Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-03-14
FREE HIGH School MATTERS.
To .S.hool Patrons and Friends.

this as the most practicable method
for conveying to you certain infor-
nation which you should possess,
and securing higher degree of in
terest in its welfare.
The High School was organized
somewhat more than year ago,
under law of the State authorizing
the establishment of town High
Schools. The following course of
study, suggested by the Superinten-
dent of Public Instruction, in con-
formity with the provisions of the
law, and extending over period of
three years, was adopted by the
Board of Education;
FIRST YEAR.
Arithmetic, English Grammar and
Sentential Analysis, Geography, Ply
steal Geography.
SECOND YEAR.
| Elementary Algebra, Ply siology,
Natural Philosophy, History of the
United States, German or Book
keeping.
THIRD YEAR.
Plane and Solid Geometry, Natu-
raj Philosophy, Botany, German or
Science of Civil Government, Rhet-
oric or Mental Science.
Exercises in Reading, Spelling,
and Composition throughout the
course.
The terms of admission, as fixed
by the State Superintendent for all
schools of this class, are as follows :
Reading. - Through the Fourth
Reader, SO called.
Spelling The ordinary words of
the same.
Wliting.-A fair, legible hand.
acknowledgements rules,
common and decimal fractions.
Geography. - Through United
States.
English Grammar.-To Syutax :
Greene's Introduction or its equiva-
lent.
This is the minimum standard Of
admission and no High School can
be certain of participating in the
distribution of the State appropria-
ton, which admits pupils who can
not pass very thorough examina-
ton up to this point.
At the first examination held after
the organization, class numbering
forty-two was admitted to begin
work under the new arrangement.
| Owing to various causes, but part
of the work prescribed for the FIRST
year was done in that time. At the
beginning of the second year, Sep
TENDER, 1870, a class of twentyfour
passed the examination and were
admitted to the school /; thus making
a total enrolment in the High School
for the two years of siXty-six. All
Of these now in the school, with the
exception Of the few who are study
ing Latin, German and United States
History, are yet engaged upon the
studies of the first year of the course.
There is a fair prospect that the
larger part Of this number, if their
attendance is uninterrupted, will
complete this part of the work by the
end of the present school year,
This brief statement of the condi-
ton of the school very clearly indi-
Gates one of its greatest needs. 1t
is of the highest Importance that the
school should have IN advanced class
of students--a class which, having
mastered the lower branches OF the
course of study, and having reached
the third years work, shall, by zeal
for seIf-improvement, 10y industry,
and by the degree of culture at
tanned, exert a wholesome, stinulat-
ing influence throughout all the
| lower classes and departments. The
power that such class could WELD
in eevating the character of the
school could scarcely be estimated.
The lack of such class Of students
accounts largely for the absence here
of the kind Of influence which every
High School should exert in com
muuity-the influence that makes
education something to be desired,
something for youth to labor for and
sacrifice for, Candor compels me to
admit that the High School of this
city will not compare tavorably with
those of most other places OF equal
population and it is to this defect,
more than to any other cause, that