DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF EDUCATION BULLETIN, 1921, No. 26 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY ELIZABETH CITY NORTH CAROLINA Summary of Conclusions and Recommendations A DIGEST OF THE REPORT OF A SURVEY OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C., MADE AT THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE UNITED STATES COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1921 I. Introductory Members of the commission II. A building program Number of children of school age School congestion A comprehensive building program needed..................-.------ The work-study-play plan of organization A building program on the basis of the work-study-play plan RAGE Oe Shel ae Sos Plan I] III. Organization and administration Apathy of the board of aldermen Interest of the board of education in school affairs Powers and duties of the school board..... The superintendent’s report Deachors’ salaries, 2... 00025. Formal examinations Cost of maintaining the schools IV. School census and enrollment Age-grade distribution Per cent of distribution by grades Holding power of the schools........ The schools carry an unnecessary load. . V. The elementary schools DMS CUPCUIUD GLUATION |i. 5. gens esc ad eek Equipment problem Organization problem............... The supervision problem... The instruction problem Kindergartens... ... VI. The high school VII. Home economic VIII. Manual training EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, NORTH CAROLINA. I. INTRODUCTORY. On July 20, 1920, the board of school trustees invited the Com- missioner of Education to undertake a survey of the schools of Elizabeth City, with the understanding that the cost would not exceed $1,500, and that the cost of the survey would be underwritten by the Elizabeth City Chamber of Commerce. MEMBERS OF THE SURVEY COMMISSION. The members of the commission appointed by the commissioner to make the survey, and to report to him their findings and recom- mendations, are as follows: FROM THE BUREAU OF EDUCATION. Dr. William T. Bawden, Assistant to the Commissioner, director of the survey. Mrs. Alice Barrows Fernandez, Specialist in Industrial and Economic Relations in Education. Mr. Walter S. Deffenbaugh, Specialist in Education in Villages and Towns. Mrs. Henrietta W. Calvin, Specialist in Home Economics. Miss Julia Wade Abbot, Specialist in Kindergarten Education. FROM OUTSIDH THE BUREAU OF EDUCATION. Dr. Charles G. Maphis, Professor of Education, University of Virginia, Charlottes- ville, Va. Dr. Thomas Alexander, Professor of Elementary Education, Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tenn. THE FIELD WORK. On July 24~25 Commissioner Claxton and two members of the com- mission made a study of the buildings and gathered data upon which the recommendations concerning the building program were based. This part of the report was submitted to the board July 30, 1920. The remainder of the field work was done during the month of November, and included an aggregate of about 70 days. On Friday evening, January 7, 1921, the director of the survey presented an outline of the report, and discussed the conclusions and recommendations with the board in Elizabeth City. As rapidly as the work could be completed, the full text of the report was fur- nished to the board in manuscript, the last chapters being mailed on July 7, 1921. EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. I. A BUILDING PROGRAM. The schools of Elizabeth City are badly congested. It is important that the city undertake a building program which will not only relieve present congestion but also provide for increase in enrollment over a period of years. In order to do this it is necessary to deter- mine (1) how many children there are of school age in the city; (2) what is the present number of children enrolled in school and what is the present school congestion—that is, how many children are without adequate seating accommodations; (3) what has been the rate of increase in the school population over a period of years; and (4) the appropriation that will be necessary in order to give children not only seating accommodations but modern school facilities. NUMBER OF CHILDREN OF SCHOOL AGE. According to the school census, there were 2,997 children between the ages of 6 and 21 in Elizabeth City in 1919-20. Eliminating those between the ages of 18 and 20, there were apparently 2,789 children of school age in the city. Of this number, 1,641 were white children and 1,148 were negro (see Table 1). 3ut although there were 2,789 children of school age, only 2,202 were, enrolled in the public schools. Of these, 1,425 were white and 777 were negro. In other words, there were 216 white children of school age who were not in public school and 371 negro children who were not in public school; that is, 21 per cent of all children of school age were not enrolled in public school (see Table 2). ' 5 } P ¢ [Taste 1.—Children of school census age; enrollment; average attendance, 1919 White. Colored Total white Children of school census age. and Fe- m Fe- m™ col- fale a ale Tota fale Thole: Total. | Male. | inaie. Total. ored. Children 6 to 7 years old, inclusive. - ‘ 7 100 207 486 Children 8 to 13 ye old, inclusive. ie 36 3 ” ‘ 325 504 1,365 Children 14 to 17 years old, inclusive re p 315 5 198 347 938 Children 18 to 20 years old, inclusive 33 y 5 g 51 83 Total census 6 $0 21. 2. i. geese oe Enrollment of children 6 to 21........-...-... Enrollment of children § to 13, inclusive... ... Average daily attendance, 6 to 21............. Average daily attendance, 8 to 13, inclusive. . EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. Enrollment in 1914-15 and 1919-20 in public schools, Elizabeth City, N. C.; classrooms;. special facilities; teaching force. Net enroll- ment teachers.} ar Names of school. recul Grades (inclusive) Auditorium Science room, Number re White: Primary High school Total for grat Total schools gro: Cale Street .. ase Shannon Street . . Sawyer Town. . Total Normal school.... Grand total (includ- ing children in normal schoo}). . ‘ One domestic science teacher for white schools. 2 All principals teach classes ALP SETS to this number 5 white teachers and 1 colored teacher have been engaged for next year, Obviously, any adequate building program must provide for these children whom the public sehool is under obligation to care for, and who would be far more likely to attend if the school accommodations were adequate and modern. On the other hand, if they do not enter school even when new buildings are provided, then the building pro- gram proposed will provide for an increase in enrollment over more than five years. SCHOOL CONGESTION. 