations' are held
to be petty In great part, and covering
too many matters which "ought to be
left to someone's good judgment and
good sense." The method of enforcing
them by a system of petty fines and
checking ups is regarded as "not cal
culated to secure any large degree of
confidence or friendly co-operation."
Proceeding to specific instances of
the uniformity of instruction required
by the system, the report comments in
part: "Regardless of differences in
the educational needs of the classes of
pupils attending such schools as the
Irvington and the Failing, or the Couch
and the Lents, for example, the course
of instruction for the entire nine years
Is identical for all schools. Even in
the day school for the deaf, an unsuc
cessful attempt is made to require the
same technical instruction for these
special type children.
"In the trade school, too, a class of
mature girls, who had entered the
school for work in the homekeeping
arts, , was seen laboriously trying to
make up the technical grammar of the
grades, which- they happened to have
missed. Of what use It would be to them
when made up, the principal of the
school could not tell us, and It would
be hard for anyone else to say.
"In the high schools, each school
must do the same work' In each sub
ject, and the only chance for change
seemed to lie In the unanimous agree
merit of all three schools, and the ap
proval of the superintendent and the
Board. Such a plan enables the poor
est and least progressive teachers, or
schools, or principals, to set the pace
for the entire system; makes no allow
ance for differences in aptitude and
needs; and Is educationally indefensi
ble."
Inspection System Wasteful,
Speaking of the relations between
the Superintendents office and the
teachers, the report says: "In tha
supervision of the work of Instruction,
so far as we could find out. but little
or a really helpful nature is provided.
The criticism Is made that the assist
ant superintendents take the attitude
of Inspectors, whose chief concern ap
pears to do to see now fully the course
of study is being carried out and the
rules and regulations obeyed. "The
present type of Inspection," is the con
clusion, "Is .wasteful of time, energy
and money, and Is of little value to
the schools."
That the majority of principals are
lacking in the essentials of a good
and helpful leader was another find
ing, by this being meant "the abilitv
to improve and develop teachers as
teachers; to encourage and aid them
In their particular work: to advise
them as to better ways and methods
and to inspire them with confidence.
and enthuse them for the work of in
struction. "However," the report adds.
the pressure to become helpful, per
sonal and educational leaders, rather
than inspectors and custodians, has
never been put Beriously on them from
above."
In summing up, the survey commit
tee recommends important changes.
including greater centralization of
power under the Superintendent as the
educational leader of the school sys
tem, and the withdrawal from this
work of the Board; to .free the Super-
ntenaent of clerical and detail work
by appointment of an assistant for of
fice work, leaving him free to spend
most of his time in the schools;
changes in scope of principals' work;
substitution for present weekly teach
ers meetings, which "lack aim or
purpose," of general school meetings
once a month, with definite programme
of work provided; radical revision of
alj and Regulations, and substi-
CHAPTER IV. 1
Selection and Tenure of Teachers.
The number of Portland high school
graduates, without other training, who
have crept Into the teaching force. Is
declared to be much too high, "espe
cially in. view of the weakness of the
Portland educational system." The
general policy followed of drawing
into the school system numbers of
good teachers from the outside Is
commended. The abolishment of the
pupil-teacher training system is held
to have been wise.
The wisdom, however, of further
maintaining the so-called teaching
courses in the high schools Is declared
questionable, such courses as are
given being called meager and wholly
inadequate for city needs.
"One great trouble with all such
local training schemes, the report
says. Is that they are too easy to get
through, and Inevitably result in an
in-breeding process which sooner or
later saps the vigor and independence
of the school system. Having finished
the Inadequate course of training pro
vided, the graduates come to expect
jobs In the school, and the schools, un
able to offer any good reason why tney
should not take' what they have grad
uated, gradually fill up tljelr schools
with such material to the exclusion of
better teachers from the outside. The
glrla who take the training may be
good enough as prospective material,
but the course of training usually pro
vided is so absolutely inadequate that
it does not give the necessary breauth
of view of the proper professional con
ceptions." - Again: "It is an almost necessary
part, too, of a teacher's preparation to
go away from home for at least part
of her training; to come In contact with
other schools and other methods of
work; and to learn to think for herself
by rubbing up against the differing
opinions of other people."
