USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee from its first settlement to the year 1895 > Part 27
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The Committee on Text-Books, of which James MacAlister was chairman, recommended a "little more teacher and a little less text-book," indicat- ing that the demand of the time was emancipation of the teacher and pupil from entire dependence upon the book for mental discipline. The course of study was modified and revised to correspond with the changes in text-books and to allow for additions to the course. Music was added in all the grades; as was also "Physical Exercises" and " rule was subsequently changed so that the prin- cipal performed this duty under the supervision of the superintendent, while the superintendent him- self made a personal examination of certain of the upper grades-the same in all the schools- for the purpose of comparison of results in the different schools. During the administration of Mr. Lau the school methods and work were still in a formative and unsettled, vet progressive state; and very much was attempted during his time in improving and enriching the school course, and in providing means for carrying it on.
CHAPTER XXV.
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENCY OF JAMES MACALISTER.
BY AUGUSTUS J. ROGERS.
A T the meeting of the board in 1874, Mr. James MacAlister was elected to succeed Mr. Lau as superintendent of schools. Upon the election of Mr. MacAlister the salary of the superintendent was raised from two thou- sand dollars per annum to three thousand dollars per annum, and that of the secretary from twelve hundred dollars to fourteen hundred dollars per annum. Mr. MacAlister had been principal of the Fourth ward school from 1860 to 1865, had been in the School Board for the past two years, and was president of the board when elected to the super- intendency. The interval of his separation from the schools was spent in the study and practice of the law. He thus brought to his official duties a well-trained mind and a large and varied experi- ence in school work. Some of his first recommen- dations were the consolidation of grades where the numbers were small, and the appointment of a second assistant for the tenth grade whose salary would be sufficient to secure teachers of ex- perience and superior qualifications. He also pro- posed to form classes with a view of assisting meritorious teachers holding the B certificate to obtain the A certificate. Classes for that purpose should be taught in algebra, physics, physiology and physical geography. These classes were sub- sequently formed and taught by himself and by Messrs. Peckham and Spinney from the teaching corps. In the matter of the course of instruction he recommends some changes, which he deems necessary. Although he was chairman of the Com- mittee on Course of Instruction, and was probably largely responsible for the course as adopted by the board at the close of the year 1873-he expressed the opinion that more of the features of the kindergarten should be introduced into the tenth grade, that the oral instruction should be made more definite, and even the studies taught from text books he thinks advisable to map out in syllabuses. He recommends further that the work of the first grade shall be advanced, and not a re-
view of the work of the lower grades. By so doing it will be possible to cut off the first year in the high school-with the exception of Latin-and thus "confine the course of study in the high school to the higher branches of learning that form its proper work."
During the month of June, 1874, an examina- tion of the first grades of all the ward schools was held by the superintendent, assisted by different principals. This examination served the two- fold purpose of graduation from the ward schools and promotion to the high school.
According to a rule of the board adopted in the year 1873-74, it is required that the president of the board shall prepare an annual address at the regular meeting in May. In this annual address in May, 1875, President G. C. Trumpf thinks the course of instruction requires another revision to make it more flexible in the lower and middle grades. He also takes occasion to defend the study of German, music and drawing against the attacks which are made upon them as branches of study in the common schools. He says he offers no argument in favor of the continuance of Ger- man other than its expediency. By driving Ger- man from the schools, they will drive from the schools three-fourths of the children of German parentage.
