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SCHOOL SYSTEM AT GARY
1702b
SCHOOL SYSTEM AT GARY

tional work, etc., varying in character and degree according to pupils' needs.

A CITY WITHOUT SPECIAL SUPERVISORS

The “regular studies” and “special activities” are conducted continuously throughout the day, by special teachers, on the departmental plan. There are no supervisors, as in other cities, aside from the superintendent and principals. The superintendent believes that teachers giving instruction in a limited number of subjects, for which they have been specially trained and selected, makes any overhead charge for their supervision, beyond that of the superintendent and principals, an unnecessary expense. Moreover, the character of the daily program, with the scheme for alternating classes in “regular studies” and “special activities,” whereby all parts of the plant are used throughout the day, practically doubles the plant's capacity. Program on preceeding page shows how sixteen classes are accommodated in a building of a common type having eight class rooms.

The new program, now operated in the “complete” centers and requiring a large auditorium, is formulated in accordance with the following scheme:

HOW WORK OF PUPILS IS DIVIDED

The daily work of all pupils is divided into four different lines. One line of work is conducted in ordinary class rooms; a second in the shops, laboratories and studios; a third in the auditorium; a fourth in the gymnasium, swimming pools, play rooms or on the playgrounds. These lines of work are indicated below as Departments 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively.

TABLE SHOWING HOW WORK IS DIVIDED



TIME DEPARTMENT 1 DEPARTMENT 2 DEPARTMENT 3 DEPARTMENT 4




Language
Mathematics
 History and Geog. 
 N. Study and Man. T. 
Domestic Science
Draw. and Music
Auditorium

 (Mass instruction) 
Phys. Tr.
Play
Application





 8:15 -  9:15 A B . . . . C D
 9:15 - 10:15 B A C D
10:15 - 11:15 C D A B
11:15 - 12:15 D C . . . . . . . .
12:15 -  1:30 A B . . . . . . . .
 1:30 -  2:30 B A D C
  2:30 -  3:30  C D B A
 3:30 -  4:30 D C . . . . A B

Four groups of pupils are simultaneously engaged in these four different departments throughout the day. For example, one group of pupils in Grades 1, 3, 5, 7, indicated as Group A above, is occupied with Department 1 of the first hour. A second group of pupils in Grades 2, 4, 6, 8, indicated as Group B, is occupied with Department 2. The third and fourth groups of pupils (Group C, Grades 1, 3, 5, 7, Group D, Grades 2, 4, 6,, 8) are thrown together this first hour and are occupied with Department 4, this first hour, there being no exercises in Department 3 during this period. The second hour these four groups of pupils change departments and are engaged as shown in the diagram, and so on throughout the day.

For illustration we will limit ourselves to the work of pupils in the grades, although the same general plan of distribution applies, with necessary modifications, to pupils who are in high school.

With this simple arrangement two schools are accommodated in the same building, one school working in two of the departments while the other is occupied in the other two departments, alternately thus engaged throughout the day.

CHARACTER OF SPECIAL ACTIVITIES

In all grades the time assigned to Department 4 is divided between the teachers of physical training and play and teachers of subjects listed under Departments 1 and 2. In the lower grades teachers of mathematics, history, etc., use their share of this time, one hour, in games and constructive plays that apply the subject matter taught in the regular classes. This period is definitely planned to give the formal work of the school expression through self activity.

Music and literature teachers use the application period for folk dances, musical games, dramatization, modeling in clay and sand, and free play construction in the “busy corners” of the playground or play rooms. Nature study teachers use this application period in the care of lawns, trees, shrubbery, plants in the building and gardens, animal pets, etc. In the upper grades mathematics teachers use this period for practical measuring and planning of buildings, laying out playgrounds and spaces, and in practical accounting in connection with the clerical work of the school, and so on.

In the lower grades the occupations of the application period are based on the play impulse and are conducted out of doors, in the spacious corridors, or in the play rooms.

Observe that under the new program half the school is at lunch from 11:15 to 12:30, and the other half from 12:15 to 1:30, an arrangement which is very desirable where there is a large number of pupils in the building.

INTERESTING POSSIBILITIES OF THIS PROGRAM

There are many interesting possibilities under the new program. For example, one-half of the school (the C and D groups) or