The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-04
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
1he H.sh-school ana Eastern Colleges

The High-School and Eastern Colleges.
To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal
A word as to that part of the recent letter OF
Mr. T. A. Goodwin in which he charges that
there is an influence somewhere of late that
initiates too many pupils with the idea that our
State colleges are altogether too insignificant for
them, and they pointed to Harvard or Yale
as the only place where a man can be properly
educated. We cannot afford to harbor
in any department of our school system any man
or woman whose influence is against any other
part and any one who is too nice to labor &C
build up our entire system is too nice TO live in
Indiana at all. Let them Slide"
This is good, strong word from Mr.. Good
win, and one which, trustee of one of our
State colleges, as well as O stanch believer In
Indiana schools for Indiana youth, can hearth
ly indorse.
But if courtesy were moro of jewel with Mr..
Goodwin. he would have seen that this does not
consort well with his attack at the beginning Of
his article upon the State University. which
he sees fit to label as a Bloomington
institution: or. with his careful calculation"
that the graduates of the State University
tabout twenty-f five annually could be graduated
cheaper by the State paying their expenses at
Harvard or Yale.
The pride of every State in the Union is to
have it's own institutions and if the State schools
day, it would be argument for us to educate
elsewhere We might as we'll have our legisat-
ing done in New England as our educating, but
the present outlook is very strong for a State
Capitol and State University. But this was
an oversight, doubtless of Mr., Goodwins who
certainly does not intend TO blow both hot and
cold in the same article.
The fact is that the city High school has not
sent ten Of its thousand graduates to Yale or
Harvard. 1t has sent a score to DePauw, and
np fvn m ha Sfafo 11niu Va
something that no high-school principal can con-
troll Parents are very likely to send their chill.
dren to the college where they graduated, and if
at Harvard or YALE and the $500 OF 81, 900 year
can be raised, few may 60 there, but not
enough to hurt Indiana. or Indiana colleges.
The High school Course of Study for 1887
states that pupils may be prepared for the best
Eastern colleges by the elective course, but Mr.
Grant only used that as a measure of the pre-.
paratory work, and the Course OF Study for
1855 says "for the best colleges"
Though educated at Harvard the High school
principal is a Western man, having done all his
work in Kansas and Indiana and is heartily liz
sympathy with Western schools and
colleges. Any one that knows Mr..
Goodwin knows that he would not
leave false impression with the people as to
this matter, and he is scertainly mistaken as to
this Initiating influence working for Harvard as
against Indiana schools And no one knows
better, too, than he that. after all Indiana can
w ioT yOutH - Ooue, tneFe Is SILL Toou loF VIC
Eastern schools" to pour in a year or two of
good work before the deep mines of the German
and Scotch universities are worked by Indiana
students;' and the State has more now in these
than in the great Atlantic centers of culture.
In the same issue Father Bessonles is reported
as saying that 1.-THE sons and daughters of labor
ers and mechanics are not benefited by the High
school, because few none of them ever
avail themselves of its privileges" If reported
rightly, Father Bessonies, who is well known to
be fair minded man and conscientious citizen,
is here at fault. Several years ago. when the
High-school adjustment was generally discussed
throughout the State, Principal Roberts found.
by examination Of the records. that over
half of the High school pupils were
sons and daughters of laborers. and that a
large portion of them paid no taxes, real or per-
sonal. The record was published, and is on file.
Moreover. there are numerous teachers of our
city public schools who are the daughters u6
Roman Catholic laborers and mechanics, and
were educated in our High school and training
school,
Not five out of ten in the High school to-day
could get such an education if they had to pay
800 year tnition At that rate 1.-THE average
rate for equivalent tuirion) it would have cost
Mr.. Goodwin 81. 900 for that which he received
as common citizen.
AS to the languages other than English, in the
High school, it is of little use to discuss them IN
tine papers. French and Spanish certainly have
their claims, as we'll as others, but the whole
question has unfortunately been releeated in our
cities to the field Of politics rather than Of COM
mon sense and public welfare.
Tit for Tat.