The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-01-17
PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTES

How are the SCnOOlS Settsn$
along?''is a question often asked thu
principal. One would scarcely care tt
say the work is being badly done, ant
to praise it gives an appearance Of self
adulation. Answer your own question
by visiting the schools.
How may a high school be judged at
successful or unsuccessful? By the re-
suits of its instruction. What are the
results Of high school instruction
Ability to study regularly and under
standingly. Power to meet and over'
come difficulties. Honesty in studies.
Ambition to improve ones self.
Examinations are often condemned
sometimes justly. Weak examinations
given by incompetent instructors to
cover deficiencies in teaching are dis.
honest. If your child in the high
school passes an examination in a GER
tain branch, wouldn't it please you to
know that he could pass a similar ex-
animation in any school of like grade.
"Cheap john schools flourish (for a
season) because there are people who
patronize them. Faith-healers, quacks
and patent medicines flourish for the
same reason. It is All undeniable fact
that the public high schools, and the
various state educational institutions Of
the west are the best in quality, the
cheapest for the student and the best
%patronized of any class Of schools.
Examinations will be held during
this week. Students whose work has
been good will have no trouble about
passing. If your child complains
about ''hard" examinations it is be-
cause he doesn't know the subject as
we'll as he ought. Who is to be blamed
for this' Have you arranged regular
hours Of study for him, and have you
obliged him to study regularly? No
one can do high school work success
fully without regular home study.
Some careless people permit their
children to attend parties during the
evenings of school days and then mildly
wonder why they get along so poorly at
school. They usually blame the teach
er, and this leads weak teachers to pass
undeserving pupils.
One thing ought to be said in these
school notes and said with much en-
phasis. Probably no town in the west
Of like size has a better corps of grade
teachers than Billings. More good
methods excellently applied can be seen
in a days visit to our schools than one
usually finds among the same number
Of teachers. Have you visited the
schools during regular sessions?
High school studies belong to higher
The primary branches are
here used incidentally, while weightier
subjects designed to develop mental
power in the student are taken up.
More hours and closer application are
1t must be constantly re-
peated that mental gcoWtli tiirt ugh a
high school course ~ GlIe ce-..,l Of the
Students hard, .s>auy work.
One result Of good high school work
IS that the student entering another
school does not need to take the same
branches again. With proper teaching
The course is like a ladder, a round
once gained is held. Are there two
kinds of Virgil, a thin kind for the
nigh school and a thick kind for. the
A very much abused word is the
erm college. When Shakespeare said,
What's in a name?' he had never
cen a proprietary college A lady
nee remarked that her daughter was
Intending college" in a neighboring
own. Afterwards the same child en-
cred the public schools and was not
to take a place in the seventh
,rade. Nobody can enter a real college.
'ntil he has finished a high school
curse.
A few years ago a young person
night know music. Or painting, and
need't know much else. Now it is
|iferent. More is expected. One IAN
ot play exquisitely and be inane dur
ng the rest Of the evening. A liberal
ducation is the only accepted standard
t culture. Recognizing this fact
reat universities like those of Minne- :
ota, Nebraska, or Chicago have as. +,
schools of art and music, where {
graduate of an accredited high school
lay take these desirable branches along
18th sounder studies for mental de. 8
elopment. -
4,
What does it cost? A graduate Of a
ood high school can enter a state uni. q
tuition free, and tor an outlay s
$3.50 to $500 receive a year of real :
training. II he is poor he can q
khrOuOh without datvSr,ook t :.