1. WHITE SCHOOLS. In 1919-20 there were 1,425 white children enrolled in school, or 37 classes. There are two white school buildings—the Primary, which houses grades from 1 to 3, inclusive, and the High School, which houses grades from 4 to 7, inclusive, and 8 to 11, inclusive. In the primary school there are 16 classes but only 13 regular class- rooms. In the high school there are 16 regular classrooms and 21 classes. In other words, in these two buildings there are eight more classes than there are classrooms available. The rate of increase has been about one and one-half classes per year for the last five years. For example, in 1914-15 there were 8 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. 1,140 children enrolled, while in 1919-20 there were 1,425, or an increase of 285 children, approximately eight classes. The school authorities have made every effort to meet the increasing congestion, but they have had an almost impossible task. They have been compelled to use basement rooms which never should have been used as classrooms; corners of the auditorium have been partitioned off to make room for classes; and it is understood that even the auditorium stage has been pressed into service as a classroom. But the situation is worse than these facts would indicate, for although there are 13 rooms in the primary school, they can not be included in the building plans, since they are really not fit for school purposes. The inadequate lighting alone should prohibit their use. In fact, if the parents of the children realized that permitting their children to study in the badly lighted, overcrowded rooms of the primary school was a menace to the eyesight and health of the chil- dren, there is no question but that they would insist that the school be abandoned and adequate appropriations made for school accom- modation. To sum up the situation in the white schools, there are 36 classes of children and only 16 available classrooms (when the primary school is eliminated), i. e., there are 20 classes without adequate seating accommodations. Moreover, an increase of between seven and eight classes, about 280 children, over the next five years must be provided for. Furthermore, the 216 children of school age not now in school should be provided for. In other words, taking the children now enrolled, 1,425, those of school age out of school, 216, and the anticipated increase during the next five years, 280, it will be necessary for Elizabeth City to so plan its building program that 48 classes of children—1,921 children—may be provided for in the coming bond issue. If this is done, not only will present congestion be relieved but adequate provision made for a period of five years. 2. NEGRO SCHOOLS. According to the statistical report of the superintendent of schools for 1914-15 there were 585 children enrolled in the Negro schools in the first five grades. (See Table 3.) In 1919-20 there were 777 children enrolled in seven grades, and of this number 595 were in the three public schools, while the remainder were in the Negro normal school, which takes children in the practice school department from orade 1 through 8. (See Table 4.) The increase in the public and normal schools of children in grades 1 to 8 was 192 in five years, or at the rate of about one class a year. EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. TABLE 3.—Enrollment by grades and races in the year 1914-15." White. Colored. Enrollment. aes ‘ Aver- | Boys Num- \ ver- age en- age 4 1 be ge. rolled, — age. Num- ber. First grade Second grade rhird grade Fourth grade WIIG ) MEM NG el ea i's 40 5 sh 9 Sixth grade.... Seventh grade.. Eighth grade Ninth grade Tenth grade Eleventh grade........... PUR do cin'ee att = so¥ae Number completing course Enrollment by grades and races wn the year 1919 White. Colored Enrollment Boys en- rolled. Boys | en- | rolled. Num- ber. First grade Second grade Third grade Fourth Fifth § 6. Sixth grade.... Seventh grade.. HRighth grade... Ninth grade.... Tenth grade.... Eleventh grade EE Ta ttt oe ae n's dba es dass « ; Number completing course 1 From statistical report of city superintendent, Elizabeth City, N.C There is not only bad congestion in the Negro schools, but the buildings themselves are unfit for school purposes. In 1919-20, in grades 1 to 5, inclusive, were 595 Negro children attending school in three wooden frame structures. In Sawyer town school 173 children go to school in two rooms. One room has 27 double benches and the other has 28. The benches are old and scarred. In one room 54 children attend in the morning and in another 54 in afternoon. The building is nothing but a frame structure in such bad repair that pasteboard is tacked over a portion of a window where the pane has been broken. In Cale School there are 224 children in four rooms. In one room there are 31 double benches; in another, 30; in another, 99: and in the fourth, 22. In Shannon Street school there are 198 children. One room has 17 double seats, another 20, another 244, another 23, and there is also a chapel, which is one long room with 61929-——21——2 10 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH GIETY, Nei. a platform. All these buildings should be abandoned, for they are not fit for school use. LACK OF MODERN SCHOOL FACILITIES. But there is not only great congestion in both the white and Negro schools. but also there are almost none of the modern school facilities, such as auditoriums, gymnasium, shops, laboratories, drawing and music rooms—facilities which are now recognized as essential in any modern school system and which it is necessary to include in an adequate building program. There are in the white schools one auditorium, no gymnasium, no shops, one cooking room, and one laboratory with very little equipment, no drawing room, no musi¢ room, and no library. CHANGED SOCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS DEMAND CHANGES IN THE SCHOOLS. It is often difficult for men and women who were brought up in the country a generation ago to realize the necessity of providing these facilities for children living in cities. In the olden days it made little difference that the school buildings consisted only of classrooms for studying the three R’s. In those days the children had plenty of opportunity for wholesome work and play, which, educationally, were just as important for them as study. There is such a common tendency to identify “schools” and ‘‘education” that it is important to emphasize the fact that education has always consisted of work and study and play, and that children must not be deprived of any of these three elements in