The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-12-20
Tho High School.

At the meeting of the New Jersey High
School Teachers Association in Newark,
last week, Seth Low, President Of Col
umbia University, made an address, which
was full of valuable points. As they will
apply to any section, we give synopsis
of the remarks. The subject was 'The
Place of the High School in our Educa-
tional System"
81 don't know exactly why MI. Rowey call
ed on me to speak on this subject said MI
Low. 81 am reminded of an anecdote of DR..
Mueller, the great scholar. who was one day
in a strange language. DIR. Mueller said ne
could not understand the man. The man re-
piled that he was speaking Sanscrit. Now, as
the scholar old not recognize the sanscrit of
his visitor, have wondered ii you would re-
cognize the High School when describe 1T to
you.
school SYSTEM" continued the speaker, "when
| was Mayor of Brooklyn. We were making
up the budget and considering the amount OF
money to be given to the schools, ana there
was very urgent appeal for FUNDS to build
found-as Isuppose can be found in nearly
every city-that while there was a tremend-
Gus pressure in the primary department,
there were empty seats in the grammar
schools, and l said there would be no High
School until provision was made for the pri,-
mary departments 1 was soon confronted
with another phenomenon, which was, that
with much larger attendance than in Bos-
made up my mind that the grammar schools
were I'll ed with bright children, and as there
was no room for them In the High School the
whole sy stem was choked. The next time the
Board of Estimate met, said we had made
mistake, ana that we had better build the
High school, and we did.
The High School is essential for the proper
working OF the schools of the lower grades
Jefferson proposed system of education for
his state which contemplated university to
be supported by the state common schools by
the hundred and academies. The state took
two-thirds Of his advice, built the schools and
al m
The result was that the common schools of
Virginia have no name-at least they did not
have before the war-though the university
got along well enough. SO that from my point
of view the High school is absolutely essen
educational system, to my mind. is like the
pyramid, and ought to take shape from the
stone at the top and broaden out all the way
to the great ana broad base. 1t has been from
universities that the ideas have come which
have made the world dissatisfied until 1t had
educational systems. On the other hand, don't
suppose that l think the pyramid ought to
stand on the point. 1t ought to rest on the
base. There ought to be money enough spent
by every community to provide adeq uate and
proper teaching for every pupil.
'The education we give to boys and young
men and young women" continued MIR. Low,
sis OF more value to society than to those
who receive 1T. That is the reason / think a
community can properly be taxed for educa-
ton. The state can properly snpporta whole
system of education even up to a university
ii possible. No community can have a pub
lie school system worth having which does
not maintain High school. The High School
is not the end. 1t is but one OF the steps
nom the primary grade up. But while we
bear in mind what follows we must remember
that many children can go no farther than the
High school, Still 1t would be mistake If
the High school did not equip that student
who is capable of going farther. There ought
to be perfect symmetry between the college
and the High School because their fields are
Identical.
1T is perfectly true" the speaker went on
to say, that the safety OF the state depends
upon the Intelligence of the masses. We must
have every one educated sufficiently to un
derstand the duties, the obligations of citi
zenship But the progress of race comes not
from the masses but from the learned and
gifted. Therefore. Democracy, because il val
ues progress should foster that system which
admits of the highest development. And
there is nothing more full of hope for the fu-
ture than the development in this country of
the university during the past twenty-five
years This being so, can the High School af-
ford TO disregard those students who wish TO
20 fartherf Every state which is wise will
make IL possible for the poor lad and girl to
follow unhesitatingly the road that leads from
the garnet to the university. When Abraham
Lincoln was born and became President, he
demonstrated that the born rulers OF men do
not find their cradles in kings palaces. tell
you the cottages and the garrets are full of
geniuses If only the pathway can be made
smooth tor them to climb and stand upon the
pinnacle of this system "