The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-03
Work Accomplished
at the Evening
High School.
ALL BRANCHES ARE STUDIED.
Many Clerks, Teachers and
High School Graduates
Enrolled.

rev people understand the important
place occupied in the educational inter
ests of Worcester, by the evening high
school. The aim and scope of the eve
ming high school is entirely distinct
from the work of the elementary eve
ming schools, and the two systems have
nothing IN common but the fact that
both have night sessions.
In the former school, as spoken of in
last Sundays Spy, an opportunity is
afforded all foreigners and Americans
alike, to get an elementary education,
and no attempt is made TO go into
special lines of work The evening high
school on the other hand occupies a
unique position among the institutions
of learning in this city. 1t is a univer-
slty in its plans and methods and in
cludes teachers and high school grad
yates among it's members who are pur-
suing some special lines of study The
evening high school, which holds it's
, sessions in the building of the English
high school, has grown from a very
small and modest school started five
years ago, to bean institution with a
registration of $50 pupils and an aver
age attendance of more than 500 each
evening
The class of pupils that are enrolled
in the evening high represents the best
people of Worcester. This does not
mean that those of excessive wealth
or members of the exclusive society are
to be found there, but rather children
of good, respectable parentage, nearly
all American born, who hold respons-
ible positions in stores and offices.
Many teachers in the day schools are
there, pursuing some special course of
study. The ambition and desire for
an education that will prompt one who
is working hard all day to spend two
hours in the evening studying the Ian
guages, mathematics, bookkeeping and
the like, shows pretty well the charac-
ter of the pupils
Graduates from the day high schools
are represented there in considerable
numbers. They are anxious to make
an especial study of some branch in
which they are deficient, and find that
the evening high, with it's wide range
of studies, affords them the best OF
opportunities for improvement. Many
a teacher wishes to perfect himself, or
herself in French, geometry, Latin or
psychology, for example. and after the
days work is done and the pupils are
spending the evening in various forms
of amusements, the teacher, although
weary with the tasks of the day, puts
in two hours more to develop some
special knowledge. Such a person is
to be admired 1t is that earnest de-
sire to increase in knowledge that
makes the best and brainiest scholars.
And then there is the typewriter or
bookkeeper who wishes to get a bet
ter knowledge of an occupation that is
to earn the daily bread. A young man
or woman may be holding some posi-
tion in store or office, and is so eager
to perfect his or her thorough under
standing of business forms. that they
will spend the evening hours, given up
to pleasure by many to good hard
work
Then there are some girls who hope
to fulfill their lifelong ambition of going
abroad. They go into the French or
German class.
Anon those taking French, are sew
eral married women, one of whom ex-
poets to study music in Paris, and she
is bent on getting the language before
she reaches France From one-half to
twothirds of the pupils come for these
special studies In the history of the
school, one or more young men have
received such a good fitting, that it was
a an easy matter to enter college with
out conditions. One young man took
At him to enter Harvard medical
school. He passed a successful exam
-ination, showing that the work done
yaat the evening high school is of a high
grade.
sIi 1t is thus to be seen that the evening
high school is doing in it's own way just
'nthe kind of work that is being done by
universities, although the subjects are
not followed so far as in the higher
institutions of learning The list of
elective studies has been enlarged each
year. This year this list is open to
all: Latin, French, German, chemistry,
physics, geometry, algebra, arithmetic
bookkeeping, stenography, typewriting,
English grammar, English literature
geography, United States history civil
government and psychology. The last
named course was added this fall, for
= the benefit of teachers, principally. who
as it is taught at Clark university One
may choose any two subjects provid-
ing they do not conflict, and, owing to
the admirable system of Supervisor Ri
ordan, with only a few exceptions, all
have been able to take the particular
combination chosen.
Then there is the other class of pupils
who wish to take regular course sim
liar to the day high school course Many
Boys and girls are unable to spend four
years in the day school, and so get
some kind of work and keep up their
studies in the evening They take two
studies year until they are graduated.
Owing to the fact that large number
Of the students are taking some special
"