Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-06-12
A COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL NO LONGER
AN EXPERIMENT.

Editor Western Kansas World.
| DEAR SIR: / notice in your paper a
copy of the new county high school
law. Also, have circular letter
| from our county superintendent, A.
S Peacock, setting forth advantages
of such an Institution. There was
a time when the county high school
was an experiment, but such is no
longer the case. A school of this
kind has been in operation in Dickin-
son, Atchinson and Labette counties
for several years, and those who know
of the advantages each of these
schools has afforded the young
people of their respective counties
have said emphatically. ''Our highest
anticipations for the work of the
county high school have been more
than realized
The voters of this county will be
called upon soon to sign petition
asking our county commissioners to
establish a school of this kind. This
is new enterprise in the way of edu-
cational facilities for the county and
it is perfectly right and proper to an
Swer questions which will come to the
mind of your readers in regard to such
a school.
Few of the city high schools of the
state prepare students for the state
institutions. The reasons are appar-
ent to all. The course of study which
connects our common schools with
the state institutions necessarily in
cludes Normal course, a General or
Business course and College Prepara-
tory course. The city can not afford
to employ sufficient teaching force
for the work in maintaining the
course. The library, apparatus and
laboratories are inadequate. AS re-
suit few of our country boys and girls
ever reap the benefits of the state in
stitutions of learning which we have
been supporting for years. Only
those who can afford to go away to
school where the preparatory work is
being done can hope to obtain that
boon which the state has SO wisely
bequeathed to every child within her
borders-a thorough education from
the primary schools to the university
For this reason the county high
SCHOOl Is very pTopeTly CdlieQ Une con-
Meeting link in our educational sys-
tenn. Because of its widened scope of
territory, increased facilities and
broad influence it is doing work ut
very limited expense few city high
schools are able to do. There is moth
ing to be mentioned which will give
to the boy or girl such deep abiding
inspiration as the fact that he may
continue his school. and that every
grade will be matter of record
which VIII lead step by Step-a sure
entrance TO those institutions. the
best In the state and among the high
est in the land.
We can not refrain from giving
some figures in this connection. Up
to 1891 when your writer entered the
office as superintendent of Labette
there had been thirty-four
school graduates. During !
the first year there were forty-nine;
in 1892. ffty-five graduates In the
fall OF 1892 we established Il high |
school on the plan of the county high |
school supported by tuition. The |
of 1898 brought our school |
under the regulations of the general |
county high school law. Such wave |
Of inspiration swept over our county /
this year that our class of 1893 num- /
bered $50 graduates and during the |
four years of my administration 3i6 !