The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-31
PUBLIC SCHOOL DEFECTS.

In current magazine article on
progress in the public schools, by Will
liam T. Harris. United States Commits
sioner of Education, are some statements
from which conclusions may be drawn
of a different character from those
which he deduces. Although the per-
centage of school attendance in the
United States is large as to the number
of pupils, the average time of attend
ance for each pupil does not exceed
ninety days in year. At this rate the
entire school population is receiving on
an average a little less than four and
one-half years schooling of two hundred
days each. In some States this aver
age falls as low as two years, and in
others it rises to nearly seven years.
This prevalence of elementary education
Mr.. Harris finds to be a very gratifying
thing, as, indeed, it is. but he laments
the fact that it is accompanied by
comparative neglect of the secondary
and higher courses of study as shown
by the statistics. Out of the number of
pupils enrolled more than ninety-siX in
every hundred are pursuing elementary
studies; less than three in a hundred are
academies and other institutions; only
one in a hundred is in college or school
for higher studies.
While it is doubtless to be regretted
that so few receive the benefits of higher
education, the causes that limit such adj
vantages to the few are mainly of an
industrial character and not to be con-
trolled by legislation. The large ma
jority of pupils are unable to remain in
school until they are sixteen or eighteen
years of age, but must drop out much
earlier in order to enter business. This
condition of affairs suggests several re-
Elections. It brings UP with renewed
force the old argument against the top
heavy expen 1itures for high schools, the
outlay being in. an inverse ratio to the
number of pupils receiving their benefits.
1t also proves the Importance of making
the elementary course as practical as
possible-much more so than it now is.
Since so large a number of children get
so few years of schooling the necessity
of giving them instruction in the studies
that will do them most good is APP
parent. These studies, it is needless to
say are the three RS and the En-
glish language, or such features of it as
may be comprehended by the childish
mind. These branches are taught, of
course, now. but they are sandwiched
in with a little drawing, a little music,
a little botany, a little geology, little
natural history and little of a great
many other things useful and interest
ing, but not absolutely essential The
system that takes child at six years
and develops his mind by easy stages
until, ten or twelve years later, he is
rounded out symmetrically at high
school graduation is very attractive, but
the system should be made for the bene-
fit of the largest number, and the chill
dren who cannot remain to be scientific
ally developed, but must leave school
when they know little of a great
many things yet cannot read intelli-
gently, spell correctly or find their way
in the multiplication table are legion.
The great trouble, as it seems to a good
many people. is not that so few chill
dren reach the high schools, but that
those who do not reach there are less
thoroughly equipped than they ought to
be in the time they have spent.