their education if they are to grow in health and strength and develop initiative, intelligence, and the ability to think for themselves. Fifty years ago the environment of the average boy and girl fur- nished an education in wholesome activities that developed intel- ligence, initiative, and industrious habits. But during the past half century has come the growth of the modern city, until now half the population of the country is concentrated in cities, and the city with its overcrowding, its mills and factories, and office buildings, which gradually go up on the vacant lots, is depriving children of the opportunity for the healthy, wholesome work and play which are essential elements in their education. The city home, whether in a large or small city, is very unlike the farm with its many necessities for “learning by doing. It offers few educational opportunities in the way of healthful work which develops the ability to think by attacking problems to be solved. There is no planting or harvesting ” to be done; few if any animals to be taken care of; and it is a rare city home that has a workshop or laboratory. Yet children until recently have received much of their education through the oppor- tunity to handle tools, to take care of animals, and to experiment EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. 11 in making and using things. But the city not only fails to educate children in the right direction; it educates them in the wrong diree- tion, for the street, with its dangers to the physical and moral life of the children, too often becomes their only playground. And street play means education not in health and strength and wholesome living but precocious education in all the vicious side of a city’s life. For these reasons it has come to be recognized that the city school must not only supply the opportunity for study in good classrooms under wholesome conditions, but it must also return to the children the opportunity for the helpful work and play which the home can no longer supply. It must provide playgrounds and shops and laboratories and drawing and music rooms, as well as classrooms, where they may be kept wholesomely busy all day. For Elizabeth City to plan a building program on the basis of providing merely classrooms for her school population and to ignore her obligation to furnish such modern facilities as shops, laboratories, and nature- study rooms would be to fail in her duty to the rising generation and to the best interests of the city. It is said that America is the land of equal opportunity in education. This, however, does not mean opportunity for uniform education, but opportunity for the develop- ment of the varied gifts of many individuals. Democratic educa- tion means varieby of opportunity in accordance with the needs of the individual. If Elizabeth City does not give this variety of oppor- tunity in work and study and play to the children of all its people, then it is failing to tap the reservoirs of power for its coming citizen- ship. Moreover, it is laying up trouble for itself in the future, for nothing is more serious for’ any community than to have the rising generation feel balked in their power of self-expression and attain- ment. A COMPREHENSIVE BUILDING PROGRAM NEEDED. It is obvious from the foregoing that Elizabeth City needs a building program which will relieve present congestion, provide for an increase in enrollment for at least five years, and at the same time provide the modern educational facilities, such as auditoriums, playgrounds, shops, and laboratories. To do this will involve considerable ex- penditure and careful planning. There are two chief methods of meeting the situation. The first method would attempt to solve the situation by the usual procedure of adding classrooms without changing the traditional school organization. All children would be expected to be in school seats at the same time, and if provision were made for special activi- ties, such as shops or cooking rooms, the classrooms would remain, vacant when such facilities were in use. If such special facilities were provided, therefore, they would have to be in addition to a classroom for every class. EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. ©. Let us consider the cost of meeting school congestion and growth-— in the white schools, for example—on the basis of the traditional type of school organization. As has been pointed out, it will be necessary, in order to fake care of present enrollment and provide for growth in the white schools to make provision for 48 classes. The primary school should be aban- doned. That leaves only the high school, with 16 regular classrooms; therefore it would be necessary to erect a building with 32 classrooms in order to provide for the 48 classes. The cost of a classroom unit at the present time is $16,000. This includes the cost of auditorium and gymnasium. A 32-classroom building would therefore cost $512,000. This amount, however, would not furnish any of the modern school facilities, such as shops and laboratories. Therefore to provide these facilities would mean an additional expense. Elizabeth City is not peculiar in respect to her school congestion situation. Cities all over the country, even before the war, were having the greatest difficulty in meeting the increase in school en- rollment.. The rapid growth of population makes the congestion and financial problems extremely difficult of solution on the traditional plan of a reserved seat for every child. To keep pace with growth, therefore, merely on the basis of adding classrooms where they are needed at a given time, presents both administrative and financial difficulties. But when to this problem is added the obligation to provide the other necessary facilities, such as shops and laboratories, the problem assumes formidable proportions. Indeed, were this plan the only alternative, the situation which the board of school trustees is now facing would be a discouraging one. Fortunately, however, there is another way out of the difficulty. THE WORK-STUDY-~PLAY PLAN OF ORGANIZATION. A second possible method of solving the building problem of Eliza- beth City is what is commonly known as the ‘‘ work-study-play plan,”’ now in operation in some 30 or 40 cities in the country. This plan developed in an attempt to solve the peculiar problem created by a modern city. It grew out of recognition of the fact that the growth of cities makes the educational problem far more difficult than formerly; in fact, has created a new school problem. The plan represents an attempt to meet these new conditions and to make it practicable both administratively and financially for school adminis- trators to provide not only classroom accommodations, but also modern educational facilities, such as gymnasiums, shops, and labora- tories, that children may be kept wholesomely occupied in study and work and play.’ 1 For a statement of the plan and its method of operation, see Bul. 1920, No. 22, pp. 14 ff, EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. 