The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-02-07
MORE ABOUT. HIGH SCHOOLS.


AN ARGUMENT IN THEIR FAVOR By
STATE SUPERINTENDENT WICKERsHAM
i In mis- annual report Mr.. Wicker
sham, Superintendent of Public instruc
ton for Pennsylvania, says:
The opinion is still held by some
that the course Of instruction in the
public schools should be confined to the
elementary branches, such as reading
writing and arithmetic. Possibly the
more liberal of this cl. of persons
would be willing to incl something
OF geography, grammar and history
but all are opposed to any provision
for grading the schools that involves
1.-THE establishment Of high schools or
departments for higher instruction.
Ut is true that but a comparatively
small number OF children attend the
high schools ofour gclties and towns,
but wherever well managed, their up
lifting, inspiriting influence is felt in
every school Of lower grade, and by
every pupil. The high school is the
sun that gives light and heat and
quickening power to the whole system
of which it is the center. Besides, the
few i'll q high school are the choice
spirits who push themselves up from
among the many, the capable, the am
bilious, the enterprising, the God
gifted, those who are destined to be
leaders in society. They are not the
rich alone, by any means, but rather
the talented, aspiring sons and daugh-
ters Of people in moderate circum-
stances. Break up our high schools,
and you take away all chance Of ad-
vancing beyondkthe mere elements OF
learning from three-fourths of all the
young men and women who now at
tend them. The Chinese prevent the
growth Of the feet Of their female
children with iron shoes. Such bar
barism is certainly no worse than that
which would stop the growth of the
mind, dwarf the whole higher nature,
made capable Of Infinite development
by the hand Of God himself.
High schools are expensive. We adj
NIT the fact. A pupil in high school
may cost several times more than one
in primary school, If we charge high
school pupils with the whole expense
Of the high school. But to thus charge
them is clearly unfair, for, as above
shown, the good done by the high
school is distributed over the whole
system Of which it is part. The
high school can be used to give life,
and power, and efficiency to the whole
educational machinery, and Of course
it's cost will be in proportion to it's
value. .oIl
No wonder the sentiment is not
openly expressed as against high
schools, that they furnish an opportu-
nifty to the children Of the poorer class
es that prompts, them to an effort to
better their condition, to enlarge their
sphere of action, to rise in the world.
for the sentiment itself is un-Ameri-
can, and the man who entertains it
should seek a home in a monarchy
rather than in a. republic. Tt is the
glory OF free institutions that they
make the chances of success in life as
nearly equal as possible, and as the
most powerful agency in promoting
that end is theLpublic high school, no
true lover Of these institutions would
strike it down.
The positive argument in favor Of
high schools is that they are needed to
complete a system of public instruc-
ton; that the beneficial influence thew
exert upon lower schools is worth all
they cost, and that the country has no
more need of citizens who can only
read and write than it has of citizens
who have some learning, some culture,
some weight Of character.
There is no purpose that is answer
LED by 9 lower school that is not better
answered by higher one, and tleright
Ipolicy, in regard to a common school
system, is TO lay a strong foun-
|dation, and then build upon it as high
las practically possible.