The Portland daily press., 1884-04-10

at the hearing given by the committee par
tial report was made. 1t was stated there
that sin an examination of all the pupils,
315 in number, of the High School there was
found but one pupil, and that one in the
fourth class, and from Massachusetts, who
claims to have been injured by over-study or
over-work la school," Our report does not
state how this examination was conducted:
but we are fortunately able to give the in
formation. The Principal of the High
School went from room 10 room and request
60 that any pupil Who thought he worked
100 hard or was injured by the school course
would make it known by raising the hand.
How admirably adopted this scheme was
for ascertaining definitely and precisely the
mental and physical condition of the pupils !!
LIS 1t not universally conceded that girls and
boys from IL to 10 years old are entirely
capable of deciding whether they are doing
too much or too little and whether they are
doing it in the best way? And can
are overworked will respond freely to pub
lie question of that kind from the master in
the presence of all their mates? Since only
one little girl, and she in the fourth class,
and from Massachusetts, raised her hand,
everybody must acknowledge that so far as
the High School is concerned, the system is
all right and producing only the best results.
BY vote OF 3l4 10 1, the existing system
has been approved by the pupils themselves.
What more can anybody ask or hope for?
After such verdict,wh does I. T. D. pre-
sumo to insist that the system does harm?
What can he hope to accomplish, supported
only by one little girl in the fourth class,
and she from Massachusetts? What does
his professional experience count for in the
face of the fact that 314 pupils In the High
school, when challenged to make complaint
against The system under which they are be-
ing educated, did not hold up their hands?
Is 1t not clear that the children who have
seemed to him TO be injured were imposing
upon him, and that the fathers and mothers
who have sought his advice under the i'm
preston that the school work is harmful,
were foolishly alarmed? How absurd it is, in
this age of the world, that adults should pre-.
sumo to have any opinion about matter
contrary 10 the judgment of their childienI
But somebody is not satisfied with this
single victory over the critics of the sys-
tenn. However decisive the verdict already
obtained may be, it still can be objected by
carping community that it applies only to
tho nj, A. 49,
there may remain doubt In the public
mind, and it is important to get the very
truth of the matter, and to get it in writing
from the highest authority, so that there
will be an end of all agitation by persons
who do not understand the facts In the case.
AS before the appeal is to be made to the
pupils. We are unable to say whether the
pupils of all the Grammar Schools are to be
summoned to give their ties timony at once;
but it was announced early in the week by
the teacher of one Grammar School that on
Friday of this week the pupils would be re-
quired, as a composition exercise, to write
out their views of the ranking and examina-
ton system to which they are subject. They
were exhorted to think about the subject
and to be prepared to give as fully as posi-
BILE their honest opinion about The condi-
tons of their school life, and say whether or
not it affected them injuriously. The pupils
of whom this is required range from 1 to IA
years of age.
We do not know whether it is proposed to
extend this method of investigating the re-
suits and tendencies of our school system
into the primary classes; but 1t would be
quite logical to do SO, and we presume some
happy method of collecting the SURFACES of
the babes upon the effect of the marking
system and DETERMINATIONS on their ner-
vous organization and moral natures, will be
devised. We shall be surprised if the testi-
mony to be obtained from the schools below
the high school does not fully confirm the
results ascertained by the Examination
conducted at that institution. Again shall
wisdom DO proclaimed out OF tho mouths of
babes and stockings, and the captious COM
plainings of stupid parents and bigoted doc
tors will be COMPOUNDED. If the children
see no evil in the process through which
they are put, of course there can be none.
The system will be indicated, and every
reasonable person will insist that the educa-
tional mills shall grind on and grind little
finer than before.