The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-11-12
MINNESOTA STATE NEWS.
HIGH SCHOOLS OF THE STATE.
Secretary Khiele Takes Occasion in His
Annual Report, to Discuss the Subject
and Make Some Suggestions.

Annual Report, to Discuss the Subject
and Make Some Suggestions.
D. d. Kiehle, secretary OF the state high
school board, has prepared portion OF
his annual report, as follows:
There are number OF schools through
out the state which deserve to be
ranked as high schools OF the first
class. complete in the following re-
spects: First-The preparatory grades are
definite, well taught, carefully followed and
we'll supervised by principals or superin-
tendents Second-The course OF study
and the work in the high school covers the
three years preparatory to the university,
and the graduations from the school, are
only upon the completion of the entire
course prescribed by the state board. Third
The schools are fully equipped with libra
ries and reference books necessary for
studies in history, science and literature
and with apparatus for the illustration OF
subjects in chemistry and natural philoso-
ply. Fourth-There appears also in these
schools that higher evidences of success
which may be called the atmosphere
OF the school expressed in the scholarly
bearing OF the pupils, their love OF study,
and in their scholarly ambitions. Fifth
And, finally, in the explanation OF
the progress already noted, these schools
appoint supervisors and principals
with view to retaining them for some time.
There is another class OF high schools rang
ing second, which have gained much, and
promise soon to be complete, in all that
belongs to schools OF the first-class. There
remains third class which have SO many
obstacles that have not yet demonstrated
their ability to support the claim OF being
creditable high schools. The defects in
these schools may be characterized as fol-
lows: First-The elementary departments
arenot carefully graded nor the children pur-
suing courses of study with regularity. Sec
ond-The schools and department d } not
have a superintendency which secures
strict order neatness in buildings,
grounds and outbuildings and which unites
and improves all grades by the stimulus
of its presence and direction.
LACK ELEMENTARY TRAINING.
Third-The pupils received into the high
school do not show the results of good
elementary training in an ability
to read easily and inteligently, to
think readily and conscentiously, and
to express their thoughts, both
orally and in writing, with facility. AS
result, the work in the high school is often
uninteresting and unsatisfactory. Fourth
There is in these schools an entire lack of
apparatus and libraries. In the absence OF
these and the instruction that will utilize
them, the young acquire no taste for read
ing and acquire none of the knowledge that
is found in books of history, ira vel, biogra-
ply and current literature; also in the nat
ural sciences, upon which so much stress
is laid as the most useful studies. Nothing
is Illustrated and nothing learned beyond
memoriter bookwork. The defect causing
their backwardness, and utterly preventing
reasonable progress, is continued changing
OF principals. Some OF these schools have
had a new principal each year. The evil
has been magnitied in that the prin-
cipals have, in many instances, been
young. The secretary is OF the
opinion that the high schools might be
divided into three classes, upon plan
similar to the above, it being understood
that high schools of the third class are in
the experimental stage, and that their
continuance as state high schools re-
ceiving appropriations will be deter
mined by improvement, with the pros
pect OF soon meeting all reasonable
demands upon them. The high schools
whose term has expired are as follows:
Alexandria, Dodge Center, Fergus Falls,
Glencoe, Morris. Montevideo, st. Charles,
GAINESVILLE, Dundas and Elk River Appli-
cations have been received from the follow
ing: Alexandria, Brainerd, Fergus Falls.
Dodge Centre, Madelia, Dundas, Preston
and GAINESVILLE. One high school manual,
containing valuable information on the
subject of high schools, is now ready, and
will be sent to each principal on applica-
ton.