Instead of trying to train its own
teachers, the report concludes that the
district should aim to attract the best
teachers from elsewhere near or far.
An important conclusion also Is that
In the selection of teachers the super
intendent should have complete author
ity, and that the board should follow
his recommendations explicitly. That
the board, by usurping this function in
the past, has blundered seriously.
though entirely unintentionally, to the
detriment of the system, is further as
serted. Ufe-Tenure Question Up.
The second part of the chapter is de
voted to the life tenure of teachers law
passed by tha last Legislature, which
provides that after two years of serv
ice teachers cannot be dismissed ex
cept after formal trial before the board
and with formal written charges
served, notices of trial and attorneys
present. This law, the report asserts.
Is fatal to efficiency in the school sys
tem, and one of the important duties
of tha board, it says, is to obtain its
early repeal.
"The law, the report says. Is not
essentially different from the San
Francisco or Baltimore laws, and the
school boards in both places have prac
tically given up trying to dismiss any
one, however incompetent they may be.
The inevitable result on these systems
has been bad, very bad, and the same
results inevitably will come In time
to Portland if this thoroughly bad law
Is not repealed."
The over-activity of the board In
managing the teaching force, its sys
tem of requiring each teacher to be
elected each year, is held responsible
for this law. As a fair middle ground,
it Is proposed that after having passed
a probationary period, teachers should
either be re-elected for four or five
years, or be placed on indefinite con
tract.
"This middle ground," comments the
report, "is equally just to both sides.
The old conditions were not just to the
teachers, and the new conditions are
not Just to the children, who certainly
have rights as well as teachers.
"If we want to develop a self-satls
fled and unprogressive teaching force,
to ruin our American public schols,
and eventually to turn education, for
those who can afford It, over largely
to the private and parochial schols to
handle, then a life-tenure guarantee
for teachers and principles is one of the
surest means to such an end. Life
tenure for all efficient teachers there
should be, but it should come as a de
served reward for efficient service, and
not as a guaranteed right."
CHAPTER V.
The Salarlea of Teachers,
Salaries In Portland are declared to
be both too high and too low. "For
some of the teachers seen and for some
of the principals, both In the elemen
tary schools and In the high schools,
the amounts paid were much too high
for the quality of service at present
rendered. On the other hand, the sala,
ries of many of those seen were be'
low their real worth and below what
would be paid them for similar grade
of work In other Western cities."
High school salaries In general are
held to be too low, especially for the
higher positions. But merely to ad
vance the general level of salaries on
a uniform basis of length of service Is
opposed.
A system of Increases for the deserv
ing ones, based on personal growth
through travel and study. Is recom
mended.
This pertinent comment on the per
sonnel of the teaching force In Port
land is made: "It is along the lines
of 'awakening greater Interest and In
sight on the part of the teachers and
principals and of developing a greater
personal desire to keep growing that
it seemed to us that reforms In deal
ing with tha teachers ought to be di
rected. Inspection, compulsion, rules
and regulations are almost valueless
here. Helpful leadership must be sub
stituted instead. But helpful lead
ership can do only about so much; to
help teachers most they must be stim
ulated to help themselves. To assist
helpful leadership to do Its work, both
promotions on merit and monetary re
wards should be added, to be given to
those who do most to Increase their
personal efficiency and to advance the
highest interests of the schools."'
CHAPTER VI.
Social and Economic Position.
This chapter consists largely of an
analysis of the growth and character
of the population of Portland In ref
erence to the educational needs of the
city, and also contains tables showing
the relative cer capita exoendltures,
for school purposes. The figures show
Portland's school taxes to be relatively
light.
CHAPTER VII.
The Educational Needs of Such n City.
That Portland has the opportunity
to have a school system one of the
best in the United States is asserted.
