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

york done DT o8Cn pupil Sho W
,eep them corrected to date.
The former high school principal
was the teacher Of the principal sub
iects; the modern high school princi-
nal teaches compAratively little. He
is an expert in constructing year'y
showing all the SUB.
iects In which Instruction IS offered
and the period OF the day when In
struction IL given In each IN making
daily programmes assigning WORK 70
I, aobers according to their severai
abilities; and In arranging with pu-
p.s individually their daily pro
rrsmmes. This arrangement and ths
constant super vision snd moiificahon
OF their work 10 his chiei iunctioh.
In this way Id Is BIZ -'ught into close
touch with each pupil and Is given
chance to mould character such as
| few possess. He IL the co-ordinatof
Of the work Of his teachers-speciai-
lists-each believing. and rightly 100
| in the great Importance cf MS SUP
,ect. and who unrestrained by this
central influence might together inno-
Gently and unconsciously. overworK
their pupils. He Is to hoid confer
spces with parents, and this system
secures that most desirable 1ei"''''e
ment Of the teachers influence.
He should bs . man In close syEi'
pathy with the most sdYanced moderH
educational thought. with tnat tact TO
deal with pupils and to secure from
them The choice OF high Ideals. a
man OF inspiring energy. optimist'c
temperament. aud good digestion.
Labor is his, such as the high school
principal Of the former dispehSatlon
eIa not know, but his reward la ilch
in the enlarged opportunity for the
building OF character, the supreme
end OF education.
Again. pupils may be aided IN their
choice by the presentation OF typic-
n, courses leading 20 certain ends g.
liz admission to college. prepara-
ll.on for some vocation, for general
culiure. etc.
Pupils do not necessarily choose
scattering subjects, but maze peir
choice with some end In view WIFE
Itris difference from choosing between
fixed courses, that now notifications
uf The projected course may be made
al my time as circumstances change.
Our friends. tbe patural scientists
Itc,l ue of two stages OF ovoiufqH one
1.-THE physical, wherein the o. Sanlsm
is the yeriable, and the environment
TIC constant q.apiity; the result Is
the destruction OF all orgsaisms which
cannot sda1t themselves to their PRO
crustean environment; another, me
psychicni, wherein that "superadded
biological perfection the intellect,
enables man to make his environment
Ia variable quantity, and thus to pre-
serve from destruction human beings
that otherwise would perish. This
second stage Is undoubtedly the high
cr
n Apply this test to the old fxed
| scholastic environ.ap"t In compari
, son with the modern adjustable s'ect
i've system and say which is the high
! cr.
. That the elective systam does pre-
sarye from scholastic death mDrs
than the former system is known by
. experience. The Galssburg, III.
p high school. Ia 1895. adopted the ire.
/ elective system; IN three years thu
/ gain In enrolment was 100 per cent
In the North Side high school, Denver
lin 1895, practically the same scheme
} waa adopted without any knowledge
of the dalesbnrg experiment; In three
. years the gain In enrolment VA
about 95 per cent, Again, the pu
range high school In n single year w
lder free election has gained so pc
, cent, while the enrolment of the dis
) trict remains approximately the same
II One great complaint against tA,
| thigh school has been that so few per
sons perseyere to graduation. Man!
being kept back Dscppse they cannot
on account OF failure In one or InQr'
a sub, ,ects, complete the reQuiro'
course. get discouraged and with
= dray. Shalt pupils who can do sat
= isfactory work In some subjects, BIZ
. not In others, be deprived OF the ~
3 portunity OF gaining 3 knowledge o
, these subjects In which they are pro
! dcispt7 is this democratic! Arr
not the schools Of the people, by th'
the people snd for the people7
I quote the following from the N. +
: A. proceedings. 1899. Department O
|. suporintepdence: I'm the past, ed
t ucation WAS ths heritage Of the few
! The aristoeracy OF learning might pre-
scribe a fixed curriculum consisting
r Of classical knowledge OF antiquity
/. The pursuit OF this course Of stud,
! they might solemnly declare to be th'
( only road to learning. They nigh
9 even go so far as to outlaw all othei
! courses, aud TO arrogete TO themselves
/. monopoly of learning. But II W
9 are 10 have . democracy OF learnini
| in America, VS. must have 3 course
, OF study that will meet this needs ol
) the people. This course must be AT
ranged so al to develop the head
| heart and hand, thus fitting
children to engage In tht
busy. bustling complex Ameri
ctp civilization of the 20ti century