The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1875-08-19

tronagc. Ifthcy wish TO study with ref
crcpcc to the entrance to college. a.
seminary is the place for them TO achieve |
it. II they wish To acquire a knowledge |
of Tclegraphy or Photography, Bust
ness College is provided for the purpose.
lf they wish to acquire thorough |
knowledge of their own tongue and the
lower Mathematics. the Public School is
the place. proridcd it is Public School.
In the three years that it takes stu
dent to master (.) the mixed course of the
High School. and get his diploma, he is
not doing himself, his parents or his city,
justice. lie is sent forth into the world to
battle In the various professional or mer-
camille paths of life. without
that mental culture which the
times and his own craving de-
mand. And this is owing to the hallu-
cination under which he labor,d while at
school. Now the question naturally
arises, must this be so: Cannot harmony
be obtained to the mutual advantage of
the people and the High School? We
think 1t possible, and to obtain this end,
committee or the board of Trustees
consisting of the best educated men In
our midst, and those cognzant of the
wants of the majority of our citizens
should he appointed or clectedto draw up
a schedule of studies to be pursuedby the
teachers, they selecting their textbooks
A thorough English course, beginning
in the Primary Department, and extend
ing throughout the whole course, l. as
much as student OF the Public School
could perform In the time generally al
lotted to him for education.
There are only two systems which can
be followed ont judiciously, viz: the
Free or Authoritative. OF these two it
is for our citizens to judge which is the
better.
would not for moment. wish to de-
preciatc the value of the present course
of instruction in the High School, wcrci,
in lis proper place. But Latin, German
Telegraphy, Photography, Algebra
Geometry, Botany, Natural Philosc ohy
|. Rhetoric, Elocution, Descriptive ant
| Physical Geography, History, Grammar
Arithmetic, can not be mastered in tn,
I time student has to spend in the Iligl
o School. Besides. it is dcfraudng on
: children OF IA knowledge which the,
1 could bc gaining elsewhere with mucl
. more facility.
: Another thing to be looked clearly
into is the optional course. Now, are we to
let our children a. soon rs they become in.
mates of the High School, and are admit
ted to Il certain class, choose for them
selves those studies which they like best
or compel them to enter the regular
:, course! There are two reasons why tn,
whole course Is impossible. The one
y that they could not master it in an allot
= ted time. The other they would not b.
!, permitted. Yet, a student o
- the High School, during tn,
, past year, has been studying in thrc'
, different classes at the same time. Is thi
discipline! Hardly. Then, which is til,
better courscT There is only one other
the authoritative. This is the course
p then, to be followed. Optional course,
must be avoided. A regular course mus
# be adopted.
+, Let the school cease to confer diplo-
mas. Let its commencement exercises
be held and certificates given, of acquit-
tai or recommendation to Il higher grade.
Let the course be fully English, but let
us not, above all things, deceive the put
pills by false hopes. hayc only consid-
cred one OF the many sides of THE ques-
tion--thc benefit to accrue from thor
ou9h English education. C'r''""'