Analyzing the changes In educational
ideals, the report says In part: "Within
recent years, and particularly since
about 1900, entirely new conceptions
of the place and province of public
education In a democratic society have
come to the front and are rapidly be
ing accepted by our American people.
"The Idea that the school exists to
transmit to the next generation the
accumulated knowledge of the past
has given way to the newer concep
tion that the school exists to prepare
the child of today for intelligent par
ticipation In that BOdiety social, po
litical and economic of which he or
she will form a part. ... Applying
these principles to the local situation,
we should expect to find, in a city of
the size and importance of Portland,
a school system thoroughly conscious
of these modern ends and aims, and
consciously working to Improve not
only the educational, but also the so
cial, political, commercial and physical
welfare of the community."
Especially interesting is one com
ment on the courses In the elementary
schools, by which Is meant all instruc
tion below the high school.
"Years of a child's life are often
spent In learning certain supposed
uses of a tool, for which there Is no
use outside of the schoolroom itself.
This Is particularly true of arithmetic
and grammar. Pupils are often drilled
for years on problems of a type no man
In political life ever BOlves, and gram
matical drill is given, often for years,
which can be of no use to anyone
except to a school teacher."
The report goes into detail In regard
to the needs of an educational system
for Portland made out on broad, help
ful, practical lines.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Present System of Elementary
and Secondary Instruction.
This chapter is an exhaustive and
critical review of the curriculum of
the Portland schools. It, and the chap
ters Immediately following, outlining a
definite educational programme to re
place Portland's present "dead curri
culum," are among the most interest
ing and important of the whole report
Three fundamental working princi
ples that must be observed in working
out the local problem, are first Bet
forth. They are:
First, the children and youth of
the community must be constantly and
sympathetically studied by teachers
and principals. In order that these may
understand at all times the condition,
the capacity, the interests, and the
educational needs of each child or
youth;
"Second. the various present and
prospective opportunities and needs of
the community for worthy service also
must be studied, constantly and appre
datively, particularly by those lmme
diatelv responsible for the education
of youth soon to be called upon to take
effective part In the occupations and
life of the community; and
"Third, the instruction of each child
and youth the content, the method,
and the Immediate purpose of that In
structlon must be constantly adapted
to the needs of that child or youth. In
the light of the needs of the com
munity.
"To what extent are these funda
mental working principles now ob
served In the conduct of the Portland
schools?" Is asked. And the answer is
"Almost not at all, consciously and In
tentlonally; certainly In practice they
are not accepted in any degree as fun
damental, guiding principles. The uni
versal practice whether approved or
disapproved by those participating in
it is enlisted in the maintenance of
a rigid, minutely and mechanically
prescribed system of Instruction, or
ganization, administration, supervis
ion, examination and inspection."
Summary Is Given.
Little more can be given here than
the bare summary of the Investigation
made of the system. Its chief charac
terlstlcs are thus set forth:
1.' A rigidly prescribed, mechanical
system of Instruction, organization
and administration, poorly adapted
both to the needs of the children and
youth to be educated, and of the com
munity to be provided with efficiently
trained service. Is the most universally
evident fact of the Portland schools.
2. No one Is wholly or primarily re
sponsible for the system that dom
lnates and mechanizes the thoughts
and efforts of all connected with it
school board, superintendent, assistant
suoerlntendent. principals, teachers
and pupils.
3. The mechanical system manifests
Itself In the course of study:
A. The elementary course of study
Is dead, vivisected mathematically into
64 separate prescriptions, most of
which are composed of a given number
of pages from certain textbooks.
B. Regardless of age or need, pupils
are fitted to this dead curriculum
there Is no adaptation of the curri
culum to the pupil. As a consequence,
there are children of each year of age,
from 11 to 16 Inclusive, in every one
of the nine elementary grades.
C. There Is abundant evidence that
almost no thought was ever devoted
to the working out and formulation of
the elementary course of study.
