The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-09

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal;
In your excellent editorial of to-day headed
Examing the School System" you have called
attention to statistics that should have the care
ful thought of ali good citizens. The question
raised recently in the School Board and by you,
what can be done to improve our schools? is
the same question that has been raised every
year for the last twelve years, to my knowledge,
and it has been answered every year by the
school officers and by the different school
boards to the best of their ability.
Our schools of to-day are the result of long and
patient inquiry and study on the part of those
Entrusted by the people from time to time with
their direction, and believe they will compare
Iavorably with any in our country. Still am
glad to sec the old question come up again. as it
should come up in every year for all time to
come. What can be done to improve our
schools9n
But cannot quite agree with you as to the
wisdom of spending a Thousand dollars to get
the opinions of the prominent educators you
name. or any others. Their views have been
crystallized by them in the schools that
have been or are under their control, and the re-
suits of their work in statistical form in our
library, open to all who will examine them.
Then, too, the value of their opinions can best
be estimated by examining the schools under
their care, as has been done by our superintend-
ents from time to time for many years, and as
our schools have been visited and the work and
results examined and criticised by them from
time to time
The men whose names you mention are all
prominent in the educational circles in which
our superintendent have moved during the last
twelve years; and in those circles every question
OF detail in school management direction has
been discussed, debated and settled and these
questions are being reopened from time to time
and discussed anew by these gentlemen, and set
tied anew, as suppose they will continue to be
reopened by them and their successors for all
time to come.
jury of educational men will come no nearer
an agreement on an educational question than
Will jury of doctors on q medical question, or
jury of preachers an ecclesiastical question.
what think Is more needed now is to know
what the people want. Let them answer the
question why such small per cent of the
children are in the schools of the country Our
and the results attained will compare favorably
One parent has kindly answered the question
to me- far as his children are concerned that
the reason that he feels so little interest in
having them finish the is because there
is so little technical education in our High
school. Now, if every parent who has
taken his children out of the school before
finishing the course, or contemplates doing
so, will give his reasons to any member of
the School Board, or to the High-school COM
mittee, which is now considering this question,
1t may throw some valuable light on this subject
trust that all having children to educate will
give this question the careful attention its i'm
portance demands GEO. MERRITT,
Presidento of Board of School Commissioners.