13 Let us consider how this plan can be applied to conditions in Elizabeth City. A BUILDING PROGRAM ON THE BASIS OF THE WORK-STUDY-PLAY PLAN. PLAN I. 1. White schools.—There are now 1,425 children, 36 classes, in the two white schools. This makes just about enough children for one fair-sized school. All these children should be housed in one school plant, to be located on the present high-school site. The building could be erected in the form of an H, the present high-school building forming one section, and another building erected to the rear of the present high school forming the other section, with an auditorium between the two. As has been pointed out, the building would have to be planned to take care of a 48-class school in order to provide for a growth over a period of five years. There are, however, at the present time in the high-school building 16 regular classrooms, 4 rooms in the base- ment, an auditorium on the second floor, and 4 attic rooms. Under the work-study-play plan, a school of 48 classes would re- quire only 24 classrooms, or 8 more than are now available in the high- school building. Another building should therefore be erected to the rear of the high-school building. To do this the lot on which the present building stands should be squared, the houses to the rear of the high-school buildmg removed, and a new building of 12 units erected, with an auditorium between this building and the existing high school. Twenty-four of the best rooms in the two buildings should be used as classrooms. That would leave 4 units, 2 of which can be used as laboratories, 1 as a drawing room, and 1 as a music room. ‘The 4 rooms in the basement of the old building should be used as shops. In the basement of the new building a gymnasium could be provided for boys, 2 units could be used for cooking rooms, and 1 unit for another shop. The auditorium of the old building could be used as a gymnasium for girls. In other words, with the addition of a 12-room building the follow- ing accommodations could be secured for a 48-class school: 24 class- rooms, 2 gymnasiums, 2 laboratories, a drawing room, a music room, 5 shops, and a cooking room. An auditorium could be erected be- tween the old and the new building, with entrances on the side and also with an entrance on the street, so that it could be used easily for community purposes; congestion could be relieved, and provision made for growth for 5 years. 14 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. Since a classroom unit costs approximately $16,000, which includes the cost of an auditorium and gymnasium, a building of 12 units would cost $192,000. As has already been suggested, land should be purchased to square the present lot. Also additional playground space is needed, and for this purpose either the whole lot to the north of the present building or the lot directly across the street should be purchased. Of course, the lot to the north of the present building is preferable, as it would not necessitate the children crossing the street for play. Estimating the cost of land at approximately $30,000, the appropriation for the white schools would be $222,000. 2. Negro schools.—As has been pointed out, the present Negro school buildings are so inadequate that it will be necessary to abandon them and erect new buildings. At the present time (1919-20) there are 595 children in the three public schools, 15 classes. The increase has been approximately at the rate of one class a year. Therefore, provision should be made for at least. 750 children, or 18 classes, in order to provide for growth for at least four years. On the work-study-play plan, this would necessitate a building of nine classrooms and four special activity rooms-——a shop for boys, a cooking room for girls, a nature-study room, and a library. An auditorium and gymnasium would be included. This makes a build- ing of 13 units. At a cost of $16,000 per classroom unit, a building of 13 units would cost $208,000. Estimating the cost of land at $10,000, the building and land would come to $218,000. The total cost, then, of a building program as outlined would be $440,000. If it is desired, however, to limit the contemplated bond issue to $300,000, making temporary arrangements for the Negro schools, and thereby postponing the erection of a permanent. building, the following Plan II is suggested. PLAN II. Erect two portable buildings of the modern type for Negro children in the northern and southern ends of the town. Each building should accommodate 10 classes. This would necessitate four class- rooms, $4,000; an auditorium, $2,500; gymnasium, $2,500; a shop, $2,000; a cooking room, $3,000; a drawing room, $1,000; nature- study room, $1,000. All these units can be combined into a single building with corridor, principal’s office, store, showers, and heat- ing plant, making a total approximate cost of $30,000 for each building. This would make the total budget for the Negro schools $60,000, or with the cost of sites approximately $70,000, thus bring- ing the total budget to approximately $300,000. EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. Cost.of building program according to Plan I. White school: Erect a 12-unit building which, with present high-school building, would provide for a 48-class school ROSE OF PR IAERRINT hie ice arp bev cv te $192, 000 Cost of land List 30, 000 Total : aes Feet rk agate «she 222, 000 Negro school: Erect a 13-unit building which will house an 18-class school Ooat of huildine.”, - ss. bws-- 4s 5 lat ’ 208, 000 Cost of land. . i ie 10, 000 Total 218, 000 Grand total 440, 000 Cost of building program according to Plan I, White school: Erect a 12-unit building which, with present high-school building, would provide for a 48-class school— Cost of building. .2. 2.0002. 20 2 a ee at $192, 000 Daat of lint cisceur. bss tides ore Tee Lyaeteons f oerrep shapiotert os rh - 30, 000 222, 000 Negro school: Two movable buildings each to contain Four classrooms.....-. x 4,000 2.500 2, 500 2,000 3, 000 Drawing room.........- 1, 000 Nature study......--..-- fee avg tel 4 1, 000 15, 000 15, 000 30, 000 60, 000 Cost of land. ...:-.. % 10, 000 Total 70, 000 Grand total .cost:for both white and Negro schools....-....-+---. 292,000 Ill. ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION. APATHY OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN. The board of aldermen is charged by law with the duty of electing the members of the board of education, Four vacancies occur each year. On Monday, December 6, 1920, at a meeting of the board of 16 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. aldermen, nine vacancies in the board of education were filled. It appears, therefore, that the board of aldermen has not taken sufficient interest in the affairs of the public schools to discharge its duties at the proper time. The fact that this lapse could occur without public protest suggests the absence of a keen interest in their schools on the part of the citizens and taxpayers of Elizabeth City. INTEREST OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN SCHOOL AFFAIRS. Some indication of the degree of interest taken in school affairs is afforded by noting the regularity with which members attend the meetings of the board. The minutes of the board were examined, and the attendance noted for the period from August 10, 1917, to November 5, 1920, or three years and three months. During this period there were a number of interruptions in the regular order of meetings. For example, no meeting was held between December 13, 1918, and February 7, 1919; no meeting was held between October 16, 1919, and February 24, 1920. During the period mentioned 41 meetings were held, at only 3 of which were more than 12 members present; there were 8 meetings at which only 6, 7, or 8 members were present. The average at- tendance was only 10 members. See table following: 1919 Attendance of members of the board of education at its meetings Dec. 13, 1918 to Feb. 7, Number of mem- Number of Aggregate bers present. meetings. attendance. 6 2 12 7 é 21 8 ‘ 24 9 11 2 84 ) 26 14 14 Total é 407 If 16 members had been present at each of the 41 meetings, the aggregate attendance would be 656; the actual attendance was 407, or only 62 per cent. The passing grade in the schools under the board’s direction is 75. During the period from August 29, 1919, to November board held 13 meetings. Only one member attended 1 1920, the meetings; 5, 9 o only 6 members attended 10 or more meetings. The average number of meetings attended was 9.5. See table following: EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, Attendance of members of the board of education at rts meetings Aug. 2S 1920. Number of meet- Number of members Aggregate 1 attended. attending. tendance 1 1 Total ‘ 125 If 16 members had attended each of the 13 meetings, the aggregate attendance would be 208; the actual attendance was 125, or only 60.1 per cent. The efficiency of the board, as well as the degree of active interest manifested, so far as these are indicated by regularity of attendance upon the official meetings of the board, have been deteriorating. Selection of the school board.—The school board of Elizabeth City is composed of 16 members, 4 from each of the 4 wards, appointed by the board of aldermen for a term of 4 years. Although the method of choosing board members and the size of the board are contrary to general practice, and to the general opinion of students of school administration, the survey committee does not recommend that the method of selecting members be abandoned, but it does recommend that the size of the board be reduced to 5 members, appointed at large for a term of 5 years, one member to be appointed each year. Size of board—The school board should be composed of fewer members, for the following reasons: The present board of 16 mem- bers is unwieldy and unnecessary for the transaction of business; a smaller board would consider school matters more carefully; in a large board too much dependence is placed on a few to do the think- ing and the work; the individual member feels that he does not count for much in a large board, and often loses interest. The recommendation that the size of the board be reduced is made primarily on the ground that the present board is not functioning efficiently. Term of office—The tendency in the best school practice is to lengthen the term of office of members of the board. A long term, 61929—21——3 18 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, .N. C. with only partial renewal of the personnel at each new election, usually insures a settled administrative policy. The present term of 4 years in Elizabeth City is satisfactory in this respect. The change to 5 years is suggested chiefly in view of the fact that it is recommended that the board be composed of 5 members. Ward appointment. Appointment of members of the board of education should be made irrespective of residence by wards. The schools belong to the entire city. Just what is gained by appoint- ment by wards no one in Elizabeth City could make clear. At present members of the board of education are virtually chosen by the aldermen of their respective wards, rather than by the entire board of aldermen, representing the entire city. With a board of only 5 members, and only one to be appointed each vear, the board of aldermen would approach the task of select- ing from the entire city the person best qualified for the position from an entirely different point of view. Method of choosing.—At present, it is recommended that the board of aldermen continue to appoint members of the board of educa- tion, in preference to popular election, which is the more commonly accepted practice. This recommendation is based on the belief that in the present state of public opinion in Ehzabeth City those persons who are best qualified to serve on the school board would probably not be active candidates for popular election, or allow their names to be used. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. Control of funds.—The school board of Elizabeth City has, as it should have, complete control of the expenditure of the school funds, once they are appropriated by the board of aldermen and apportioned from the State and county school funds. Without definite recommendation of a change in the present arrangement, it may be stated that the present tendency in prac- tice is to make city boards of education entirely independent of other branches of city government, so that they may have power to levy, within statutory limitations, a tax sufficient to maintain the public schools on a high plane of efficiency. When the board is elected by the people, and thus responsible directly to the people, it is not likely to embark on undertakings which do not command general popular approval. Legislative, executive, and inspectorial powers. The work of a board of education may be classed as legislative, executive, and inspectorial. No school board can perform all of lack of time, and, more especially, because its members are not these functions, because of EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. 