Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1899-05-13

I SCHOOL IL nOb prepared 10 enter duy Oh
/ the state institutions. and for him, II
4 hampered by lack of means, our
/ boosted free school system is at an
end. The farmers child has the same
/ right to free higher education as
has the child of the townSman- The
university is the peoples. highest free
J school. and the great majority of the
! peoples children should not be de-
priyed of its privileges for lack of
necessary preparatory work 1t is
1 the duty of the state to place a free
| higher education within the reach of
every one of her citizens, no matter
how humbly born. If the question.
''What is the relation of the county
high school to-the present educational
system of Kansas" be put TO the in
telligent farmer, what may we expect
his answer to be? The county high
school is necessity 1t will supply
the missing educational link. 1t will
prove a blessing to hundreds of young
men and women, who, from lack of
means, would never have even aSpir-
ed to any higher intellectual training
than is afforded by the district schools.
On the part of the state it is a duty
a simple act of justice to provide it.
In support of nv proposition that
this is question that concerns the
farmer over and above alt Others, L
will quote from Chancellor SHOWS re-
port TO the Boaro of Regents. and al
SO from the report of the president of
Manhattan to the Board of Regents,
Chancellor Snow says that a list of
the occupations followed by the par
ents of the present enrolment of
students shows ii per cent more far
merS than any other calling: or more
young men and women given college
education by farmer parents than by
all the merchants. artisans, labOrerS,
bankers and capitalists of the whole
state. At Manhattan the per cent is
even greateraS farmers, Stock-raiSerS
and hOrticulturiStS claSSed together,
furnish 354 out of total representa-
tion of $50. All other occupations
combined furnish the remaining 176.
At Emporia out of an enrolment of
S7S over five-eighth are from the farm.
RELATION OF SENSIBLE ECONOMY
To the farmers, then, and to all
Others of the rural population, the
county high school stands in the re-
lation, not only of Il necessity. but
also of Il sensible economy. There
cln be little question that the eX-
penSe bourne by these farmers in Civ
ing their children preparatory work
after they have entered Manhattan
or such schools as are found at SaIina
Great Bend or Stockton and many
other cities of about that size, would
maintain a county high school in half
the counties of the state. In our own
county, Il conservative estimate places
the cost of maintaining Il county high
school at one or two mills of school
tax, or from 80 to so cents on a quar-
ter section of land.
PROF. WILLS ESTIMATE OF COUNTY
HIGH SCHOOLS.
As Manhattan is tile least expensive
of the state schools, more of my con-
(l he RI PA rn fn
to that than to either of the others.
| anticipate that some may differ
from me on my next claim for the
county high school. | believe that a
county high school would do better
preparatory work than is done at
Manhattan. 1t would do just as good
work as is done at Salina, Great Bend,
etc, at much less expense. This con-
clusion is based on President Wits
report of 1S93-94 to the Board of Re
gents. | quote one paragraph and Il
part of another word for word ''The
faculty now numbers twenty-fOur per-
sons. For special occasions, it has
vanced students, especially graduates.
to aid in the instruction of irregular
classes provided for students over Is
years of age not qualified for the
course OF such classes we usually
nave six each term, three or four of
ply. These special teachers have
been chosen for ability, and have
been successful in maintaining good
work. From page 121 of the same
report l quote part of a paragraph.
If every county could establish a coun-
ty high school. with satisfactory
courses in English. mathema tics,
drawing and the elements of science
in botany, physiology, and natural
philosophy, the more general courses
in sciences and their application given
at this institution could accomplish
the needs of every day life would be Il
Now, if after much sacrifice and
L ever succeed in accumu-
lating enough of this worlds goods 90
send my children to Manhattan col
lege, / do not want them taught by
any other student. / want them
taught by the faculty. as they should
be. "Three or four of these irregular
classes are taught by temporary sup
ply" So says President Will. / do
not want my pupils in those irregular
classes, for anybody knows that teach
erS who are assigned temporarily, |
can not do as we'll for a
class as teacher who stays by them
month after month and term after
term.
HISTORY OF COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS IN
THE STATE.
The number of accredited high
schools in the state is I02. OF ac-
credited academys Is. Their course
of study articulateS closely with the |