For the year ending 1875, the Committee on Rules of which Mr. R. C. Spencer was chairman undertook the codification of the rules and made many alterations, additions and amendments that were adopted by the board. These changes re- lated to the duties of the president, superintend- ent, secretary, teachers and the various commit- tees. The recommendations of the superintendent and Executive Committee, with reference to the apportionment of teachers and the making of a new class of teachers to be known as second as- sistants, were adopted and incorporated in the rules. According to the new rules each district school was allowed one principal, one first
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your Obedient Servant . Robert@Spencer
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SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENCY OF JAMES MACALISTER.
assistant, one second assistant, one teacher for each forty-four in the first, second, third and fourth grades-fifty-four pupils for the fifth, sixth and seventh grades-sixty-six pupils for the eighth, ninth and tenth grades. New teachers were ap- pointed on trial for three months, and all teachers must pass an examination and receive a certificate of qualification from the committee on examina- tion, except teachers in the high school and the superintendents of music and drawing, who will pass such examinations in their specialties as their respective committees may prescribe. The posi- tion of second assistant never existed in fact, as teachers of that class never were appointed and the rule establishing that position was subse- quently abolished.
At this time a recommendation was made by the superintendent and adopted by the board, for the creation of a new grade of schools between the ward schools and the high school to be known as Grammar or Intermediate Schools. By this scheme the city would be divided into districts and all the first and second grades of the district would be gathered into one centrally located school. This change was to go into effect in Sep- tember of 1875, but it was regarded as so radical a change and so many objections had arisen to it, that it was deemed inexpedient to carry it out at that time, and it has never since been attempted.
Among other recommendations of Superinten- dent MacAlister was a new grade of certificate to be known as " Principal's certificate," and which would be required of all applicants for the position of principal of a full graded school. The scholarship for the certificate should be higher than for the A certificate, and should include the additional subjects mental science, natural his- tory, geometery, general history and English literature, and the theory and practice of teach- ing should be made " searching and thorough." This certificate when once obtained should be per- manent and the holder should not be subjected to re-examination at the end of five years as hereto- fore. This suggestion was carried out by the board, with the addition of geometry, chemistry and geology to the subjects for examination.
The candidate for Principal's certificate upon passing this examination received the "Partial Principal's certificate, " and after one year's ser- vice, proving his fitness to impart instruction and to manage and organize a school, he was given the
Principal's certificate which made him " once for all a member of the teachers' profession." Teach- ers holding the A certificate, Mr. MacAlister thinks should have a permanancy of certification and not be required to be re-examined at the end of every five years.
In his annual report for the year ending 1875, Superintendent MacAlister calls attention to the fact that the percentage of promotions in some schools seems too high as compared with others, especially in the upper grades. He is inclined to think it is due to the disposition of some princi- pals to pass pupils on too rapidly in the grade work. He deplores this tendency, and thinks the effect is to the injury of the pupils in the long run and "tends to reduce the character of the schools for doing thorough and efficient work." The examination of the first grade at the close of the year he regards as of especial value, as it covers the whole of the studies pursued in the four highest grades, and shows all the irregulari- ties and deficiencies of the pupil's whole course of training and "nothing but thorough and careful work can carry him through."
He regrets that pupils are being pushed too rapidly, especially in the four upper grades. He says : "The average age at which pupils finish the course of study is too low in some schools. In but two schools is it as high as sixteen years ; in four it runs down to fourteen ; in all the schools it is only fifteen years."
At the beginning of the school year 1875-76 the board changed the names of the several schools to make them correspond to the wards in which they were situated as follows :
Juneau school changed to First District School.
Webster
66 " Second District School.
Jefferson 6.
" Second District Branch School.
Jackson
" Third District School.
Pomeroy
" Third District Branch School.
Plankinton “
" Fourth District School.
Palmer
" Fourth District Branch School.
Mitchell ‹.
" Fifth District School.
Humboldt “
" Sixth District School.
Hadley 66
66 " Seventh District School.
Douglas
" Eighth District School.
Quentin 66
" Ninth District School.
Washington
" Tenth District School.
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HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE.
Teutonia school changed to Tenth District Branch
School.
Franklin 66
" Eleventh Dist'ct School.
Lincoln 66
66 " Twelfth District School.
Union
" Thirteenth Dis't School.
Round House
" Thirteenth Dis't Branch School.
