, 1860-07-12
CHICAGO, THURSDAY. JULY II. 1860.
The Chicago High School---Why In 1t
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| AAe AA4C&E0 TIE II III u
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We received visit yesterday morning from
Wm. Il, Wells, Esq, Superintendent of Public
Instruction in this city. With him ne con-
yersed freely upon the important subject open.
ed in our reference to The High School in our
last issue. We had laid the matter in all conf
dence before Mr. Wells, in common with ali
others interested in ths growth and prosperity
of Public Education in this city.
We we're not surprised to find that we differ
ed little from Mr.. Wells own eiews ofthe mat
ter. He u1hesitatipgly takes the ground that
the High School should be " Sled up" aud that
it should hare been filed up ere this but leaves
the responsibility IS We did, with the decision
OF the Board and their settled policy from mo-
tires OF economy to keep the number down.
Mr. Wells SAYS the Board have felt the public
might find fault with the expense, If the High
School were full We shall return to this.
Mr. Wells however says We w.re in an error
in our article, as regards the capacity Of the
High School building, and calls our attention to
the following, which We cut from the last report
Of Mr. Dupee. Principal Of the High School,
made in March last:
| The present number OF pupils in the High
School Is ESQ. OF these. 139 are in the CLASH
cal department. liz il the English. snd as In
the Normal The baildingis capable Of accom-
modat.Dg $50 pupils. The number Of pupils at
the closs Of the year 1855, Was s45.
| Now, We do not admit this Is correcting our
statement that the High School should contain
from fro to sir hundred pu3pits." We are in.
clined, on further consultation, and review Of
our own ground, to carry the figure still higher,
OF at least insist on the highest number named.
The estimste that The building is capable Of &C.
coumodatiog $50 pupils, ispreciselg the policy
| We complain Of, and which should be modified,
if not abandoned.
! Besides, on Mr.. Dupee's own showing, the
| High School is purposely kept from seventy
five to one hundred below its na1row compile
ment Of $50, and this has been done pnrpesely,
persistently md unfairly BY the Board Of Edu-
cation ever since the building Was completed; !;
| purposely, is settled policy, and unfairly be-
cause their own rula Of admission was gauged
to the number Of applicants, and six times
changed, With the expressed and deliberate
purpose Of keeping the pupils in the lower or
Grammar Schools, thus breaking pledge made
to the higher grade Of scholars IN those schools
| that On certain conditions they should be ad
| mitted to the High School.
| No one pretends, and Mr. Wells does no. say
it, that, Of the $4,000 pupils in cur Public
Schools, only $50 are suitable for admission 10
the High School, by all authorities the posi-
] tion is untenabla for an instant. What, then,
| should be the nnmberf The selection should
| be made of grades strictly, and that on rules
fixed and unalteTable and well understood By
all onr pupils, Let the High School be filled
| up, and then if we need another High Schoolin
| tie South, and third in the North Division, i
will be ample time for Board of Education to
| grow timid al expenditures, when our commu-
nifty, in times Of prosperity, or times Of panic,
manifest the first reluc.ance to pay liberally for
our schools. Assuredly, gentlemen, that COIL
plaint is yet in the future. In the meantime, go
in aud do your duty.
On this mistaken policy, there stands build
ing that has cos. nearly $4,000, which is fully
| equipped with q corps Of nine permanent
! teachers. Six Of these teachers are Hbera1ly
educated gentlemen, and there are "racant
roous and benches yet impressed By pupils
{Mr. Wells assures us We are right in the state
ment), md for all this space, and expense, and
prod'sality in teachers, the city gets The tuition
OF score or two less than three hundred pu-
] pills, while from three to four hundred pupils,
| proper candidates for admission, are by bad
faith aud breach of official promise, thrown back
upon the Gramusr Schools.
In these Grammar Schools, of the larger
class, 900 or 200 pupils are placed under the
charge Of single Principal, each assisted by
| from six 10 twelve female teachers. The teach
ers in the Grammar Schools are oyertasked and
oyertaxed By pressure the Board fetl, but can
| only slowly relieve. All this while, however,
each of the scholars in the High School enjoys
space and verge enough almost to drive from
bis seat to secitation.room in trotting buggy,
ifso Inclined, aud there are rooms reser used
since the building was completed
| Now this is not right. nor just. We aver the
true policy Of education to be the very reverse
/ Of the principle laid down By the Board. In
The lower grades of learning, the young pupil
needs constant contact with the teacher, and
here the number of scholars to each teacher
should be small. Who ever heard Of "Model
School, Of la0 pupils to each teache:. AS the
pupil advances be becomes more and more self
dependent, feels the responsibility and is led by
| love Of learning, ard the classes may grow
| larger 10 each teacher, until in the College or
University it matters little whether the class to
each professor be ffty, or three times that num-
ber. To bring the case home. Mr. Dupee's
c1ass in Virgil, or Sr. Delano's class in Pbysi-
cal Geography in the High School, may better
consist Of forty, or sixty, and each pupil make
better proportionate progress than the same
| number in lower and primary class. The first
lave learned to make progress, the latter are
! doubly learners, as they arc learning to learn.
There is 10 sound policy On which the course
pursued by our Board Of Education With refer
eace to the Chicago high School, can be up
held OF defended. The people, aud taxpayers,
| md supporters Of our schools are with us in
the matter. They demand that grade be 61ed
and the High School be filled up. Let it hare
six hundred pupils, if there be that number,
equally suitable for admission with those who
are already enjoying its great advantages.
Ayay with red tape in the matter. The noble
building exists, like all other real public bene.
efts, for the greatest good of the greatest
number"
TIE yESEr1AS N1Gur.-To-nlght will be Civ
ca at the Hyde Park House, the first Of the
Venetian festivals, the programme Of which ap-
pears in another column, and includes concert
aud dancing. The musical pieces have been
selected from the best performers, and the Ar