The Portland daily press., 1890-10-28
THE PORTLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
crasltsing Results of the Free Text
Sock law-courses Of Study DIS
OF the School.

\ qualified success in the high school. 1t was
argued that the high school was rather more
1 Of luxury than otherwise, attended only
4 by those children whose parents could we'll
\ afford to buy their textbooks; and that there
i fore, the extension of the free book system
\ to this grade OF schools was needless waste
4 of good money. II the experience of the
Portland High school can be taken as fair
test of the efficacy of the law. its benefits.
together with those Cf re-arranging aud
4 undermining of the courses OF study, are
4 plainly visible.
Six wears ago the entering class of the
| high school at the opening of the fall term
numbered TIA The following year the en-
tering class numbered 175 the total registra-
tion of the school being 1897. The next year,
the entering class numbered ITO and the
total membership was 418. The entering
class In 1888 numbered only 1888; while the
total for the school was 1878. Last year the
entering class rose to 15i, while the total
membership fell off to 371. This present
years entering class contained at the open
| ing OF the term, the unprecedented number
| of 1893 members, the total membership being
l 3S9. These figures show that the provisions
| of the free textbook act are fully known
| and understood, and their advantages
thoroughly appreciated by the people of the
city, for never before has the membership of
the fourth or entering class been so large in
| proportion to the whole number of scholars
10 the school as this year, under the opera
| ton of the free Textbook act.
To go back a step father is only necessary
| to show this still more plainly It is a well
known fact that of the whole number of
grammar school graduates, only proportion
have ever entered the high school. Just
how large that proportion rules can be read
lily shown. In 1886, 235 were entitled to adj
mission. OF these TIA only, eneered. The
next year OF $40. ITS presented themselves at
the high school. The following year found
229 qualified, but only ITO availed themselves
of the opportunity. In 1888, $50 scholars
were given cards of admission, and 13S, only
| a few more than half, used them. Last year
there were 235 grammar school graduates
l aud only 154 applicants for entrance to the
high school. This year the first class of the
| grammar schools numbered 215, and 1893, all
! but o. were enrolled on the books of the
| high school at the opening of the term in
September. These figures show more con-
clusively than columns of argument could
that the high school has an increased popu-
larity with our citizens which must be due
to the fact that the textbooks which former
ly were quite an item Of individual expense
are now furnished free, or for price added
to taxes that is SO small for the individual
citizen as to be almost unnoticeable.
Very few people can be found nowadays
who doubt the benefit of high school course
toward making wise and good citizens of
those who are able to take it. Those who
have felt obliged to keep their children from
entering the high school, or to withdraw
them before graduation have as rule done
so with reluctance and only because they
l could not afford the necessary expense Now
that this expense is in a measure dene away,
there should not be, aud the figures given
4 show that there is not. so large number of
4 children who drop out of school life at the
4 end of their grammar school course. The
/ friends Of the law and of the school feel
\ confidence that In another six years bal
! ance-sheet wild show even better results than
\ have been achieved in this short time.
While the textbook law seems to be doing
great deal in bringing scholars into the
II oShoo's VIZ AC-nAAoh6O0 OuiAlSutum Wilis 10
4 believed, tend to keep them there more effec-
| tually than has been done before. Prior to
| September 1886 there were two courses, the
English consisting Of one mathematical
study. one literary study and one science in
each term; and a classical or college pre-
paratory course. 1t was possible for students
in the English course to study Latin part
of the time If they preferred in place of
French, the regular study Of the course. In
! September 1886, new system was devised
l and went into effect with that years enter
1 log class. The principal change from the
| old style was the addition of general history
4 continuing through the entire course, but
1 rected only on certain days in the week.
| One class was worked through the school on
1 this system but the result was not wholly
| satisfactory, and new arrangement was
| made going into effect with the class of '94,
the present fourth class. In the new scheme
of studies there are three courses: English
or scientific, which remains substantially as
under the arrangement OF 1886, classical
which is also practically unchanged, and a
new English-classical which teaches mathe-
MATES, sciences and history, and gives an
option between Latin and English the first
year and Latin and French In the two mid
die years. The study of English literature
Is continued as it formerly was with a
recitation once a week. Thus 1t will be seen
four courses are offered, respectively, scienti-
| fic, English, Latin and college preparatory.
| The wisdom of this change is shown in the
| fact that whereas the proportion of scholars
| taking Latin in proportion to the whole
| number was about as one to three, by the
Introduction of this new English-Latin
course the proportion is directly reversed
and is as three to one.
This arrangement places the Portland
High school more nearly on plane with in
situations of similar grade elsewhere, and
should make it favorite institution Of the
city.
AS a matter of fact, however, 1t Is quite
the reverse. People have suspicion that it
Is dirty place, perhaps none too we'll VEN
tllated and heated. How we'll founded this
suspicion Is needed not be said When the
principal of school can take his knife and
dig up from between boards in the floors
that are half an inch apart by actual
measurement dried and hardened masses of
| what is literally the dust of ages, IL would
seem that there was need for little mis-
sionary work there. This need has been re-
| cognized for years and has often been quite
severely commented on by mayors and
others, but the reply has always been,
"There are others worse situated than you.
They must be attended to first" Happily
however this is fact no longer. A we'll
designed building to accommodate the long
suffering Cumberland street grammar school
is now we'll under way and when school be-
gins next year it will be ready for use. Then
the high school building can be as 1t ought
to be. torn inside out and remodelled on
new and improved system for the use of the
high school alone. The walls of the bald
Ing are good for SOME time yet, but all else
should be swept away and replaced by new
construction.