University of Virginia Library

OBSERVATION AND DIRECTED TEACHING

Laboratory facilities are made available through the coöperation of the
school systems of 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 county
schools under the supervision of the Supervisor of Instruction in the
County High Schools, 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 county 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.

Arrangements have been made with the Superintendent and School
Board of the City of Charlottesville for members of the Faculty of the Department
of Education to direct such studies in the fields of Educational
Psychology, Secondary Education and School Administration as shall be
requested by the Superintendent of City Schools.

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 school plant in Winchester, 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 school organization and
administration.