Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-12-23
ELECTIVE
SYSTEM
COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL szc-
rioN, COLORADO TEACHERS
AssociATioh. EDGAR R.
DOWNS, SUPERINTENDENT OF
SCHOOLS. DURANGO.

.RssoIved, That the Elective eys
tom should be introduced into the
High school,
-Four years ago. while serving NJ
president OF the college and hign
school section OF the Colorado Teach
ars association, delivered the preti
dents annual address. entitled Notes
on An Experiment In an Elective
System for High Schools" This
paper embodied the results OF my ex.
perience AS principal OF one OF the
largest high schools In Colorado.
was then thoroughly convinced
OF the desirabiiity aud practicsbiliy
OF the Introduction of the freest
form OF tho elective system into the
high school. had been given ar
free \ hand, probably. Az any one
has had, In experimenting wits thif
system. Since tbon, during my study
In the Grnduatc School OF Harvard,
and during my work In the supcrln'
tendency In Durango. my convictions
have been strcnKtheDd In It's favor.
All the influence of Harvard. tho
Oldest institution Of learning In this
country. whore the department OF ed
ucaiion Ia in charge Of n former mem
her OF this association. Ia, by pre-
ccpt and example, given In favor OF
Election" Indeed, to Harvard has
been aScribea the credit OF original
ing this great educational movement
In America, but. II undoubtedly. had
I,s origin IT William and Mary Col
Iege In Virginia more than century
eariier Jefferson secured the intro
duction of tho elective system int
the University OF Virginia st it's or
sani.atiop. and thence Harvard re-
csived its Inspiration. During Prcsi
dent Eliot's administration, II has oh
tainod complete control Of that uni
verrity and. under various forms. ha'
new secured firm foothold In all o
the best known colleges and upivcr
sitjcs In this country.
II In. however. only within com
parativoly few years that this ques
t1uu ~ ss..s-.t~. ~. Ai-A erhon
has become prominent. within IN!
memory tho only election = pupil had
when ready to enter tho high school
WAS TO take the prescribed course n
study. or 10 remain outside tn
school That course was devote
mainly to the classic languages an
mati..matIcs. and the high school wa
but u preparation for the college.
Vigorous protest Was made axnins
eha -
Of school which ministercd 70 IN
education of the few aspirants to tn
so-caiied learned professions, Th
demand was made that tho higl
school give q wider range Of ins,ruc
ton.
Formerly tho ooarsc OF study hA
been able TO include ALI the branchc
of knowledge. with the advance o
science and discovery thia WAS u
longer possible. It became necessar
for the course to retain certxii
branches Of knowledge and to omi
others.
The demand for . wider range o
instruction WA met by the creation
OF new courses. The old course wa
known ~ tho Classical. or colisS
Preparatory. course Tho Latin
Scientific course omitted Greek an
added tho natural sciences. Late
came tho Modern Language course
In which the claauic languages, wcr
replaced by French and German. an
still later an EuSlish course In whic
10 foreign language Was required
10 these have been added In NOR
- suA tuA.
trial courses.
The pupil entering the school wa
required to elect one OF these course,
No one failing to complete one O
them could receive the diploma q
the school Should any one aftc
making his choice md himself ur
able. able. for any cause. physical o
mental. TO do all the work required Il
course. he was looked upon as
scholastic outcsst, whose presenc
was tolerated. but not desired, In tn
school The whole energy OF tn,
school seemed bent on graduating u
instead Of educating. its pupils,
To obviate the inevitable difncul
ties arising from the 'Ironclad course
system. various other forms OF c,ec
uon nave been tried. the constsn
core" with elective subjects added
election by substitution In one course
OF subjects chosen from othel
courses; election by groups: specis
elective courses: free election on mp
plicat'on; In fact. all the combinn
tons Of election by courses and by
subjects.
We may shut our eyes to the fact
but the fact remains that some form
Of the elective system has come TO
stay in the high school as well as In
colleges and universities. doubt II
there IL today . secondary school of
any importance supported by public
funds in which election IN some form
does not actually prevail
A. has been said. TT Ia the out
larIN number NJ pupfia cOrnin1 frou