The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-07-09
c.. w. FIGHTER.

AT the annual s'hool meeting of the
north side school district it was decided
to build new school house, the presen,
school building being wholly inadequate
to the demands. The new building is tC
have not less than six departments, and
Is to be IN readiness as soon as possible
A committee consisting OF L. J. Nash. O.
q. Scdgwick and 4. J. Schmitz was ap.
pointed to act with the school board in
selecting site and making other neces-
sary arrangements and to report at an
adjourned meeting on Monday next.
The need of additional room no one can
deny, and The school district is acting
properly IN furnishing needed accommo-
d.tl0ns. But it is a question as to whe tt
or the best means are adopted. Any at
tempt to maintain three high schools in
"a city the size of Manltowoc must result
III failure. The high school departments
OF the city now cost in salaries over 5000
annually and the complaint is made by
every principal IN the city that too few
complete the course. The two schools
whioh graduated classes this year issued
bit u diplomas and only two of these
are 10 young men and one of these is a
tuition student. The principals and
thcir assistants are actually doing gram
mar school work Wien their time should
be devoted exclusively to high school
work. This will continue to be the case
while the utterly nonsensical effort of
attempting to maintain three indepen-
dent high schools in city of little over
1000 inhabitants, is kept up, while Mil
YANKEE, Oshkosh, Lacrosse, Sheboygan
and Racine find that one high school is
sufficient. Is it necessary to have three
principals for the Is persons who gradu-
a;ed this year? Every one will under
stand that their work is not limited to
this class but it Is quite evident that if
the two classes of 10 and ) constituted
one, the single class would be a stronger
one, the teaching would be more vigorous
for that reason and there would be great
er industry because there would be more
emulation. Adler assistants could be
secured in that case because better sal
aries could be paid and the central high
school would be such in fact as we'll as
Ia name.
What is there to prevent the bringing
about of this desirable consummat
and union of interests? Nothing but the
river which appeals so strongly to peo-
pies prejudices that they are deaf to rea-
son. The south side schools have many
excellent features which united with
those of the north side schools would
materially advance the educational inter-
ests of the city. The standard of admis-
sion to the high school could be raised
SO that the common school branches
would not be neglected. The argument,
which should never be used when effi-
cheney would be impaired, would have
force in this case because efficiency would
be increased, and that is there would be
vast saving of expense. With three
distinct schools we will continue to be
three distinct colonies, and the prejudice
OF the older people will be transmitted to
the childre. and thus exist in perpetuity
1t was the purpose of the writer to in
duce a number of the men interested IN
the schools of the city to call mass
meeting at which to dis2rsa the advisa-
bility Of establishing high school. but
so very Few would countenance the pro-
ject that it was abandoned.
Now we are wasting our substance la
divided effort The district known as
the Third ward will this year erect a
building at cost of $4,000; it will prob
ably reach S25, 900 when completed. The
north side district will build an addition
al building at an estimated cost of $4,000
which will IN fact reach $4,000. Thus
we will spend this year $4,000 without
improving our school system particle
and without providing a whit for increas.
ed efficiency. The building in both dis
tricts is an absolute necessity but both
could be obviated. by the building of a
union high school. There could then be
grouping of pupils of like attachments
and degree of attention given to sub
iects which in some of the schools are
now sadly neglected. 1t is to be feared
that the time for acting thus sensibly has
passed and all that can be done is to re-
greet that such IS the case,