D. In content the elementary course
of study presents the following characteristics:
Course Characteristics Given.
a. The prescriptions of subject mat
ter are absolutely and mechanically
uniform for all.
b. Tha prescribed work is over
whelmingly abstract and bookish.
c. An excessive amount of time Is
given to abstract arithmetic and tech
nical grammar.
d. Composition receives inadequate
attention.
e. The study of history is deferred
to a point that one-third of the pupils
never reach.
4. The mechanical system manifests
Itself in the scheme of promotional ex
aminations: ,
A. The scheme is mechanical.
B. The anticipations of examinations
dominate and distort the work of
teachers and pupils.
C The examinations are wasteful
of time and effort. -
5. The mechanical system manifests
Itself In the spirit and method of in
struction in the classrooms:
A, In the lowest grades, where the
system bears less heavily, the work
is generally good, much of It very
good, some of it excellent.
B. Work In the grammar grades is
characterized routine, lack of method
absence of evidence of genuine inter
est.
C. In the grammar grades reading
Is perfunctory; composition very poor;
penmanship careless; geography ab
stract and bookish; history 43ry and
dull; arithmetic and technical grammar
taught with considerable skill, but
greatly over-emphasized, and the In
struction not adapted to human needs.
Influence Is Manifest.
6. The influence of the mechanical
Bystem is manifested in the attitude of
principals, teachers and pupils In the
grammar grades:
A. It relieves teachers of educational
responsibility.
B. It encourages passive, routine,
clerical work on the part of both
teachers and pupils.
C. Its effect on the principals Is
deadening; it neither requires nor en
courages; It scarcely even permits the
assumption of any real educational re
sponsibility by them.
7. The absence of the mechanizing
effects of the system Is manifested in
the activity, originality, independence,
interest and enthusiasm which charac
terize the work of the elementary
grade a
8. There is a dearth of suitable and
even necessary educational material
throughout the elementary grades.
9. Classes in the elementary schools
are of commendable size.
10. The discipline In the elementary
schools is excellent.
11. Provisions for defectives are
wholly Inadequate.
12. Provisions for secondary educa
tion ar.e found in three high schools
and In the School of Trades.
13. In the last five years there has
been a rapid growth of secondary pu
pils, out of all proportion to the In
crease In total school enrollment.
14. There are some excellent and
some grossly inefficient teachers in
the high schools, some of the repre
sentatives of inefficiency drawing
larger salaries than the representatives
of excellence.
15. High school principals and teach
ers are engaged in teaching subjects,
rather than in educating the youth of
the city.
1C The uniformity of curriculum for
all high schools is a distinct barrier
to progress.
17. Subjects are uniform and Isolated.
18. Pupils' courses lack unity and
definiteness of purpose.
19. The examination system costs 20
per cent of the school year, and its re
sults are of little value.
CHAPTER IX.
Outline of an Educational Programme.
This chapter deals with the proper
educational programme to be followed,
always taking Into consideration local
needs. Summarized briefly, the find
ings of the survey are as follows:
1. In simplest terms, Portland's ed
ucational problem Is this: What' shall
be done for the 40,000 children and
youth of the city that their value to
themselves and to the community may
be increased to the largest possible ex
tent? 2. Always the first and most im
portant step in the solution of this
problem is an appreciaive understand
ing of the capacities, interests, possi
bilities, of each one of these 40,000 In
dividuals. 3. Such an understanding can be I
gained by no one, by no small number
of persons; this is the great responsi
bility of the 900 teachers, principals.
supervisors and superintendents.
4. An adequate educational pro
gramme for the community must be
based on the individual needs of the
boys and girls to be educated, and the
community needs for service.
6. Such a programme does not call
for Individual Instruction to any con
siderable extent; it does call for the
grouping of pupils into schools and
classes in accordance with similarity
of needs.
6. Seven factors must be considered
in determining adequate grouping of
pupils for Instruction:
A. Maturity, most readily but only
roughly indicated by age.
B. Knowledge, and ability to learn
and to do.
C. Probable time to be devoted to
schooling.