19 fitted to perform them all. Progressive boards limit their func- tions to the first and last, and employ a superintendent with special training and qualifications to serve as the executive of the board. Legislative functions include the making of general policies, and regulations relative to their execution. These policies concern the scope of the school system, selection of sites for buildings, the kinds of schools to be established and maintained, the facilities to be sup- plied, and the apportionment of the school funds. The Elizabeth City school board does not give adequate time and attention to legislative functions. The board employs an executive officer, the superintendent of schools, and apparently gives him full executive authority. The board practically ignores its inspectorial function, so far as evidence could be found. The board does not know what the schools are doing. Those features of the work of the schools concerning which the board should be informed include: General school conditions. Regularity of attendance. Progress of the pupils. Cost per pupil in elementary schools. Cost per pupil in high school. Cost per pupil in colored schools. Cost per pupil for each item of expenditure. Sanitary conditions. Attitude of pupils toward school work. Attitude of the teachers. Careers of pupils after leaving school. Board members should visit the schools occasionally to observe general school conditions at first hand. The board should keep informed upon the practice in what are considered the good city school systems of the country. Members of the board, with the superintendent of schools, should visit other school systems from time to time, and attend educational meetings, and require from the superintendent reports upon what has been seen and heard. If the board were better informed in school matters it would then be able to ask the superintendent questions concerning the administration and supervision of the Elizabeth City schools, such as: What is the best practice and what the best educational thought regarding corporal punishment ? Should children 12 to 15 years of age be taught in the same classes with children 6 years of age ? What measures can be taken to reach children of school age who are not now in school ? CATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. THE SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT. The superintendent should keep in orderly and systematic manner statistical information concerning significant matters relating to the school. In other words, the superintendent should be making a continuous survey of the school system. In a school system that is steadily improving in the quality of its work, there will be found, among others, the following character- istics: (1) From year to year the school system will enroll a larger per- centage of rt of school age, and will carry them further along in the grades before they drop out. (2) The percentage of pupils in school above compulsory attend- ance age to those of compulsory attendance ages will increase. (3) The proportion of over-age pupils and pupils who are making at progress will decrease. ) Fewer pupils will fail of promotion, and fewer will drop out of scintal before completing the course. (5) Sufficient teachers and classrooms will be provided as the number of children increases, so that all may be accommodated gr woes and adequately. ) The professional qualifications of the teachers will be advanc- ing steadily. (7) There will be increasing regularity of attendance. (8) When pupils leave school before the completion of grammar school or high school, the reasons will be ascertained, and in the light of information thus gained the work of the schools will be modified in the endeavor to meet the needs of such children more adequately. (9) The careers of children will be followed up after they leave school. (10) Instruction in the schools will react more and more upon the homes and lives of the people; especially instructions in health, music, art, literature, manual training, and home economics. Definite information concerning these and other matters should be collected, compiled, and interpret ted. Records now in the office of the superintendent contain very little to show in what respects the schools of Elizabeth City are better to-day than they were 5 or 10 years ago. The board should at once provide the means of keeping simple but adequate records, including a clerk or secretary to the superin- tendent, who has some knowledge of this kind of work. The data to be collected should include: (1) The number of children of each year of age in the city, and the number in school, both public and private. EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. $i (2) The number of children of compulsory attendance ages in and out of school. (3) The number of children above compulsory attendance ages in and out of school. (4) The ratio of school pupils above compulsory attendance age to those of compulsory attendance ages; also annual changes in this ratio. (5) Number of pupils for each 100 beginners who drop out of school at each age, and at each grade; number of those leaving to enter school elsewhere; number leaving for other specified causes. (6) Per cent of those entering the first grade who complete the geal school “tial and the high school course. ) Per cent of those completing the elementary school course de Nid high ot (8) Per cent of those entering the high school who complete the course. (9) Per cent of high-school graduates who enter college; the kinds of courses pursued in college, and the quality of work done. (10) Age-grade distribution of all pupils for the entire system, and for each school separately. (11) Average daily attendance based on number belonging and on school population; also distribution showing the number and per cent of children attending 1 to 10 days, 11 to 20 days, ete. (12) Present occupations: of those who have graduated from the high school within 4, 5, or 10 years; and similar information con- cerning those who have left during thé same period without com- pleting the course. (13) Number and per cent of pupils who fail of promotion in each pe and in each subject. (14) Ability and achievements of pupils, as determined by school grades and standard objective tests. 