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6 WINNETKA WEEKLY TALK, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1923 claims to its superiority over the other. The Winnetka Schools have undertaken therefore to determine by a careful in- vestigation which method is really su- perior. Half of the second grade chil- dren last year in all the schools learned school curriculum ranked high in their value. Our whole history and geography 4 course in Winnetka has been undergoing 8 a thorough rivision in the light of this study. It is through just such investigations Talks About Our Winnetka Schools By CARLETON W. WASHBURNE, Superintendent, Winnetka Public Schools. re a att) The science of education is in its in- fancy. Schools and courses of study as well as text books are based on phil- osophical theories and personal judg- ment rather than on accurate scientific data. There has been some effort in the last fifteen years tc apply the science of hi as to the methods of teaching. is has resulted in vast improvement in the class room, but has not usually been scientific in any strict sense. i Within very recent years the science oi education itsIf has had birth. There are accurate scientific studies throwing 1i ght upon several of our school subjects. It 'is known, for example, exactly what wards in the English language are used 'with the most frequency and are there- fore most necessary in a child's vocab- ulary. The 3,000 words most commonly used in correspondence are "known with scientific -aceuracy. There is evidence as to what types--of frac- tidns are most used in modern business life. A promising beginning has been made in discovering what civic and economic problems are most insistently confronting the American pri le. ql Winnetka Schools Help | Mhe schools of Winnetka have been adding their bit to the scientifically gath- ered data on which a new education can be based. Let me describe briefly a few of ithe investigations that have been car- ried on in the Winnetka Public schools or 'are now being carried on. Fach in- v2stigation as it is completed is being published in professional journals hav- ing a nation wide circulation. In this way the research of the Winnetka teach- ers is benefiting not only the children of Winnetka, but those of many other schools. One investigation consisted of dis- covering what spelling words should be taught in the various school grades and by what method they can be most effi- | ciently handled. The 3,000 commonest words in the English language were com- pared with the 3,000 commonest words used in correspondence and the 3,000 com- monest words used by children in their compositions. © This was made possible by. studies made by other investigators. We in Winnetka combined these studies in such a way as to find a common spell- ing list that would assure us that every child had an opportunity before leaving the eighth grade of studying all the rds he was most likely to need in life. In order to find the relative diffi- culty of the: words, they were dictated not only to children in the Winnetka schools, but to those in Wilmette and Ev- anston and a number of Chicago schools. By studying the number of 'errors made by| the children in the different grades, we were able to determine which words were easiest and which were hardest and We Specialize 3 mn ~ Ladies' Garments to grade the words therefore with ac- curacy. Study "Phonograms" An investigation carried on by the first and second grade teachers brought to light for the first time those letter-groups known as "'phonograms" which are most necessary to children learning how to read. It was found that ee occurred more frequently than any other com- bination, ed next then ing, then er, and so on. It therefore became possible to drill primary children in the letter com- binations which were going to be most useful to them, rather than in those which somebody thought would be most useful. It is interesting that the Win- netka list based on an accurate count of all the letter combinations contained in ten primers and first readers and in seven second readers differs in a num- ber of respects from any of the theoret- i} lists that have heretofore been avail- able. The Winnetka teachers have carried on several experiments to determine the best method of teaching some particular subject. There is now! going on, for example, an investigation jas to whether the old fashioned way of! teaching aub- traction by borrowing is more or less effective. than the modern method of carrying to the next digit in the sub- trahend. ing 28 from 56 went like| thisg "8 from 6--can't be taken; borrow one from the 5; 8 from 16 equal 8 2 from 4 equals 2." The modern or additive method runs like this: "8 and what are 6?