The district lines corresponded with the ward lines in all cases, excepting a slight difference in the Twelfth and Thirteenth wards.
Commencing with the school year 1877-78, Superintendent MacAlister held monthly teach- ers' meetings under a rule adopted by the board. They were divided into three classes as follows : Meetings of Principals, Teachers of German, and assistants. The assistants were divided into three sections for the lower, middle and upper grades. It was during this time that the Milwaukee Teach- ers' Association was active and flourishing. For several years they held frequent meetings which were of a social and literary character. In later years this association has held fewer meetings of a social character, and the ward associations have been more active.
During the winter of 1876 extensive prepara- tions were made for the public school exhibit at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. There was included one hundred and three volumes of written examination work from all pupils in all the subjects in the district schools, five from the high school, one from the normal and six vol- umes of selected work. There were also photo- graphs of blackboard drawings by the pupils and of school buildings ; a banner giving various items of school statistics, framed copies of school di- plomas, school blanks, course of study, and a map of the city showing distribution of schools, etc. There was also added a memorial tablet, setting forth the offering, amounting to six hundred and sixty-eight dollars and thirty-two cents, made by the public school children on Washington's birth- day, to assist in restoring Mount Vernon.
Mons. F. Buisson, the President of the French Commission on Education to the Centennial Ex- hibition at Philadelphia, was much pleased with Milwaukee's exhibit and made a personal visit to the city to inspect the public schools. In com- menting upon the schools he said : " Milwaukee is one of the American cities where the educa- tional question is the most seriously studied and the most happily solved. As I had the pleasure
to say in my visit to your normal school, the ensemble of your educational institutions presents a series of methodical steps, with their pedagog- ical objects well established and well co-ordinated." A bronze medal was awarded by the jury in the Educational Department of the Philadelphia Ex- hibition.
On March 5th, 1878, the board determined to send an exhibit of the school system to the Paris Exposition. This exhibit consisted mainly of the Philadelphia Exhibit with the addition of some later school statistics. Of this exhibit the Com- missioner of Education, the Hon. John Eaton said: "Your exhibit is very complete and well cal- culated to illustrate in an able manner your school system. It will be a valuable addition to the educational display from this country." A silver medal-which never came, but a diploma was sent in its stead-was awarded by the jury of the Educational Exhibit in Paris for the excellence of the exhibit of Milwaukee. Eight volumes of pupils' written work was given to Japan and ten given to Italy. The remainder of the materials sent to Paris was presented to the minister of Public Instruction in France, to be placed in the pedagogical museum and library in the "Palais Bourbon."
At a meeting of the board, September 4, 1877, the rule was adopted that there should there- after be four grades of certificates, denominated respectively. Principal's certificate, Life certifi- cate, "A" certificate and "B" certificate. Life was granted to holders of full A who had taught two or more consecutive years in the public schools of the city to the satisfaction of the board. Princi- pals of all branch and primary schools were re- quired to hold the full A certificate and to have taught two years in the city schools.
By action of the board, January 5th, 1875, it was resolved that teachers holding "Partial B" certificates be required to make them up to "Full B" within one year. This form of certificate was again changed in 1878, whereby candidates were required to pass an examination equivalent to the Full B, and would receive the Partial B certificate upon obtaining eighty per cent or more, and the Full B certificate would be granted after one year's successful experience in the city schools. Thus the "Partial B" was made equal to the Full B in scholarship, and differed from it only in ex- perience. The result of this acquisition of higher
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SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENCY OF JAMES MACALISTER.
grade certificate, by higher scholarship and con- corporal punishment does not. In that respect suspension would be preferable to the infliction of bodily pain by the teacher.
tinued service, increased the efficiency of the schools, but also increased the cost of the schools. This policy of basing certificate and salary upon scholarship and experience only, was afterward criticised, and changed to some extent in the time of Superintendent Anderson. In 1878 the rule was passed by the board that diplomas of gradu- ation from the full course of any of the state nor- mal schools of the state would entitle the holder to a Principal's partial certificate.
