Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-11
Says the superintendent:

system to make it include thirty-two third
grade schools and eight fourth grade
schools. 1 must still insist and call your
attention TO the factthat halliday school
for any scholar above the kindergarten
grade is not advisable and not profitable,
and for a pupil above the first or second
grade is well Ugh q farce To give a lad
twelve years of age opportunity to attend
school three and half hours day, know
ing we'll that he Will spend the rest OF his
time on the streets. is robbery of the boys
time and a danger to society"
In other words. in the primary schools
Qirst. second, third and fourth grades),
where there is enrolment of 24.3s9 (59ao
per cent?, there is deliberate robbery of
the boys time while in the High Schools.
with an enrolment of only 6U4 per cent,
and where the pupils if turred into the
streets would not, probably, be "a danger
to society" the pupils are given full
day SinStruction.
This brings us TO the question: Which is
more important, to rob 1913 per cent of
the scholars of their time, and thereby
create a danger to society, or to rob only
G:o+ per cent ard create no such danger?
Before answering the question 1t would
be we'll to consider the statistics briefly, be-
cause the proposition is affected by other
facts
small enrolment in the High Schools. 4o5.
or only go per cent-whch is less than
one-third the enrolment In the first grade;
in other words. in the High Schools We
cent, in the first grade schools. If we de-
duct the enrolment of the Business High
School-416-the difference is materially in
creased. But even including the latter, 1t
is a pertinent fact that not one-third of
those who enter the first grade ever reach
the High Schools, and only one-half Of
those who reach the fourth grade go to the
High Schools.
The average number of pupils to a school
vas. High Schools, 80, and in the first
grade, $50, more than twice as many. So
F.. thN~,
similar discrepancy, there being 9S in the
High Schools to 124 in the first grade; in
other words, less than double the number
of teachers for three times as many pupils.
The cost per pupil in the High Schools
enrolment, 2.455) is placed at $50 As, while
in the grammar schools enrolment, 49, 1860
it is but $19.39, and in the primary schools
enrolment, 4,3S!D it is only $l1 .66. Taking
the average enrolment as a basis, the aver
age cost per pupil in all grades is S24S3.
These figures bring us face to face with
the fact that We are paying more than
three times as much for the High School
pupil as for the primary scholars, and more
than twice as much is required for the
gra mmar school pupils.
This may be accounted for in part by the
fact that we have for 2,455 pupils in the
High School. 9S teachers, as against, for
instance, 124 teachers for S4i6 pupils in the
first grade schools; and by the further fact
that the average number of pupils to
school is as % to 90. The salaries of the
teachers alone, in the High School, amount
to SSI,GS6.61.
The Business High School, which is in
cluded in the figures quoted is an import
ant part of our school system, but it should
not be confused with the High Schools
proper. nor the manual training schools.
1t is a separate school. with an average
enrolment of $50 in 1S92-'2 and 40 in
1S93-'9i. The purpose of this school is to
give practical business education that
will assist the pupil to find honorable en-
ployment, and it should be fostered and
protected. If we,on account of our finances,
find it necessary to economZe, let us begin
with the High School proper. which since
1SS2 has become practically preparatory
school for colleges
The course of study clearly shows this,
and in the report QS92-3), speaking of the
extension of the course it is stated that
Latin, Greek and mathematics sufficient
to meet the requirements Of any college
Were accomplished. English was prescrib.
ed for all students, while such electives
were offered as are necessary for entrance
to technical schools and for general train
ing. The fourth-year Greek class has &C
complished the work required for admis-
SIGN to most of the colleges.
THE course outlined7 Qor algebra) is
ample to meet the requirements for ad-
mission to colleges. y *l'
THE work in both of these subjects
(solid geometry and trigonometrD has
been more thorough lthan ever before; it is
believed that the ma jority of students in
these classes are more than competent to
meet the requirements for admission to
versity, while the character of the instruc-
| ton has been such as to enable the aver
age student to pass Harvards freshman
examination in trigonometry with some de-
gree of credit.
'Inasmuch as Cornell University will after
June 1894, require advanced algebra for
admission to several of its courses. an
effort will be made to meet the require
ment for all those who may wish to pre-
pare for that institution"
1t would seem that $4,000 is pretty
good sum to pay each year for the main
tenance of a preparatory school, which can
hardly be said to be maintained for the
children of those who might be termed
persons in INDECENT or limited circum-
stances"
Something a little more practical than
Latin, Greek, zoology and English history
could be advantageously taught, especially
something concerning American history,
Constitution and government, which it is
stated in the report "as a matter of re-
greet has not heretofore been taught In
the High School proper. 1t has now been
embodied in the fourth-y ear course, but
the student should not be compelled to-
wait until the fourth year for this subject,
which is to some minds important as
the history of Rome. Greece or England.