DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
GOV. APPOINTS STUDY GROUP
SUMMARY OF THE ALTERNATE
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM
The scheduling of better junior high
school programs will be easier by a
ermissive schedule approved in Feb¬
ruary by the State Council of Education.
The schedule generally saves valuable
teaching time by grouping certain sub¬
jects under one teacher; permits
stronger ninth grade programs in the
academic and nonacademic subjects; and
permits the election of five major sub¬
jects.
Salient features of the schedule are
as follows:
1. Health, physical geography, and
science may be taught by the science
teacher.
2. Present ninth grade requirements
of four periods each week in music, art,
home economics, and industrial arts may
be waived on either of two bases: for
any pupil electing a fifth academic major;
or for any able pupil enrolled in a pro¬
gram especially designed for him .
3. Pupils may elect to take a major
in ninth grade in fine or in practical
arts (a “major* is defined as a subject
which is scheduled for at least 200
minutes per week).
4. More “open time* is provided for
library periods, guidance, activities,
and electives; e.g., five periods in Grade
7, six in Grade 8, and eight in Grade 9.
^ This permissive program will remove
f rom schools certain restricting State
"quirements and make easier the edu¬
cation of our able and our average pupils.
Administrators desiring to follow this
program should write for more detailed
information to the Director, Bureau of
Curriculum Development, Education
Building, Harrisburg.
ERROR POSSIBLE IN SCHOOL CODE
It has been called to our attention
that an error may exist in the printing
of the School Code of 1949, as amended
in the 1957 edition.
Article V, Section 518, Page 10, in¬
dicates that this section was repealed
while this same item on page 69 does
not include this designation.
A check with prior school codes and
the Legislative Reference Bureau in¬
dicates that the repeal on page 10 is
incorrect.
LEGION RESOLUTION CALLS FOR
BETTER FLAG OBSERVANCE
RESOLVED: That the Department Ex¬
ecutive Committee of The American
Legion in regular meeting assembled
this 30th day of January 1960, in
Scranton, Pa., request the Department
Commander to bring to the attention of
the proper officials of the Pennsylvania
• “ . Department of Public Instruction, the
need-- to- execute the mandates of the
School Code and to require the teaching
of the United States Flag Code and
proper respect for the flag to all stu¬
dents in all schools under its jurisdic¬
tion -at least one hour in each school
semester.
Governor David L. Lawrence has
named a Citizens’ Committee to re¬
view Pennsylvania’s educational pro¬
gram and to make comprehensive rec¬
ommendations for its improvement and
expansion to meet today’s needs and
those of the next decade.
Composed of business, labor, pro¬
fessional, and governmental leaders,
the 35-person Governor’s Committee
on Education will be headed by Lieu¬
tenant Governor John Morgan Davis.
Its function, as outlined by Governor
Lawrence, deals with every aspect of
the educational program in the State,
extending from “kindergarten through
college training.”
“For many years," Governor Law¬
rence said, “we have recognized that
Pennsylvania’s educational program has
not measured up fully to our community
or national needs or, for that matter,
to the capacity of the young people it
serves. We have tried to meet our
shortcomings on a ‘hit or miss’ basis,
attacking specific problems without re¬
lating them to the program as a whole.
“It is my hope and intention that this
Committee, composed of leading citizens
of the Commonwealth, will look at edu¬
cation in Pennsylvania comprehensively
and develop recommendations which will
extend from kindergarten through col¬
lege training. Such a study will involve
curriculum, school district organization,
teacher training and relations, school
administration, counseling andguidance,
school construction, higher education,
and, as important as anything else,
school financing.
“To arrive at recommendations, the
Committee is being asked to review
past policies and procedures in Penn¬
sylvania, to compare them with prac¬
tices in other sections of the Country,
and to relate them, finally, to the aims
and goals which we can legitimately
establish to give Pennsylvania the best
possible education program.
“In selecting the men and women to
serve this function, I have deliberately
chosen people who are not specifically
identified with any professional educa¬
tional group or institution. Rather, it
has been my intent to call upon citizens
of broad experience and of community
dedication who, in turn, can solicit the
views of experts in this field and ar¬
rive at independent conclusions . I have
deep confidence that this group can do
just that, serving to provide not only
an inclusive program for Pennsylvania
and its various communities, but also
to set a pattern which well may be
followed by other states in the union.
To the best of my knowledge, no other
state ever has embarked on such a
comprehensive review of educational
policies, programs, and goals as we
are doing today.
“In establishing this study agency,
I am following not only my own con¬
viction as to the need of such a review,
but I am taking into consideration also
those members of the House of Rep¬
resentatives who suggested the review
of these problems during the recent
session.
“I have no doubt that this Committee
can arrive at conclusions of fact and
recommendations for future action which
can give Pennsylvania the most ad¬
vanced educational program in the
Nation. We should accept no lesser
goal."
In addition to Lieutenant Governor
Davis, the Governor’s Committee in¬
cludes the following members:
Frank Hawkins, Editor, Pittsburgh
Post Gazette; Hon. Jo Hays, Senate of
Pennsylvania; Hon. Albert W„ Johnson,
House of Representatives of Pennsyl¬
vania; Hon. Marian E„ Markley, House
of Representatives of Pennsylvania;
Hon. Stephen McCann, House of Rep¬
resentatives of Pennsylvania; Albert C„
McCoy, President, Masland Duraleather
Company; Hon. Jeanette F. Reibman,
House of Representatives of Pennsyl¬
vania; Hon. Hugh Scott, United States
Senator; and Hon. Harry E„ Seyler,
Senate of Pennsylvania.
The study will be financed by a $300,
000 allocation from the State School
Fund recently approved by the State
Council of Education. Governor Law¬
rence said he is asking the Committee
to reach its conclusions and make its
recommendations by January 31, 1961.
The Committee will be convened in
Harrisburg during the first week in
April.
(See EDUCATION COMMITTEE page 4)
