The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-06-10
FREE HIGH SCHOOLS.
By I. N. STEWART.

taken In this county, Waukeshal notably at
Genesee, looking toward the organization
of schools under this act. It seems fitting
that we should take careful view Of the
subject. examining the plan of the organiza-
ton, the objects of the school, and the dan
gers to which it is subject.
Any two or ore districts may join to
establish Free High School. The question
is submitted to vote in each district, and
majority of those voting in each district is
required to carry the measure. The officers
of the districts which have determined SO to
! join, then meet and elect high school board,
consisting of three members. This Board
has full control of the high school, as dis
Srict board has Of its school. The session of
the high school may not be less than thirteen
weeks in any one year. The high school
board may use any school house in the high
school house district, or any part of the
same, by consent of the common school dis
triet board. They may hold terms of the
high school alternately in different parts of
the high school district, to accommodate the
different interests. Every thing pertaining
to the amount Of school, and cost of the
sane,is determined, as now. by the voters
of the high school Enthusiastically
one OF the most Important duties of the
board is the determination Of the grade of
the pupils who shall be admitted. This
standard of admission must be fixed in adj
vance. and on its character will depend
largely the efficiency or futility of the free
high school scheme.
The board reports every year to the County
ISup erintendent, and he to the State Super
intendent. The accounts are duly exam
ined, and, if found correct, warrant is
drawn on the State Treasury for one half the
cost of running the school. So that every dis-
trict maintaining school under this act,
may have thousand dollar school at a cost
to themselves of only five hundred dollars.
| No more than two free high schools can be
maintained in any one town. Any single
district may organize under this act; but
this will be of practical use in very few vii
lagos only. A single town, or TWO or more
towns, or a county, may avail themselves of
it's provisions. As to boundaries and extent.
the law is exceedingly flexible. 1t is fexi-
BILE, too, as to the length OF term and charac-
ter of the school established only requiring
that the school shall occupy a position su-
perior to tie various common schools en-
braced within the high school district.
OBJECTS OF THE SCHOOL.
It is expected that these schools will COM
mand better class of professional teachers,
and will include in its membership all the
more advanced pupils, which are now dis
tributed through the several districts. It
brings a better education within the reach of
every one who aspires to it, and will fit him
self for it. Children can be educated under
TIE eye of the parent, who now are either
deprived of the chance, or are subjected to
the expense and dangers resulting from being
removed from parental care. This education
can be acquired, too, without begetting hab-
! its of discomfort, and dislike to life of
honorable industry. They are at home ;;
their interest in the cares and labors of the
farm or shop is unbroken instead of separa-
ting the family and exposing the chill 1rcn,
still immature, to the temptations OF q city,
with its style above their means, and insult
able to their station and prospects in life.
/ This scheme is calculated to bring the
and thus relieve the separate districts of
doing each the same work while it can be
better and more economically done at one
/ pl ace by one teacher. Each of four districts
has ten pupils studying arithmetic. Each
must hire a competent teacher. The teacher
in each school spends nearly as much time
on the ten as he would on the forty and
thus negleets the other pupils or, he shams
along with them, and wastes his time with q
multiplicity Of classes. Under this system,
a cheaper teacher can be hired in each of the
four districts, who can give his whole time
TO fair number Of classes, thus doing better
work, while the ten can go to school whore
they can receive the exclusive attention of a
competent teacher.
This stem presents constant incentive
to every pupil of lower grade which can be
used not only to induce regular and system
attic study, but to secure better discipline
and to create an esprit de corps highly adyan-
tageous to all. It also presents an incentive
to higher attachments, and makes them
possible The idea hat education can be
made too easy, SO that even billiards may
hope and the community be thereby injured,
is, to me, preposierous. There will always
/ be enough naturally ignorant and depraved,
ts serve as examples, without putting or
teo0"as stumbling blocks in the way of intel
lectual and moral advancement.
These schools will become the nurseries Of
our common school teachers, and, through
them, react on tho primary schools. They
VIII serve as preparatory schools for high