Corporal punishment had been so severe and so frequent in some of the wards that it was referred to by the president and superintendent in their annual reports for the year ending 1881. More than fifty cases are reported from one school in three weeks, and the board is urged to "arrest a practice so degrading to both teacher and pupil."
A rule was passed June 21st of that year to the effect that corporal punishment shall be resorted to only in extreme cases and as a last resort, and must be administered only by the principal of the school, or by an authorized assistant. It must be inflicted also out of class and not during the school session. It must not be cruel or exces- sive nor be "inflicted by blows upon or about the head or face or any vital part, or by pinching, twisting the arms or hands or pulling of the hair or ears, or by shutting up in closets, or lonely con- finement." A complete record also of the offense and punishment and its effects were kept, and a report sent to the Superintendent. These restric- tions seem to have been necessary for some of the schools. Many teachers still in the schools re- member the case of a lad sent by a principal with a note to the principal of another school. He went to the office and awaited the arrival of the principal. When the principal came, before the note could be delivered, the boy was set upon and severely beaten, without giving him a hearing. It was his custom to treat all boys sent to the office in this manner.
The use of the rod had always been discouraged, yet its application never was eliminated. It was claimed there is nothing to take its place in actual practice, with individual cases, as conditions now exist. Mr. Mac Alister was of the opinion that in any attempt to dispense with corporal punishment suspension is absolutely necessary. It calls in and insists upon the co-operation of the parent in regulating the child's conduct to an extent that
The degrading effect of corporal punishment upon both the recipient and the one who inflicts the punishment, has always been recognized, and other modes of restraint and prevention of mis- demeanors have been insisted upon as a substitute. During all the history of the schools, there has been much discussion on the establishing of schools for incorrigibles and truants. In the annual report of the board, May 6th, 1879, it is recom- mended that such a school be established and truant officers be appointed. 'They refer to Boston as an example where truant laws are enforced, and where seventy-eight per cent. of the school population is in school, while the per cent. in Milwaukee is only fifty. In 1880 an effort was made to carry a bill through the legislature for the establishing of truant schools in Milwaukee, but without avail, and such schools have never been established. At the annual meeting of the board, May 7, 1878, Mr. John J. Somers was chosen superintendent of the public schools to succeed Mr. James MacAlister. Mr. Somers was, and had been for several years, principal of the Tenth dis- trict school. He served but one term of two years as superintendent of schools and inaugurated but few changes while in office. He was well versed in the details of school management and gave proofs of his ability as an executive officer.
Mr. Somers gave considerable attention to read- ing in the grades, and had bound for purposes of comparison sixteen volumes of examinations for promotion with a view of illustrating all the work of the grades. He also thought the instruction in arithmetic and language faulty and needing more attention. He also recommended to the board the organization of special classes, or of ungraded schools, for the benefit of those pupils especially who are unable to complete the grade work in the allotted time. This he says would include about five per cent. of all the school children. This classification was never made general, though the sectioning of the grades accomplishes to some extent the same purpose.
In 1878 the number of grades was reduced from ten to eight, so that the average number of years the pupil would be in school to complete the grade work would correspond to the number of grades.
At the beginning of the school year 1878-79, the
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HISTORY OF MILWAUKEE.
five-year period when text-books could be changed had expired, and after considerable discussion which became very heated, the following changes were made : Barnes' Brief History of the United States was adopted in place of Swinton's. The Eclectic Geographies, Nos. 1 and 2, in place of Guyot's Geography ; Harvey's series of Readers in place of McGuffey's. Text-books that were not changed were not formally re-adopted, so that changes might be subsequently made without legal impediment.
