University of Virginia Library

OBSERVATION AND DIRECTED TEACHING

Laboratory facilities are made available through the coöperation of the
school systems of the City of Charlottesville, the County of Albemarle, and
the City of Winchester, the local school boards in each case having approved
such coöperation.

Arrangements have been made whereby students in the Department
of Education will do observation work and directed teaching in the city
schools under the supervision of the Supervisor of Instruction in the City
High School, who is Assistant Professor of Education in the University
of Virginia.

This arrangement gives the Department adequate facilities for effective
practical work in secondary education by every candidate for a degree
in Education.

Besides work in observation and directed teaching, the city schools
are also available for studies in school administration, secondary education,
and educational psychology. Certain well-qualified students will be
assigned special problems to study under the direction of the Superintendent
of Schools and the Education Faculty.

The school system of Albemarle County is now organized on the county
unit basis. It consists of the following schools for white pupils: seven
accredited four-year high schools, four junior high schools, five four-room
schools, four three-room schools, fourteen two-room schools and twenty-one
one-room schools. A number of the small schools are recognized by the
State Department of Education as standard in their respective grades. The
supervision of the county schools is under the direction of the county
superintendent and three full-time supervisors.

The school system of the city of Winchester is open for observation,
research and experiment by students of the Department of Education. This

school system is divided into four departments: Primary, consisting of
kindergarten and Grades 1, 2 and 3; Elementary, consisting of Grades 4,
5 and 6; Junior High School, consisting of Grades 7, 8 and 9; and Senior
High School, consisting of Grades 10, 11 and 12. Each department is in
charge of a supervisor who gives all of his or her time to supervision.

The new plant, opened in 1923, provides many features in addition to
the regular classrooms. For the elementary school division there will be a covered
play court with fresh air ventilation for year-round use; a nature study
court; outdoor classrooms for convalescent and anemic children; and facilities
for hot lunch provided in the high school cafeteria. In the junior and
senior high school division, besides the regular classrooms equipped with
movable desks, there will be a business department with special equipment;
science laboratories and science lecture rooms; sewing and cooking laboratories
with special equipment; art studios; music studios; industrial shops
for woodworking, metal working, electrical working and agriculture; library
study and reference room; gymnasium and swimming pool; teachers' work
room and library. For recreation and community service there will be
provided an art gallery exhibit and history museum, auditorium seating
twelve hundred, an athletic stadium, tennis courts, golf course, arboretum,
and public park.

These arrangements give to students in the Department of Education
an excellent opportunity to study the problems of both city and country
school organization and administration.