Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-07-20

Scaoo.. Narrgas.-Mcst Of ous citizens
are probably aware that we have some oi
the bee, teachers in the State, the majority
Of whom take vacations for visiting Other
places with view Of learning what they
can about other schools and institusions oi
learning. During the present. vacation, oui
ieschsss. with few exceptions ere taking
especial pains to bring to their next year'i
work oil that can be Of use in tie fartbsi
advancing Of our school system.
Our City School Superintendent, NJ. W
A. Bsmis has been visiting different locali'
ties for the past three weeks, with . view
OF gaining information that will be Of assiS
tance to him in his duties. From one Of hi.
letters dated Newt York. July 9th, VI
make the following extract which will b'
read with interest BY teachers, and BY stu
dents throughout the State who are prepar
ing to take colIegiats course:
have been fortunate in meeting educa'
tionsl men, and from them have gained scv
eral new ideas.
One or two items will give you.
The Presidents Of most Of the Ohio coll
leges lately had meeting to try and devise
some plan of harmony or agreement 10 th,
" courses of study" Of the High School.
and Colleges. As you know, TIE High
Schools give their graduates 9 pretty thor.
ough drll IN Mathematics and the Naturs
Sciences, but little or nothing in Greek
while the Colleges require for admission o
Freshmen no Natural Sciences, little Math'
ematics, but two and . half years study O
Greek and Latin.
But the Presidents could not agree upon
any plan TO recommend. Some were in favol
Of advising two courses for the High ScLoo
a classical and scientific (the former t
be preparation for College,, while few
were in favor Of admitting to the College.
withou. any knowledge Of the dead Ian.
guagcs. This WAS thoroughly opposed
by the majority on the grounc
that the High Schools would ther
have, by far the most practical and attract
i've Of the college course. and the conse,
quencs would be dearth Of college students
President Fairchild. Of Oberlln Colleg,
made some suggestions to me. in III,
matter of High School studies that think
well worthy Of consideration. Several o
them are already incorporated in our cours'
Of study.
lst Throw out higher arithmetic on the
ground that very few new principles ar,
found in il, and the problems Can be much
more readily performed by Algebra.
2nd. DO NOE 60 beyond proportion il
algebra; take all Of geometry except pro-
portion. and oil Of plain trigonometry. lie
that end the Mathe matics.
Sd. Attempt nothing more than knowl
edge Of the general principles in Botany
VIZ: Physiology. Geology, Zoology. Natu
raj History, dc. Make thorough work o
chemistry but take the smaller text book
III political economy, history, science of gov
ernmens and kindred studies. Then tax,
all the ancient and modern languages yo,
have time for, allowing the latter to pre-
dominate.
have visited the schools Of several town
in the State, but do not find as much zeal o.
proficiency az there is as the West. Unless
| the East bestrs herself she will have TO COM
West to find her model schools, as she al
ready does for model school houses.
New York State has just taken . lone
step in advance. by abolishing the Rat
Bil'' system, and basing the support Of pub
lie schools on general taxation. They may
now look TO see the graded school from tht
primary to the high, take the place Of th
subscription school and the old academy.