A Flattering Report Of Our Schools

Prof. Perry's annual report as superintendent of the Ann Arbor schools has been given to the public, and some very interesting figures can be gathered from it. The population of the school district according to the census of 1890 was 9,896. The total enrollment was 2,036, of whieh 1,062 were boys and 974 girls. There were 698 in the high school, 468 in the grammar school, and 792 in the primary school. A very noticeable fact is that there were 60 more boys than girls in the primary schools, only 38 more boys in the grammar school, while there are 10 more girls than boys in the high school. There were 419 non-resident pupils in the schools, of whom 341 were in the high school, 41 in the grammar school, and 37 in the primary schools. There are nine men and seven women teachers in the high school, 13 women in the grammaf school and 18 in the primary schools. The gain in attendance at the high school over the year previous was 54, and the tuition fees amounted to $7,230, an increase of about $700. As the superintendent well says, "lts reputation extends all over the western and southwestem states and territories and to quite a degree over the middle states. A single glance at its catalogue will show how widely spread is its constituency." The report also says: "The increasing numbersof the high school will soon make it necessary for us to re-occupy the third floor of the old building, or to return to our former practice of holding two school sessions per day. Whether one session or two sessions per day would conduce to a greater welfare of the school has always been a debatable question. The subject is likely to arise for future advisement." Regaxding Germán in the primary grades, and arithmetic in the primary and grammar grades, Superintendent Perry says: "The subject of arithmetic in the primary and grammar grades has been seriously under consideration during the past year. The pith of the question is this: Can arithmetic be lessened in quantity of material and detail of instruction without lessening its practical yalue'? We think it can. Considering the demands of elementary science and special studies upon the grarnmar grades as well as the immaturity of the pupils, it seems wise to postpone much of the theoretical part of this branch to the high school stage. We shall thus avoid, to a great extent, a repetition of both topics and methods, which ofteu make the high school arithmetic seem irksorne to pupils that have passed the subject in the lower grades. The proposedchange will also make room for a section of elementary geometry in the grammar grade, which is clearly demanded by the logical order of mathematical topics for schools. "Germán was put in the primary grades of the second ward school, was made an experiment immediately after the holidays and carried forward to the close of the year, the instruction being by special teacher. It is proposed to continue the experiment the coming year, but the instruction will be given by one or more of the regular teacher. ' '