Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-12-23

4
SECS: the Classical. the Latin 'scien'
tiac, the Modern Language and tne
come OF the advance OF science nov
simply an educational experiment
II Ia but another step in The on~aru
march OF triumphant democracy
Former prescription savored of AriH-
tocracy. 1t ia the rsult OF the sduca'
lion OF the MASSES; they have come
10 know and 10 recognize more clear
/, what they want. and TO feel more
stropgiy than ever their right to de-
mand It, We can no more stem tne
/ tide OF this rising demand than oouid
Mrs, Paringtons broom stem the tide
of the Atlantic.
The question proposed for the con
| alteration, becomes. then. Resolved
That SOME FORM Of the elective
systcm should be introduced into the
high school" For my part. ! De
Iieye that form should be the freest
posslbie one, and ! will attempt 10
deacrIhe the form with which ! am
| ,os. familiar. and 20 give the REASONS
why I believe II TO be for the Ahfan-
tago OF the pupil that he should De NJ
lowed to choose his own courHe IN the
high school
The ordinary arguments for snch
a belief are found in the varied tastes
and abilities OF the individual pnpii.
These arguments are theoretical; but
there are practical reasons. such Bs
desire 10 bring into harmonious rals-
,ion with the work OF the school ID"
! English, modelled on the fAno" ."
naft of tho Committee OF Ten. ana
also calculated 10 prepare ior tho
: four corresponding courses In 'ne
University Of Colorado, We drew up
a daily programme providing for recl
! ,ationH In all the subjects included
in these four courses. Having pro
. yided this Ared programme. we made
q the following proposition Any
/. pupil may, ai the request OF parent
/. or puardiaa and with the approval oil
!, | the principal. study ANY subject
4 which the daily programme VIII per
A nit Here was what consider the
!. frcenf form OF election possible, here
(. WAS liberty. not license. The three
A necessarily limitations were First
/. the request OF the parent
y representing the home. the np'
|, proynI of the principal. representing
n the school, and the Limitations OF the
r. programmn, preventing the choice d
:. subjects occurring at tho same period
4. What objection can be urged 10
!. such a scbemeY The FIRST objection
4. We heard was that the programme
a would become 40 complicated as not
" To be- workable.
?. think this objection nriaes from
a mistaken idea that tho election OF
A.. f..a Int Ton .f
n rhe daily programme: that I'm cleo
n Elye nsstcm allows pupils TO max
A obllgea the school TO offer instruction
Il In them. oubt II any public high
,f school could carry out mn elective
4. scheme In accordance with this idea
ID II lH Fundamental principle in din
"A cusaiug this question that the formu
IA lation OF tho daily Programme pre-
cedos the election OF subjects
at by the pupils. There are NJ
a NOR. elnHnoa when subjects are
10 elected ,hnn when courses nr'
,c prescribed Some may pc large
|, than they otherwise would be, AM
III others may be smaller. In fact, Their
g. may be fowcr classes on the pre-
gramme because some subjects ma
"a not be elected at all. or by too few
"a pupils TO warrant the formation OF
,f class. For. in most schools, unles
10 nvc, ten. fifteen or some nred mum
v Dor elect the subject. !; Is omltte'
in from the daily programme.
n Another objection was that the cx
pense OF running the school would b'
,f greatly Increased; but. II there wer'
IN no more exercises 90 the PROGRAMME
n when subjects were elected shn'
IL when eourscs were prescribed. th'
q. teaching force required under cleo
ID ton would be larger than the teach
pr ing force required under prescription
a Ono eypedient for diminishing the CT
re pcnsc Of carrying out this scheme 4
ID TO ofYer q certain subject only on 81
h tcrnatc years larger class thar
d. could have been obtained from tn
70 pupils who had entered IN q siagi
3. year. Resort to this device. however
is generally necessary only during tn
~ last two years OF tho course.
a The greatest lion In the way, how
Of ever, seemed TO be the fear OF nn I'M
., wise choice by the pupil; but this
nr when met has proved TO be ston'
u. lion. and not living one. We do no
,r give sufficient credit 10 pupils OF hlgl
in school agc for wisdom In regard Il
q AFFAIRS of such vital Importance tS
e themselves as the choice OF theii
,e school work. While the pupil wht
Ie has no choice to make. follows care
<. iessiy and lightly the prescribed
course; the pupil on whom the re
4. sponsibii!ty of choosing his studies
: from term to term IL devoivod. dis
G plays more thoughtfulness than an,
Il one who has not come into actual
/; contact with him. would believe.
e II was predicted that pupils would
II choose the EASY subjects In prefer
Il encc 10 the more dificuit ones, Now
, statistics based upon actual choices