15) Various cost items. (16) Preparation, experience, and other significant facts regarding the teachers. (17) Significant facts regarding schools in other cities. TheTfacts having been collected and compiled the superintendent shouldfuse them in preparing his monthly and annual reports to the board. The annual report should be published for distribution to the public. From the data collected, tables and charts should be prepared and published in the annual report, and also from time to time in the local newspapers. 61929—21——4 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. TEACHERS’ SALARIES. Elementary schools (white).—The median salary paid white elementary school teachers in Elizabeth City is low in comparison with the amounts paid in other cities having a population of 8,000 to 30,000. In a group of 68 cities located in the Eastern States Elizabeth City is next to the lowest; in a group of 64 cities in the Great Lakes States Elizabeth City ranks 62d; in a group of 33 cities in the Great Plains States Elizabeth City ranks 27th; in comparison with a group of 24 cities in the Western States Elizabeth City ranks lowest; in a group of 33 cities in the Southern States Elizabeth City ranks 23d. These figures relate to the school year 1919-20: it is probable that Elizabeth City has somewhat improved its relative position this year. The salary’ schedule would be improved by providing a greater difference between the minimum and maximum salaries. and by providing a longer period in which to reach the maximum. The present plan offers no inducement for special industry or for sustained effort to secure self-improvement. The following salary schedule is suggested for consideration by the Elizabeth City board: TABLE 5.—Suggested salary schedule of elementary and high school teachers (white). Lariat, Flementary. High school. , Year in of time |-——— ji—. . pao wale Teachers. of ap- - | | $ } grouy 1 point- | Mini- | Maxi- | Mini- | Maxi- peEUNy ‘rease ‘an be ment. mum. | mum, | mum. | mum. Nita ee oe | reached, One-year teachers (probationary for {3 | 1 year...| $1,000 | $1,150 $1,200 | $1,350 $75 | Third. years). Three-year teachers 3 years...) 1,225 ,375 | 1,425 575 | 7 | Third. » 22 , 575 75 Five-year tea*hers..... i rs..| 1,450 | 1,650 1, 650 1,850 | 50 | Fifth. ,700 | 2,000 1,900 | 2,200 | 50 | Seventh. 1 Until retired. When the maximum of any group is reached by any teacher, the following alternative courses of action should be open to the board: (1) Termination of the contract (permissible at the close of each year in group No. 1). (2) Reappointment annually at the group maximum salary. (3) Promotion to the next higher group. Promotion from group to group beyond group No. 2 should be granted only to teachers who have shown special merit and have given evidence of valuable professional study. Elementary-school and high-school teachers of equivalent prepara- tion, experience, and skill should receive the same salary. EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N, c. 23 Provision should be made for the following supervising principal- ships, to be held only by persons who have had definite preparation for the work of supervision, and whose programs provide a definite amount of time for this purpose: (a) Grades 1 to 6, inclusive. (b) Junior-senior high school (providing these are both housed in the same building). (ec) The colored schools. Principals should be assigned definite duties and responsibilities as such, and the superintendent should then not interfere within these limits. More efficient enforcement of the compulsory education legisla- tion is needed. The truant officer stated that he hardly ever receives a report of truancy on the part of the colored children. The super- intendent stated that no earnest attempt is made to compel regular attendance on the part of colored children. The school nurse and attendance officer service might be combined to advantage. Special teachers of the following subjects should be provided, whose duties should include teaching classes of the older children and assisting the regular teachers of the lower grades to plan the work done in the regular classrooms: (a) Manual training. (6) Drawing. (c) Home economics. (d) Music. (e) Physical education and athletic sports. (f) Nature study , gardening, agriculture. (g) Commercial branches. The better teachers in the lower grades should be promoted with their classes for periods of two or three years, and the poorer ones eliminated. There should be a gradual reorganization of the method of instruc- tion, which now consists largely of questions and answers based on formal textbook assignments; there should be more use of the prob- lem method, the socialized recitation, and supervised study. One member of the board of school trustees now serves as secretary of the board, and for this service is paid $300 per annum. This arrangement should be discontinued, and a capable full-time secretary employed, who will serve as secretary-clerk to the superintendent of schools and also secretary to the board. The office of the superintendent should be provided with means for the safe-keeping of the school records. Examples of school programs offered for consideration by the Eliza- beth City board may be found in Bulletin. 1920, No. 21, pp. 24, 25, and Bulletin, 1918, No. 48, p. 39. 24 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. FORMAL EXAMINATIONS. The Elizabeth City schools depend to a great extent upon exami- nations held at stated intervals to determine the “marks” to be given to a pupil and to determine whether he should be promoted. These examinations have led to ‘cramming,’ to undue worry, and to the practice of working with the sole end in view of passing the examinations, thus causing the entire work of the school to center about this one idea. These examinations have helped put a premium upon worry methods, and they have oceasioned a vast amount of unnecessary and unprofitable labor for the teacher in reading an endless number of papers. A test is a useful means of showing the teacher where her instruction has been weak, and where steady, but it is practically useless as a means of determining what pupils should be promoted. The formal,examination has fallen into disrepute, and is but little used in progressive school systems to determine promotions. COST OF MAINTAINING THE SCHOOLS. A The cost of maintaining the Elizabeth City schools is much below the average for cities of its size, when measured by cost per pupil in average daily attendance, cost per pupil enrolled, and by the tax rate on the real valuation. The cost per pupil in average daily attendance in Elizabeth City is $29.39, while the average for all cities in the United States in 1917-18 was $49.41; the average for cities of 10,000 to 25,000 popu- lation was $44.81. The average cost per pupil enrolled in Elizabeth City is $21.88, while the average