The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-03-23

Inc IalXu SShOOs.
Natural ability without education
has oftener raised men to glory and viz
tue than education without natural
ability, but when education is united
with natural genius, then VI know not
how great a degree Of excellence may be
attained" So although it is true that
there have been many really great men
who had comparatively no education, it
is doubtless true also that they would
have attained a much higher degree Of
excellence had they but had an educa-
ton. i
In this age of the world it is becom-
ing to be recognized more and more that
no young man or young m a
make a decided success Of life without
an education. Many, who themselves
have but little &c ucation. and who look
with distrust upon our high school and
college sourses Of study, point to the
lives Of such men as Jay Gould, who,
with no education, have become immense
ly wealthy inthe goods of this world.
and say that an education is useless.
But would you call the life Of Jay Gould
a decided success?
An effort has been made to put into
the course of our high schools those
branches of study that will give to the
student such an education as will be Of
practical use to him throughout his life
and cultivate in him a taste for litera-
ture and create such a desire for more
knowledge that it will afford ample
means for passing away many pleasant
hours.
The high school course also gives all
the preparation necessary to enter our
best colleges. Some seem to entertain
the mistaken idea that the students
spend the four years occupied in the
high school in laboring diligently to
master the elements of arithmetic, gram.
mar and United States history, which
branches are finished in the grammar
department.
The following branches of study com
prise the mathematical course of study
as taken upin the Madison High School:
Bookkeeping, algebra, geometry and
trigonometry. The scientific course
consists of physical geography, zoology,
botany, physics, geology, chemistry and
astronomy. The English branches are
grammar, composition, rhetoric, Ameri
can and English literature. The
branches in the line of history are civil
government, general history and polit
ical economy.
The Latin course is three years in
length, during which time four books Of
Caesars commentaries, five orations Of
Cicero and six books of Virgils Eneid
are completed. The course of study OF
the Madison High School compares very
~fayorably with those of the other high
schools of our state. The course differs
very little from that of the Sioux Falls
High School, which is regarded as first
in the state. The Madison High School
is still young, the first class graduating
this June. One class has completed
the first three years of the course, but
the present fourth year class is the first
to complete the full four years course.
The central building, now occupied
by the high school, was erected four
years ago, at a cost of $4,000. 1t con.
tains six school rooms, and is one Of the
most convenient, comfortable, and the
best heated and ventilated in our state
During the past summer the city
school board purchased a lot on the
Chautauqua grounds, the proceeds OF
which are to be used for the benefit OF
the school. The four season tickets
given with the lot will be presented
each year, to the members0f the fourth
year class at graduation. The board
asked the high school to aid in making
the first payment on this lot, and in or
der to do this a series Of Demorest con
tests was instituted. Much interest il
taken in the contests, both by the gen
eral public and the students. Five
medals have already been awarded
The medals are given freely by Demo
rest of New York on the one condition
that the declarations given shall be &c
lected from books published by him
self. The declarations are all alon1
the line Of temperance and prohibition
and, it vas hoped, that in giving thes'
contests the high school might be instru
mental in creating a temperance senti
ment and a belief in prohibition as vel
as secure the money for it's own use.
One interesting branch of the higl
school work is that carried on in tn,
Literary society. This society has TO
its members the teachers and pupils O
the school. The regular meeting of tn,
society is held on the afternoon of eaci
alternate Friday. At each meeting
program is rendered consisting Of music
declarations and orations.