The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-04-18
WEST FL4[. SEMINARY
A State COLLEGE for Higher
EduFatioR
ITS STANDAHD And NEEDS
Students, 2I3 from FL Counties; Teach
.ers, II from 20 Counties Enrolled.


Probably no sckOol in FlOrlUa has
made greater prSgress, rigidly ad-
herring to it's standards OF scholarship
and department required OF It's STU
dents. or has entered more practi-
caI and real benefit to the Students
who have placed themselves within
reach of it's advantages than this
state College. The Institution does
not however arrogate to- itself that
greater good has been done here for
the Florida YOUTH than that accom-
nlished by other Estate Institutions.
But facts justify The statement that
this Seminary has with less money
ner capita, and with unequal -adVan-
tages in other particulars, main
tained a greater average OF attend
ance, and, possibly, with one eX-
cpDtion a larger enrolment than
any other State school can claim.
The figures upon which this statement
is base,. do not include pupils Of prim-
ary grades.
In the sub-collegiate department
the age and status of scholarship are
as advanced as the same in the pre-
paratory classes of the other state
Colleges. No one is admitted who IS
under twelve years of age, and ne
must be able to read, write and spell,
must know elementary arithmetic ana
higher arithmetic through fractions. U.
s history, political geography and the
elements of English grammar. When
admitted, the pupil must pass through
three years of hard study to be ntted
for the collegiate courses, which eX-
tend over four academic years. Dur
ing the three years of sub-colleglate
study the pupil is carefully taught
and drilled in subjects of practical
nature, for it is here recognized that
many do not go on through the col
legiate courses to the degrees. Many,
even a very large proportion OF the
youth Of the country, do not go even
beyond the higher intermediate
grades. More ,often this is for rea-
sons Beyond the control OF the child:
And so the Seminary takes upon it
self. at no extra expense to the State,
the burdens of high school depart
ment. Here the students are taught
English Grammar, Rhetoric and Lit
erature. Business and Higher Arith-
metic. Algebra, Elementary Geome-
trv. Bookkeeping and Commercial
Law, Civil Government, Elementary
Physics and Chemistry, Physiology
and Hygiene, Botany, Physical and
Political Geography, History and
Latin including two books OF Caesar:
In many places the commercial
courses form the only curriculum or
is set off in a department of its own.
Here the course is affiliated with
the general curriculum of the High
School: and in one year, by this ar
rangement, one is we'll fitted to keep
a correct set of books in ordinary
business.
Thus it may be seen that the sub
COLLEGIATE classes are somewhat com
pIete in themselves affOrdlng, as tney
60, a we'll rounded, fairly good En-
glish or. business education. Those VINO
complete the course are enabled 10
pass a first grade teachers eXamlna-
ton; and many have gone from this
department into the work of instrue-
ton and are succeeding as teachers.
Others have entered business and are
giving satisfaction to their patrons.
Speaking Of the collegiate depart
ment, the word Seminary in the title
has caused many strangers to tnlnk
that only the work of an lstltutlon
between the high school and the col
lege is done here. This is an error
from which the Institution has uT-
fered in many ways, besides, by TCa-
son of it, the State docs not nav
credit abroad for having this really
high grade college within it's bound
aries.
Since the Seminary was the acad-
emic department of the University Of
Florida and even prior to that time,
liberal college courses have been o.
fered, and the Institution can par
donably boast OF its graduates who
have taken high rank in society and
State, and of those VINO, having large
ly been trained within its walls, oC-
cupy useful and important positions
in life.
But the present curTiculUm IS
based upon such as that of Amherst,
or Bowdoin in the East, or that Gf
WoffOrd, Emory, or the University al
Tennessee in the South. To Justify
such comparison it might be stated
SAoI IuO GRADUATES VI LhO
upon presentation of their dip Oma5,
are admitted without examination to
the senior class of Boston UniVers-
lty-and this year one of the graduates
OF the class of 1900 was admitted with
out examination to the medical depart
ment Of Johns Hopkins University
the same condition under wh1cn
the graduates of the highest and
most reputable colleges are admitted:
hose who know the high standing OF
these great universities will see at once
the high standard of the work OF this
school, and what credit is being given
by Eastern colleges to holders Of its
diplomas.
The Board Of Trustees hava COOP
Grated with the faculty, at all times,
Ia hLlding up the Seminary AZ q col
Ngiate institution. In the selection of