Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-04-09
THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL COURSE.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction,
VIM. T. Welcker, has issued q circular letter
to trustees Of all the public school districts
in the State. in which is copy of a law recent
ly passed authorizing the Grammar School
Course Of four years for the purpose Of fit
ting and preparing students to enter the sci
entifc department Of the State University.
The law has already been published in full in
these columns. The letter from tie State Su-
psrinteaaent calls attention to the fact that
whenever district Is financially able to en-
ploy, in addition TO the necessary primary
grade teaching force, at lesst one good gram.
mar grade teacher, who is sble TO give good
Instruction in the studies required TO prepare
students for the University, and the people
Of the district shsll 60 elect, there will at once
be established system whereby the young
people of that district may enjoy the benefits
OF their own free University. The requisite
studies TO be taught preparatory to the va
rious departments in the University are spec
ifiej, together With the remark as TO require
ments for Admission 20 the University that
all examinations ara conducted .in writing
EXCEPT suca az must Of necessity be oral, such
as reading and the pronunciation Of foreign
language. Candidates must be at least six
teen years Of age, and must present certih-
Gates OF good moral character"
The letter concludes as follows:
It is feared by some that four years after leaving
the primary grade would not suffice TO prepare
students for the University. If this be true the
remedy would be found in the hands Of the County
Superintendent Of Schools aud the Board OF Educa-
tiOn. In grading and arranging the course OF
studies for those districts where the people shall
elect to establish the grammar school course they
could move the line OF demarcation up two years
giving two years longer TO the primary grades with
the corresponding increase OF studies taken from the
grade above and leaving four years 20 the grammar
course grade in which to prepare for the University
Even should the pupils never 90 to the University
they will be immensely benefited by TINS broader
culture.
versity, and through him with the Faculty, and find
them disposed TO do everything in their power to
facilitate the entrance of the young men and women
OF the State into that institution. learn from the
President that the Faculty have just passed the fol-
lowing resolution: 'An applicant who has not
been able TO attend a school in which complete prep
arRon for the University is offered, and who passes
Q good examination subjects one, two, three,
four and fourteen, may be admitted to a partial
course IN either Of the Colleges OF Science with the
privilege Of gaining full standing whenever he makes
up his deficiencies
The Professor of English Literature announces his
willingness to accept equivalents for the require
ments laid down under subject fourteen. provided
the equivalents receive his approval. It will be
desirable, indeed in all probability necessary, that
q
yeaf before the applicant intends to present himself
for examination. President Reed saws 1.-THE
Faculty will, l am sure, extend to students ad-
ntted under the provisions Of this resolution and
who show unmistakable ability and the disposition
TO do the work OF the College he enters in a salts
factory way every reasonable consideration with re-
spact to deficiencies"
This measure is in nowise intended to interfere
with High Schools in their work of complete prepa-
ration for any and all OF the Colleges OF the Univer.
sity nor in their work upon their general course Of
sity.
1t viii be seen by examining requirements one,
two, three, four, five, eleyeo, twelve thirteen and
fourteen that it IS possible in many Of the districts
throughout the State to prepare students to enter
any Of the scientific Colleges OF the University. To
enter the College OF Letters either course thereof
requires come preparation in Latin or Latin and
Greek and classical history and classical geography
These requirements, it is applehended, are not at
the present time easily attainable as those for
the Colleges Of Science; albeit the amount Of math-
ematics required is not neary SO great as for the
latter colleges.
Finally, by the wise and liberal spirit animating
the Faculty Of the University it has been rendered
possible to enter that institution partia, course
which may aft rwards be filled out into complete
course, bringing degree, by having a reasonably
good preparation in grammar and composition in
own language; OF arithmetic; of algebra, to in
geometry, up to solid geometry, or geometry Of
three dimensions English literature, to the limited
extent described in requirement fourteen.
j earnestly commend the serious consideration OF
this scheme, whereby the University may become
the great beneficial institution which it intended
to be, to the teachers educational authorities, and
to the people OF the whole State.