The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-27

precise answer? II he really have power
what better test than to set him a definite
problem and let him show what he can do?
The examination is a valuable educational
and cannot be dispensed with with
out definite loss.
FUNCTION OF HIGH SCHOOL.
"The waste attendant upon the attempt
OF the high school to perform many and
varied functions is 1t should
not be a specialized school in the sense of
fitting for college or for particular trade
or business. II should furnish a thorough
ly good secondary education such as every
American boy or girl should have. and this
should be recognized and accepted as the
standard preparatory course for college.
The customary school course covers six
teen years., say from the completion of the
sixth year of age to that OF the twenty
second. 1t should be a carefully planned
course divided into the elementary, school
first eight years., the high school next
four and the college CAST four years.
This course should be constructed on the
superstition that all pupils will complete 1t
The fact that under present conditions a
very small percentage of pupils do COM
plete II does not break the force OF the
argument. Such a course would reduce the
waste to the minimum so far as the course
is concerned.
Public schools and state colleges should
be open continually. The function OF the
DuDlC SCuOOl ID ne HiuhlAlS VI 6OO0 ~
zens.
as IT not wiser to continue this process
throughout the year? Why persist In a
policy that robs so large a proportion of
the children of one-fourth to one-half of
their opportunity for securing an education?
State colleges belong to the people. Why
close their doors at just the time when
certain of the people must use them or
not at all? Millions of dollars Of capital
locked up in scholhouses. colleges and
equipments lie absolutely idle and unpro-
ductive for one-third of every year. How
does this comport with correct economic
ideas or with the commercial spirit of the
time?
MANUAL TRAINING AND CONNER
CIAL COURSE.
"At present manual training and the
commercial course are the panaceas for all
school ills. They commend themselves to
the patrons who suppose their children are
to become skilled artisans or efficient man.
ayers of large commercial enterprises while
obtaining their school education. But these
courses cannot do these things. and edu-
Gators who encourage this expectation
make a mistake. The commercial course
in the high school is not a short cut to
mere bread winning. They have an i'm
portant place, but unreasonable demands
and impossible results should not be made
or expected of them.
cit is the universal practice In the schools
to smooth the pathway to learning for the
weaklings. but are we not sometimes in
danger of neglecting the capable child? Do
we not sometimes curb the zeal of the
bright boy or girl to help his weaker class
mate? Teachers add not to your other
sins the objectionable one of arrested de-
~velopment. The bright boys and girls are
they who are to become the most valuable
members of society. They are the salt of
the earth. 1t is they who are to save the
world"
After the address President Hamilton ap-
pointed the following committees:
Legislative Committee-A. III. Douglass.
of Logansport; James r. Hart, of Lebanon;
George r. Wilson, of Dubois county.
Resolutions Committee-John w. Carr,
Anderson; A. E. GLADDEN.. Scott county; j.
M. Study, Fort Wayne.
Reading Circle Committee-W. II. Glass
cock, of Bloomington. chairman; Lee O.
Harris, Greenfield; Emma b. Shipley, Del
phi; eva Foster, Edinburg; D. w. Dennis.
Richmond.
Auditing Committee for Treasurer's Re
port-Horace S. Ellis, Franklin; w. II.
Writ, Button; Charles N. Peak, Princeton;
Ellis A. Hutchins, Hamilton county.
Committee on History and Historical Ma
terial-C. w. Hodgin, j. w. Carr and w. s.
Almond.