The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1900-04-28
The NEED AND aim OF HIGH SCHOOLS.
PAPER READ BEFORE THE CECIL COUNTY
TEACHERS INSTITUTE
W. CALDWELL,
Principal Chesapeake City


home. Your son or your daughter no longer
has to go away to school, but he or she can
/ be educated right at home. II no longer
becomes necessary to place the child out
side the watchful care Of the home at
time in the ohild's life that it most needs
father and . mothers care. In addition to
this, the poor can now secure an education
as we'll as the rich. The poor boy no longer
knocks in vain at the doors of learning.
We have in this county nearly five thous-
and school children. Probably one humid
red OF these complete the public school
work each year. Formerly they had to
stop when through the public school. Now
vast store.house Of knowledge lies open
before them.
So much for the need of High Schools !;
now few words in regard to the aim. The
High Schools are designed to aid those who
are willing to aid themselves. The aim is
to teach the child self-reliance, persever-
anoe, thrift industry and all those quail.
ties which are necessary for the full deyel-
opment OF true man or woman.
Another aim will be to educate the mind
and body together. In too many schools
the members Of the graduating class are
broken in health. We must attempt to
give the students proper outdoor exercise.
Health comes even before education.
Another aim will be the fitting OF stu-
dents to act as teachers in our Public
Schools to try to do for the boys and girls
OF our county, in some measure, what the
Normal School does for them in Baltimore.
Another aim will be the preparing Of
students to enter College, the course Of
study being such that they can enter with
out examination.
The fitting OF boys and girls to fill bust
ness positions should be another aim. To
secure this end the curriculum should con-
tain such studies as commercial arithme tio,
bookkeeping, stsnography and type writ
ing. In this way the High School would
take the place of such schools as the Goldey
College in Wilmington, and the Bryant e.
Stratton in Baltimore.
1t should also be the aim Of the High
School to teach students the value OF time
How many lives have been wrecked, rend-
cred useless by waste Of time /! Students
should be taught that:
Each day is little life, and
1.-THE moments we forego,
Eternity itself cannot retrieve"
They should be taught to seize and enjoy
every moment Of timeE
"Are you in earnesse Seize this very min
What you can do or think you can begin,
it?"
As l have already stated one Of the aims
OF the High School will be the fitting Of
boys and girls to enter College, but far
greater aim than this will be the fitting Of
students for life. The battle of life is
hard one, and the man who is the best
equipped, is the one who is bound to sue
coed. great number OF the High School
graduates will never go to College, but
they must all take their places in the broad
fields OF life. Let it be our aim therefore,
to give them in the schools such education
as will best fit them for success in whatever
business they may engage. Let it also be
our aim to impress upon the students that
education should not cease with school, but
should continue through life.
The most important aim OF all however
will be to train the students so that they
can take their places in the world as honest
upright citizens. Citizenship stands pre-
eminent. If we can turn good citizens out
OF the schools of the county, feel, and
believe that you all feel the same way, that
our work will be success. You have but
to have good citizens in county and your
county is all right good citizens in a state
and your state is all right good citizens in
all the states and the future of the Union
is guaranteed.
Cecil county can point with pride to the
achievements of her sons and her daughters
She is proud of the past and full of hope
for the future. She has produced scores of
men and women whose names have gone
down in history names long to be remem-
bered. 1t is my desire that the boys and
girls who graduate from our High Schools,
and go forth to engage in the activities of
life, may reflect honor upon their school,
county and State.