for the United States, including rural schools, was $30.91 in 1918. When compared with a list of cities whose schools are considered good, the cost per pupil in Elizabeth City is very low. The total tax rate in Elizabeth City for school purposes is 49 cents on the $100. This includes the State, county, and city rates for schools. The tax levied by the board of aldermen is only 16 cents. In order to maintain the schools as they should be, the city tax rate for school purposes should be doubled. To this rate should be added enough to take care of interest and sinking fund on indebted- ness. This would possibly add 16 cents more, making a total tax rate of 48 cents to be levied by the board of aldermen. Adding to this the 33 cents now levied by the State and county, Elizabeth City would be taxed 81 cents on the $100 for school pur- poses. The average rate for cities the size of Elizabeth City is 66 cents (1917-18); some cities have a rate of 100 cents and more. EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. 25 If the tax rate were to be increased, say, 30 cents on the $100, very few persons would have more than $15 additional tax annually to pay, since 1,219 of the 1,602 individual white taxpayers are assessed at less than $5,000 and only 6 of the 770 colored taxpayers are assessed at $5,000 or more. The following table shows the number of taxpayers and the esti- mated average amount of the assessed valuation of each: TABLE 6.—Real and personal property of individuals subject to city taxes, Elizabeth Ca aye Gi ' WHITE INDIVIDUALS. Amount. Number of indi- viduals assessed (white). Esti- mated average amount. Less than $1,000 $1,000 to $4,999... 5,000 to 10,000 to 20,000 to 30,000 to 40,000 to 50,000 to 9f ‘tie. 109,000 to 199,999... 200,000 and over otal. isco <% cnaycn oeee Less than $1,000 COLORED INDIVIDUALS. Amount. $500 3, 000 7, 500 15, 000 25, 000 35, 000 45, 000 75, 000 50, 000 Number of indi- viduals assessed (colored). Esti- mated average amount. $500 $1,000 £0 $1,909... 2. enc ernr ene cen ener eneenccrsrensesscccencaecassccnenes 1, 500 2,000 to 2,999 3,000 to 3,999 4,000 to 4,999 5,000 and over 2, 500 3, 500 4, 500 11, 000 Taste 7.—Real and personal property of corporations subject to city taxes, Less than $1,000 $1,000 to $4 5,000 to 10,000 to 1¢ 20,000 to 29,99¢ 30,000 to ¢ 199 40,000 to 49,999.....----+--- 50,000 to 99,990.....---+---+--- 100,000 to 199,999. ...------- : 200,000 and over City, N.C. Amount. Number Sati of cor- Esti- pora- tions assessed. mated average amount. $500 3, 000 7, 500 15, 000 25, 000 35, 000 45, 000 75, 000 150, 000 850, 000 Esti- mated aggre- amount. $295, 000 1, 887, 000 1, 530, 000 1, 470, 000 575, 000 875, 000 495, 000 1, 050, 000 900, 000 550, 000 9, 627, 000 amount. $315, 000 167, 000 52, 500 10, 500 9, 000 66, 000 620, 000 Elizabeth Esti- mated agegre- gate amount. $3, 000 30, 000 67, 500 135, 000 75, 000 245, 000 5, 000 0, 000 1, 650, 000 1, 050, 060 3, 780, 000 26 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. The following summary, taken from the books in the assessor’s office, is added in order to supplement the “‘estimates’’ in the pre- ceding table: TABLE 8.—Summary of assessed valuation of property subject to city taxes, Elizabeth City, N.C. WHITE INGLVIGQUAIO ccgi bee sets sp Boe edres Cob cole Vee eh ene) tN ena D COWMPed indi Vides Fee CUO DO eb Sk SAU a SE 589, 825 Corporations 3, 366, 970 Total... 13, 300, 050 On the showing of these figures, it is evident that the tax rate for school purposes could be greatly increased, and that very few would have more than $10 to $15 additional tax to pay. IV. SCHOOL CENSUS AND ENROLLMENT. A school census, taken early in the school year, shows that there are in Elizabeth City 1,857 white children from 6 to 20 years of age. The number of white children enrolled is 1,410. There are thus 462 children from 6 to 20 years of age not in school. Since 154 of these are 19 or 20 years of age, the number of school age not in school is 308. Practically all of these are from 14 to 18 years of age. The following table gives the number of census children by ages and the enrollment by ages: TABLE 9.—Census of white children—School enrollment. Ages. 7 9°| 10} 11} 12} 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17| 18| 19 | : —| | 1 my ES ee ie gry ek ae ae 128 |152 |138 (154 |139 |140 |142 [114 /135 108 |131 |116 |106 | 9% Enrollment 127 |118 |145 |147 |141 |149 |143 |105 |111 | 82 | 59 | 41 | 21 It may be noted that at several ages the enrollment is more than the school census. This discrepancy is small and may possibly be accounted for by the fact that the enrollment figures for June included all children in school since September. Some of these children may not have been in the city when the census was taken and others may have moved in after it had been taken. Then again some children may have been transferred and possibly counted twice. The important point to note is that many boys and girls in Elizabeth City from 14 to 18 years of age are not in school. This point should not be overlooked by the school board in planning for a new high- school building, for it may be safely predicted that many more of the EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. yf older boys and girls will remain in school when a modern high-school building is erected and interesting courses of study are offered. There are in Elizabeth City 1,314 colored children from 6 to 20 years of age. Of these, 692 are enrolled in school, leaving 632 not in school. The following table shows the number of children at each age, the number in, and the number not in school: > Tas Ee 10.—Census of colored children of census age School enrollment. Enrollment. ......-. Not in school Of the children 6 to 14 years of age, inclusive, 31 per cent are not in school, while of the children 15 to 18 years of age, inclusive, the high-school ages, 86 per cent are not in school. It is a well-known fact that few of the Negro children in Elizabeth City reach the fifth gerade; many barely complete the third. Thus the 86 per cent of children over 14 years of age not in school have scarcely the bare tools, reading and writing, and are but a few degrees removed from illiteracy. In order to understand the degree of success with which a school system is functioning, it is of prime importance to ascertain the facts concerning the children jn the schools, their ages, their stages of advancement, their rates of progress through the grades, and the extent to which they continue in school to the completion of the course. There is at present no adequate system of records to give these facts concerning the children in the Elizabeth City schools.