For the year ending 1878 the numbering of the grades was reversed, so that thereafter the num- bers were from the lowest to the highest. Super- intendent Somers, in 1878, suggests that the course of study in many respects is indefinite, and in consequence many subjects are poorly taught. Though geography was taught orally in the inter- mediate grades, yet where it was well taught the teacher had really adopted some text-book. In 1878 algebra was dropped from the district school conrse and business forms substituted in its stead.
The board had always had difficulty in get- ting the necessary school accommodations, and were obliged to be satisfied with small rooms, poorly lighted and improperly heated and venti- lated. Each year, however, from the beginning of the sixties, some reference is made to imperfect ventilation of school rooms.
In 1876 stoves were introduced into all the school rooms of the city, superseding all other ap- pliances, which certainly were objectionable from the point of economy, convenience and ease in ven- tilation. This condition of things existed until 1880. In the report of Superintendent Somers for the year ending 1878, he says all the school buildings of the city, excepting the high school building, were heated by stoves. In many of the rooms at that time less than thirty cubic feet of air was allowed to each pupil, and ninety cubic feet was the general allowance; while sanitary authorities say two thousand cubic feet is necessary for the health of the individual. This, however, depends upon the rapidity with which the air can be changed in the room. Small rooms can only be nsed with safety for large classes where the best appliances are used for introducing pure, warm air and expelling the foul air.
At the regular meeting in May, 1880, Mr. Mac- Alister was re-elected superintendent to succeed Mr. Somers, and A. H. Schattenberg was elected
secretary of the board to succeed Thomas Des- mond. During this interval of two years that Mr. MacAlister was out of the public school work, he devoted his time to private study and lecturing to classes on art and other subjects.
The addition of music, drawing, and object or science lessons into the grades, produced com- plaints that the work was too heavy. This soon brought about an attempt to revise the course, so that these subjects could be taught without un- duly burdening the pupil or the teacher. Super- intendent MacAlister attempted to change the method of instruction, so that the course would not be founded upon "so many pages in the text- book in a specified time." He suggests the use of syllabuses which should be used as a guide, while the text-book would be used as a source of infor- mation. This method of mapping out the work for the class teacher is especially necessary in oral instruction.
In 1880 Mr. MacAlister commenced the prepa- ration of a series of syllabuses for the different branches of study in the schools. During the year, he had under preparation syllabuses in reading, geography, United States history, arithmetic and language. He also suggests that the time given to physiology is too great for the results ob- tained. He thinks a course of general science les- sons given by the teacher would be preferable. This would prevent that mechanical method which is likely to come with the graded system, and give some free activity of the teacher to the intellect- ual awakening of the child.
On October 4, 1881, by action of the board, the recommendations of the superintendent and the Committee on Text-books and Course of Instruc- tion were adopted, eliminating certain details in geography and arithmetic and the introduction of the elements of mensuration and book-keep- ing. United States history and geography were finished in the seventh grade and the specific study of composition was required in the eighth grade. All the branches of the course of study were to be put in the form of syllabuses to be printed for the use of teachers as fast as they were prepared by the superintendent.
Rules for examination and promotion, which are in substance still in force, were adopted May 1,1883. Examinations for promotion must be approved by the superintendent. In all exami- nations for promotion pupils must have an average
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SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENCY OF JAMES MACALISTER.
of seventy per cent. in each of the studies, reading, penmanship and arithmetic and an average of seventy per cent. in all other studies. The super- intendent shall in person make a thorough ex- amination of all the schools, or such grade or grades in all as he may select, once every year. When any grade has completed a study it shall be examined by the superintendent. Pupils are granted certificates of graduation from the dis- trict schools, who have passed the superintend- ent's final examination with an average of seventy per cent. in all the studies examined and before completed. " Pupils completing the full course in the district schools and attaining an average of seventy per cent. in each of the studies, reading, language-including grammar and composition- spelling and arithmetic, and an average of at least seventy per cent. in all other studies, shall receive certificates signed by the superintendent entitling them to admission to the high school."
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