-- can't be done; 8 and what are 16?-- answer 8; carry 1, adding it to the 2 of 28. 3 and what are 5?--answer 2." Children can be taught by either method, but 'advocates of each method lay strong 3 ) Your Doctor Knows Doctors know the drug- gists in their town. They know their stores and the way they fill prescriptions. - We..itry to:izdo business the right way--The way your Doctor likes to have it done-- Ask Him About Us. Smiling Service Sizes from 14 to 532. Our Community Pharmacy pride is to see that every woman looks her best in her CHAS. R. PATCHEN garments. . 4 Phone Unique Style Sho Woe! A fy ra Lincoln Ave. 164 Ph. Wil. 2403 L AJuQ Aepanyeg PALACE Cash Meat Market 1559 Sherman Ave., Evanston Au Aepanyegq Fresh Dressed Broilers 291/0c Very Best Porterhouse Steak 55¢ Fresh Dressed Spring Ducks 39c¢ Fresh Dressed Roasting Chickens 35¢ Very Best Sirloin Steak 45¢c Native Pot Roast 20c The old method of subtract-| the old way, half learned the new way. Great care was taken to see that each group of children had exactly the same ability to start with. The same teacher :aught both groups. The work is con- sdinuing in third grade this year. It is too early yet to predict the results of he investigation, but by the end of this year we shall know and shall be able to ell the educational world at large which way is superior. Determines What to Teach The most ambitious undertaking of the Winnetka schools was a determination of what facts in history an geography were most necessary for intelligent reading. This investigation, which was supported by the Commonwealth Fund in New York, has already been described in the columns of the Talk. It showed that a number of persons, places an events which we had been teaching in school were of relatively small importance, while others that had no place in our that the science of education can gradu- ally develop until we know with defi- niteness and certainty what to teach and how to teach it. Bids for New Highway Will Be Sought Soon Authority to advertise for bids for the McCormick highway which will be built to the west of Evanston, fol- lowing the course of the Drainage channel, was requested at a board meeting of the Sanitary District of Chicago, recently. Bids will subsequently be taken in October, and if weather permits, work will go forward immediately. The McCormick highway is designed to divert the through traffic of the north shore to Chicago to the west of the city, instead of on Ridge av- enue and Sheridan road, as is' now the necessity. Stationery Magazines Party Favors Winnetka 290 an Duncan's Confectionery Delivered to you at any time 786 Elm St. Ice Cream Candy LH \ HS OOPTYEAR J Service NRERET OOK ahead to Winter, with its wet, snowy or icy streets and roads, and when you buy a tire now, get the Goodyear Cord with the All-Weather Tread. That tread is famous the world over for slipless, gripping traction and for long, eco- nomical wear. As Goodyear Service Station Dealers we sell and recom= mend the new Goodyear Cords with the beveled All- Weather Tread and back them up with standard 4 Goodyear Service BRAUN BROS, 723 Oz2k St, Winnetka GOODSYEAR [4 This Store Open Saturday Evenings Until 9 o'clock Attractive Coats and Dresses From 6 to 16 -- think about. reasonable prices. Dresses and Frocks Coats For Tots always reasonable. these children's coats and dresses--to inspect their quality tical styles. and New dresses, sizes 6 to 16, have just been unpacked. the well-known labels of "Elsie Dinsmore" and " There are many styles, with hand embroidery, because of the originality of their styles and designs. $5 to $15 These coats are all new too, and we have taken particular care to supply a generous assortment to select from. and astrakan have been made into a variety of attractive and prac- Some are fur trimmed and others plain. range from 2 to 14 years. and flannels. Prices from Clothes problems of the little Miss from 6 to 16 give many Mothers a lot to And these are the Mothers we invite to come in to see these new attractiveness and note their They bear Jack Tar Togs." made from practical serges, wool crepes All of them are striking Priced from Coatings, velours, The sizes $8.50 to $24.50 Come We pride ourselves upon selling merchandise of quality, and at prices that are This policy is clearly reflected in the values to be found in garments. in, and find out for yourself. McAllister Worthen Co. 1146 Wilmette Ave. -- Wilmette