D. Natural capacity and Interest.
E. Command of the English language.
'F. Marked defects, abnormalities
and subnormalitles, physical and
mental.
G. Sex.
Ages Makes Difference.
7. The significance of age.
A. Children under 6 are educable
and suitable provision should be madti
for them.
B. Children of a greater age-range
than 3 or 4 years cannot be instructed
advantageously in classes together;
10 per cent of the pupils in the ele
mentary grades in Portland need re
classification on account of ago alone.
C. "Over-age" is the resultant of
one or more of a lnrge number of di
verse causes. All over-age pupils
should be studied, and suitable treat
ment applied. It Is still more import
ant to anticipate and provent the de
velopment of over-age pupils.
8. Knowledge and ability respecting
conventional school subjects is a most
useful criterion for determining oppro
prlate classification and instruction,
but It Is not the only one.
As all public Instruction should be
designed to fit the recipient of it for
largest usefulness, the time available
for such Instruction must be an Im
portant factor In determining what
that Instruction shall be.
10. Instruction Is effective only as
It Is adapted to the capacity and in
terest of the recipient.
11. Ignorance of the English lan
guage is a handicap that calls for sep
arate classification and special instruc
tion.
12. Markedly abnormal and subnor
mal children should be segregated, both
in their own interest and In the Inter
est of normal children.
13. Separate classification according
to sex is involved indirectly in carry
ing on instruction In preparation for
fields of service peculiarly apprapriate
to the one sex or the other.
14. The school population falls Into
four large, fairly distinct groups, best
represented under the names of the
types of education best suited to the
respective group needs:
A. The kindergarten group.
B. The elementary group.
C. The intermediate group.
D. The secondary group.
Instruction Must Be Varied.
15. Instruction for each group must
be adapted to the needs of the children
or youth of that group:
A. The kindergarten group requires
the best form of kindergarten instruction.
B. The elementary group needs In
struction in:
The language arts: Reading,
writing, spelling and composition.
b. Arithmetic
c. Geography.
d. History of the United States.
e. Hygiene, physical training and
physiology.
f. Drawing ana elementary manual
training.
g. Vocal music.
C. The intermediate group requires
differentiated courses of Instruction:
a. Literary.
b. Pre-vocatlonaL
ii. The secondary group requires still
further differentiated courses:
1. Preparatory. '
2. Vocational.
16, Courses of study must ohnz
constantly to meet the ever-diaiming
needs of pupils and to fit for the ever-
varying service that society demands.
17. Promotion must b based not on
what a pupil has learned, but on what
he needs to learn.
18. The successful execution of this
programme demands the assumption of
large educational responsibility by
teachers and principals: it calls for ap
preciative study, the exercise of keen
Insight and sound judgment, and tin
unfailing co-operation, under wise
leadership, of all.
CHAPTER X.
The Present Offering of the St-honl
DlMtrtet in Vocational Studies, With
Suggestions for Improvements.
In this chapter is made the follow
ing summary of existing conditions,
and recommendations for their better
ment: "Portland makes the following pro
visions for vocational education in her
school system:
"1. School gardening, conducted un
der a civic organization. Independent of
the system.
"2. Drawing, commencing with the
fourth grade, and extending through
high school.
"3. Manual work for boys, beginning
In the fifth grade, and continuing in
the high school as general woodshop
and machine shop work.
"4. Academic mechanical drawing, in
the high school.
"5. Sewing, beginning with the fifth
grade, and carried Into the high school.
"6. Cooking, taught only In the high
school.
"7. Commercial work, offered only in
the high school.
"8. Trade work in carpentery, cabi
net making, pattern making, machine
Bhop work, electricul construction, ar
chitectural drawing, mechanical draw
ing, printing, cooking, sewing and mil
linery, offered in the School of Trades.
"With the exception of commercial
work and cooking and sewing. In th
high schools, the work In the School
of Trades, the applied work mentioned
is more cultural and academic than vo
cational in character and purpose.
