McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1883-10-04
Country High Schools.
II. X. p, In sournai Of Education.

II. X. +, In journal or Education.
There is some reason for the fashion
of laughing at country high schools;
for, in many cases, with the execution
of the two or three boys who are fitted
in them for college, the pupils pursue
course scarcely above what should be
taken in a grammar school, and diplo-
mas are given for such ludicrously
small requirements as to cast discredlt
on all diplomas. 1t is not light mat
ter that two or three boys should be fit
ted for college. The influence is felt
through the whole town. Still, the
means are somewhat proportional to
the end, especially as the boys would
probably find some other way to ac-
cOmpllsh their object if this were not
provided. But in many towns, just
large enough to be legally required to
support high school, there are too few
young people who desire more than q
grammar-schOOl education to make it
possible to maintain very high stand
ard in the high school. So the commit
tee do the best they can. They secure
young college graduate who can fit
other young men for college, and then
admit all the older children (who over
crowd the other schools), to what is
called an English course. They thus
save the expense of an additional gram
mar school, and by increasing it a little
they manage to pay Il teacher who will
fulfill the conditions of the law.
There is but one serious fault with
this; that is, that diplomas should be
given for such a meagre course of study.
Vanity is the only quality stimulated by
such graduations, especially among
girls, who have an eye to white dresses
and bouquets. 1t is very well to have q
gala day to celebrate the completion of
a thorough course of study over which
the pupils have worked patiently for
years; but it is another thing to publish
our victory to the world when we over
came nothing more than simple and q
child's history.
Let the course required for gradua-
ton be an ample one, even if there is
only one graduate in ten years. Some,
however, will ague that the pupils will
then lose stimulus they now have
which is beneficial. Probably this
would not prove so, if there were q
really fine teacher capable of rousing
enthusiasm in the scholars; but, if pub
lie exhibitions should appear to be a
necessity, they could easily be made at
tractive without the face of diplomas.
The question of the high-school
teacher is more important. The salary
in country town is seldom sufficient to
command a superior man; and there is
one strong reason for employing a gen.
tleman rather than an equally we'll
qualified lady, especially in our New
England towns-it is this, there are a
few cultivated men in any village, while
there are always a number of ladies.
Now, every educated man who can be
added to the community has an influ-
ence which is greatly needed. How
ever, it would be much better to en-
ploy superior woman than an inferior
man.
If the committee are wise, they can
perhaps find a suitable man for the
small sum they can afford, always pro-
viding that they pay as high salary as
it is in their power to do. There are
two classes of men to choose from-re-
cent graduates, who have true ability
but no experience, and older men who
may have been unfortunate, but who
are still known to possess character and
education. 1t will call for great care to
make judicious selection in two such
doubtful classes, but upon such judg-
ment will depend almost the entire well
fare of our country high schools.