LANGUAGE, COMPOSITION, GRAMMAR
The schools devote about the usual amount of time to training for the correct use
of the mother tongue. Most of the time in intermediate and grammar grades is
devoted to English grammar. Composition receives only minor attention.
TABLE 6.—TIME GIVEN TO LANGUAGE, COMPOSITION, ANDGRAMMAR
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| Hours per year | Per cent of grade time
|———————————-|————————————
Grade | Cleveland | 50 cities | Cleveland | 50 cities
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1 | 79 | 75 | 10.9 | 8.6
2 | 95 | 79 | 10.8 | 8.7
3 | 79 | 94 | 9.0 | 10.3
4 | 104 | 106 | 11.8 | 10.9
5 | 120 | 116 | 13.6 | 12.0
6 | 120 | 118 | 13.6 | 12.2
7 | 125 | 134 | 14.3 | 13.7
8 | 125 | 142 | 14.3 | 14.1
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Total | 847 | 864 | 12.3 | 11.4
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In the teaching of grammar too much stress is placed on forms and relations. Of
course it is expected that this knowledge will be of service to the pupils in their
everyday expression. But such practical application of the knowledge is not the
thing toward which the work actually looks. The end really achieved is rather the
ability to recite well on textbook grammar, and to pass good examinations in the