The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-05-04
A Union High School.


Many of the smaller cities and towns
OF the state, taking advantage of the
law passed by the last legislature, are
combining and organizing Union high
schools. Alone they have not the
funds to iraugurate and maintain the
high school courses of study, but two
or more school districts can Join fo,
high school purposes, without interfer-
ing with their separate interests in the
lower grades, and thus afford their
older scholars the benefit of the higher
studies preparatory for college or uni.
yersity. A letter from Pres. Graves, oI
the State University, may interest oul
people in this matter and encourage
the union of Shelton and one or two
adjoining districts ior the establish.
ment of high school in Shelton
where number Of scholars have al
ready finished the grammar course
and are forced to 60 elsewhere to con-
tinue their studies.
III understand that you are consider
ing the formation of a union high
school and beg leave to say few words
on the subject.
"By our system of public instruction
children IN practically any part of the
state can obtain an elementary educa-
tion. If they happen to reside in one
of the larger cities, they can also Sc
cure high school course, but if they
live IN the country or a smaller city,
where so many brilliant men have been
bred, they must be contented with
the grammar school. To be sure, the
State University offers them collegiate
instruction, when they are ready for it,
but how are they to bridge the gap of
four years caused by the lack of high
school facilities? Ii they cannot find
some way, the University might as
well not exist, for all the good it will
do them.
"That pupils of the rural schools and
the cities where only one, two, or three
years of the high school are possible,
may be afforded an opportunity to OBJ
tain collegiate education, the State
University maintains preparatory de-
partment, to which a student may be
admitted as soon as he has completed
the work in his district. But it is
much better for boy or.girl to be at
home during his or her high school
career both on the score of economy
and of proper care. With this object
in view, the legislature has wisely
sought to encourage union high school
by granting 800 per annum from the
state funds for every year above the
grammar grades that they maintain.
Although this act was passed only at
the last session of the legislature. many
district, particularly in Skagit county
have already taken advantage of the
plan.
Why should not Hoquiam and Aber-
deem combine and furnish full four
year high school! / am surprised that
cities so progressive in commercial af-
fairs should have neglected a matter so
important until now. Aberdeen alone
with a population of $500 or 1000
ought to maintain complete high
school. Port Townsend and Fairhayen
with smaller number of people find
means of so doing. Certainly with
the help of It's neighbor, Hoquiam,
Aberdeen could easily accomplish this
and erect new building. The state
would furnish the enterprise with $500
per annum and the rest of the cost
spread over the two districts would be
a mere bagatelle in comparison with
the good it would do. As business
proposition, too, it would pay large
returns, for one of the-f first inquiries
made about city is "What are its
school facilities?"
l hope that you will carry through
your project. / believe that it is a
disgrace to both cities to be contented
with ten grades when smaller places
have twelve. / am greatly interested
in the Development and welfare of
Hoquiam and Aberdeen, and may. for
that reason, have said more than l
ought. But believe that no step can
be of more importance to the present
cities or the future metropolis which
is almost certain to spring up on Grays
HaTbor in the future from the union
OF Hoquiam and Aberdeen.
"FRANK PIERRPoNT GRAVES"