"The following changes are, I 1
lieve, necessary to put vocational work
in Portland on the most efficient basis:
Recommendations.
"1. Primary manual arts should b
Introduced into the first, second ami
third grades, and the work in manual
training in the upper grades made
much less formal.
"2. Cooking should be introduced In
the sixth, not later than the seventh
grade.
"3. The elementary course In sewing
should be modified to Include more
garment making and less exercise
work,
"4. The work In music, and tha train
ing of the powers of expression, need
much amplification.
"5. The Board of School Directors
should assume full financial and edu
cational responsibility for school gar
dening, and place the work under an
efficient supervisor, with sufficient
help to carry it out.
"S. Five or more Intermediate schools
should bo organized, to cover the sev
enth, eighth and ninth grade work.
These should offer distinct courses in
commercial and industrial work, and
act as pre-vocational schools. Some of
them should specialize in vocational
branches, as indicated earlier. One. at
least, should offer half-day courses
from 9 to 12 A. M.. or from 1 to 4:..i
P. M., for pupils who must earn some
thing while attending school. Courses
of this kind might well be extended
through the tenth year.
7. If the intermediate school plan is
not adopted, freehand drawing in tlio
seventh and eighth grades should spe
cialize, to meet the needs of girls, in
costume designing, home decorating
and furnishing, pottery and leather
and metal work; and mechanical draw
ing should be offered to boys. The
drawing in the high schools needs re
direction and additional facilities for
work.
8. Vocational work for girls should
receive a much greater expenditure of
time, thought and money than it now
does.
9. A vocational guidance director
should be appointed for the Portland
schools, whose duties should Include
(a) A study of the industrial and com
mercial conditions of Portland and it.i
environment, to discover the trend of
commercial and industrial development.
(b) Through communication with busi
ness men to determine what the schools
could do better to fit young people to
become efficient in different lines of
work, (c) To advise boys and girls in
requirements. necessary preparation
and prospects in different vocations,
(d) To supervise the organization of
vocational courses, and (e) to help in
the seloctlon of vocational teachers.
10. The commercial courses in tha
high schools need reorganizing and in
particular need to be much more close
ly connected with the business life of
the city. In a city such as Portland,
where the business life is of such fun
damental importance, the commercial
work ought distinctly to excel.
11. In a city, too, with such import
ant agricultural surroundings and in
terests, there should be a first-class
agricultural high school, well provided
for practical instruction.
12. The Portland School or 'irnari
should be merged Into a technical high
school, retaining the trade courses.
CHAPTER XI.
Needed Reorganisations.
These recommendations are made:
1. That the school system be reor
ganized, to secure greater educational
efficiency, into the following units:
a. Kindergarten, one year.
b. Elementary schools, six years.
c. Intermediate schools, three years.
d. High schools, five years (three or
four years now, five ultimately).
This can bo made a truly American
svstem, fitted to meet social, profes
sional, industrial and commercial needs
of American boys and girls.
. That ungraded rooms should no
j established in connection with each ele
mentary scnooi oi any size, io anoru
the necessary provision for the excep
tional children in the school.
3. Four or five special or truant
schools for boys, irregular in their
studies, habits and deportment, should
be established, graduating their boys
into a central special manual school,
from which they should be admitted to
one of the high schools.
1. The vacation school system should
be generally enlarged and extended and
changed somewhat in type. The piny
grounds should be closely connected
with such school work.
5. Tha night school work should bo
enlarged, enriched and materially ex
tended in scope, and its purpose in part
changed.
6. The school day should be extended,
and Saturday forenoon included for vo
cational work in grammar schools, car
rying the seventh and eighth grades, in
the intermediate schools and in the
high schools.
7. Two special art schools, one for
intermediate and one for high school
pupils, should be established.
8. There should be established at
least two, and gradually a number
more, of neighborhood schools, to meet
the peculiar needs of certain centers
within the city.
9. A school for the instruction of Jani
tors should be added, standards for the
S
(Concluded on I'aga 19.)