The Republican journal., 1901-08-22

,Sou VIC ulueT6lG IOrmS VI us
course. He must be able to construct the
sentences and the figures, and to write mar
ratlVes, descriptions, arguments, etc., of his
own making. Ii pupil in Geometry knows
me aennltlons and demonstrations given in
tne textbook, that is well, but if he can
use me Iacts ne has learned to demonstrate
a problem he has never seen before, that is
Infinitely better, and unless he can do this
last ne has but comparatively little to show
for his time and effort,
Among the subjects to which the most at
1entlon is given are English language and
llteraIure. Ii seems to us that if a high
scho0i does nothing more for its pupils it
and write his mother tongue with correct
ness, II not with elegance. We think too,
tnat our pupils should be made acquainted
with the best that has been written by our
Engllsh authors, to the end that taste for
the pest literature may be cultivated, and
thaI tney may know the pleasure that comes
from an appreciation of what is best in or
literary heritage. Accordingly we no longer
contine the work of classes in this subject
to study OF what some critic has said
about our English classics, but we require
that the classics themselves shall be read
and studied.
History is another subject upon which
special emphasis is laid. The freshmen
take Ancient History, the sophomores Me-
dieval and Modern, the juniors English,
and the seniors United States-a four years
course In history. 1t is trite and true say
Ing tnat we know of no way of Judging the
future but by the past How important is
1t then That we should know something of
what that past has been! But it is not
merely that the pupils may acquire the in
formation represented by the facts of his
tory that we give so much time to this sub
Ject: We want to teach our pupils how to
study, and there are but few, if any, subjects
which give the teacher better opportunity
OF showing how to get information out of a
ly true if the so-called Library Method of
study is used Under this system the top
les assigned for study are looked up in sew
eral books other than the text in use, after
which pupils give in their own language the
gist OF what they have learned from the va
rlous authorities consulted. regret to say
that because OF lack of the necessary
books and teaching force we have not been
able to use this method as generally as we
could wish.
| have mentioned three subjects upon
which we place special stress. Others are
not neglected. All pupils who finish either
course give two years to mathematics, and
those who do not take Latin have three
years work i'll the sciences. But whether
the study be mathematics or languages, sci
ence or history one end in view is always
the same. We are trying to SO direct the
work that the pupil may acquire the power
who receive it the better able to solve the
problems of life which are continually pre-
sentlng themselves and for which no solu-
tons have ever been worked out.
1t must be true that the success With
which we have solved the problems our days
have brought to us depends, in some meas
ure at least, upon what the High School did
for us, or, perhaps ! should say upon what
we allow it to do; for, probably, none of US
ever accepted but small part of what it
offered. Very likely we have not achieved
the success of which we dreamed in our
school days; but we may feel sure that
without what the school gave to us a still
smaller measure of success would have been
ours. In any case we owe the school some
thing.
Now the school has its needs, among
which is library, apparatus, abinets maps,
pctures,and many other things. [ nder eX-
listing circumstances we can hardly expect
the city to provide all of these, though we
may confidently expect it to do the best it
can Accordingly we must look to some
other source for supply of our needs.
Here then is way in which we might, from
time to time, show our interest in the school
and in a measure relieve our sense of obi
cation to it. Either by direct donation or by
devsing ways of raising money we might
from time to time present the school with
many things which would largely increase
its efficiency.
It is well known fact that college men
and women are always loyal to their alma
should be withdrawn from many of our
colleges, they would soon be obliged to
close their doors The question naturally
arises, why should we not feel something of
the same kind of interest, of enthusiasm, of
loyalty, in relation to our High School? 1t
hoS hnn frir TO \
us that which we cannot value in dollars
and cents; around it cluster many of the
pleaSanteSt memories and associations of
our lives-why should we not give it our
loyal support9
An invitation was extended to all eligible
under the constitution and bylaws, as
printed in The journal of Aug 18th, to
sign the roll book and become members of
the Association. The membership roll
already contains many names
After the exercises the remainder of the
evening was devoted to renewing old
acquaintance, "reminiscences of school
days, etc. Refreshments were served by
the ladies of the class of 1901.
The following letters have been received
from those unable to attend:
Boston, Aug. 10, 1901.
My dear Mr.. DuntOn: | am sorry not to
be able to secure release from engagements
already made for this week, as long to be
with you at the reunion. ''Our George
and ''my boy" Howard will was one of
my pupils will be sure to give valuable and
entertaining papers in relation to the school
as they have known it, and fortunate in
deed will be those privileged to hear them.
l wonder if they recall the contests that
used to be waged so fiercely between the
friends and opponents of the school at the an
nual district meetings. Of course under the
present wise administration such contests
are unknown. But is it not worth our while to
think for moment of the gallant defenders
of liberal policy in education in DAYS gone
by? Among those who were constant in
may be mentioned Hon. J. G. Dickerson,
Hon. s. I. Milliken, Hon W. H. Fogler,
Hon; W. II. Mcclellan, Hon. W. G. Marsh
all, the venerable DR.. John q. Brooks, so
cool and level-headed, nearly always chosen
the presiding officer at the district meet
ing, W. G. Frye, NJ. P. Woodcock, Asa A. and
Samuel A. Howes, the Mathews brothers,
then four in number, VIM. II. Simpson,
editor of The Republican Journal, Drs. L.
w. Pendleton and John NJ. Fletcher, and
later lawyers DuntOn, johnson and Harri-
man. These are but a few of the substan-
tial citizens of dear old Belfast who had the
courage of their convictions to the fighting
point when the public schools We're at
tackled. Every community needs just such
citizens, and if Belfast now has them as the
product OF her own or the public schools of