Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-10-11
DEPARTMENT,
VIM. ELDEN, Editor.

The following extract, in which are
some remarks concerning the Indepen-
dence High School, is from the Educa-
tional Column Of the Conservative.
No comment is necessary. The extract
speaks for itself:
The public schools of Independence
opened two weeks ago. These schools
are under the charge of Prof. VIM. Ell
den, and fourteen teachers are employ
ed. The Wilcox house has been changed
to school house. In this house is the
High School, separate and alone. The
accommodations of this school are
well-furnished main room, convenient
recitation rooms, cabinet and apparatus.
The course of study is comprehensive,
and when completed the applicant can
be admitted to the State University
without further examination. For her
children, our county has an unbroken
chain from the alphabet to graduation
at the University. When tne pupils
OF he district schools complete the
common school studies, as they can
complete them,-and should complete
them, whether they prosecute their
studies further or not,-they can i'm
mediately enter the High School; when
this High School course is ompleted,
they can Immediately enter the Univer-
sity, or any of the colleges. Why many
OF the young persons of our county
should 60 from the common schools off
to college, we cannot tell They merely
go TO the college building to enter the
preparatory department. In no true
sense of the word, is this going to col
lege. Perhaps majority of those who
thus go off to college never complete
the preparatory course. A term OF two
at the college building, spent in the pre-
paratory department, constitutes their
college life.
The ideas that many persons have of
+ IS going off TO college are ludicrous
enough. We 'ecollect young lady
who went through .e district school,
taught school four terms, and then went
off to college for three terms. When
she returned, college bred, she resumed
teaching From the better posted pu-
pills OF her school, word soon went out
that she did not understand arithmetic
and grammar Many of the patrons
could not believe this. ''The reports
are false. She has been to college and
she knows" What is the use of col
leges, if one cannot learn arithmetic and
GRAMMAR" were among the many re-
marks. Still the stubborn fact was, she
was stalled She had been in The col
lege building, but not in college. She
had been in the prepara ,orv department
studying the common branches, that she
might enter college. She gave up study
before she was prepared to enter col
leae. When she went to the college, she
found the majority above her in mental
attainments, and severe work before
her Not having acquired the habit of
patient study previously, she became
discouraged, and yielded to mental indo-
lence. This preparatory work ought to
be done at home. Here, it can be done
more cheaply, and the habit of study so
fi,;ed, that, when the pupil really enters
college, he will not become discouraged
at the prospect before him.
Again, the district schools should
connect with the High School, so that
the pupils who wish to do so may enter
at once If they do not wish 10 prose
cute their studies further Than through
the common schools, then is it much
more imperative that they have, at
least, full and ready command of that
kind and amount of knowledge which
would enable them to enter High
School. The teacher of every district
school should be able to bring her pu-
pills to this point. Also, they should be
acquainted with the requirements Of the
High School course, that they may make
connections Herewith.
By applying to Prof. Eden, teachers
may be able to obtain this course of
study; if not, we will try to give it in
the columns,
Many pupils who come from the dis
trict schools here, must enter the Gram
mar School department, instead of the
High School department, which they
should enter. We have a case in point:
Recently a gentleman brought his
daughter here to enter the school. she
was examined For the beginning high
school class. She failed to pass, and
consequently had to enter the grammar
school, and now must pursue the stuCies
which should have been completed i'll
Tie district school. If she follows out
the course as she should do. she must
spend at least two terms III the gram
mar department, at cost OF not less
than sixty dollars to hei fatrec. The
examination was not difficult In arith-
metic the NEST difficult was, ''$75 are 30
per cent OF what sum-" This pop.l
was under tie instruction Of good
teacher for ,ne last term But no good
teacher can accomplish much in single
term. 1T requires succession of good
teachers, or far better, one good teacher
from the first to the last term. When
good teachers are employed, much of
the pupils progress depends upon the
encouragement received at home. One
item of great importance is the punctu-
al and regular attendance Of the pupil.
Without this, the efforts oe the best
teachers are rendered OF but little
avail.
The strictest economy is to employ
none but the best teachers, those of
known scholarship, and ability in the
school room, aud to keep them en-
ployed.
Let school officers and parents work
together to keep experienced teachers
in the field.