The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-01-30
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
An Anonymous Writer Contributes a Very
Sensible Paper.

| Henry:
Whoever would Judge of the stabil-
ity of an edifice must examine its
foundation. Whether a building be
a moral, physical or an intellectual
structure if it is built ON a rock it will
stand, but if it is founded on sand it
will fall.
The public school affords assistance
to the youth in shaping and forming
the foundation on which is to rest the
supe rstructure of his life. Deprived
of this assistance he is handicapped
in his efforts and either he must ac-
quire an equivalent advantage or else
he must always be handicapped in
his progress.
Probably the greatest and certainly
the most ovious of all the services
which the public school renders is its
preparation for higher institutions.
By carefully prepared outline the
course of study in the public schools
may be made to conform to the col
lege course and that with the uni
versity.
The new course of study that has
been arranged for Maryland schools
is certainly a good beginning for as
soon as some good course is taught in
the public schools the college can give
direct credit for the time spent in the
public school. Since the high school
is part of the public school it is es-
sentially the peoples school and its
purpose is or must be to prepare those
coming to it for life
No one class of people and no one
phase OF education should dominate
in its course of instruction. The duty
OF life may call one to college, an
other to engage in business and still
another to practice law or medicine.
Then the aim of the high school
course should be to give the child a
thorough training of his faculties, a
broad view of life, an inspiration for
life and for study, such that whatever
his place he may fill it to the best ad-
vantage.
This is an energetic age, but no
one is able to 60 through life success
fully without good fundamental ed
ucation. Then to have a good high
school course we must have as the
real fundamentals: Latin, English,
science, mathematics and history.
Many times the Latin is considered as
unnecessary or as mark of prepar-
ing for college. The opinion is rap
idly gaining that a pupil gains bet
ter working knowledge of his own
tongue by the study of a language
like Latin than by continued study
of formal English grammar. That
an English course is not complete
without Latin the Committee of
/ Twelve of the American Philological
Society say that the increase in the
enrolment in Latin is relatively
greater than the increase in any
other study Our worthy State Su-
| perintendent has recommended that
Latin begin in the seventh year grade
and that it be continued during the
remainder of the course
/ The English work is recognized bv
all teachers as an essential, though
some pupils assume that they know
English. when they enter the high
! school,
In science Supt. Stephens suggests
physiology, physics, physical geogra-
ply and astronomy for the high
school work The better schools are
teaching fewer sciences than formerly.
1t is much more important that the
! student have clear understanding
of the modern method and spirit of
scientific study than that he be given
information regarding several sci
ences. This cannot be done with sue
cess unless an entire year be given to
a single science. Give we'll prepar-
ed teacher some laboratory practice
and the time and it does not matter
much what science is chosen.
The course in mathematics in our
outline books has been most excel
lently planned; that is, review in
arithmetic and algebra follows the
completion of the geometry work.
After the fundamental operations
have been mastered advancement in
arithmetic is difficult, especially along
the line of mathematical reasoning.
Why should we insist that our pupils
spend time in attempting to master
problems that are simply beyond
them? Tighten the arithmetic work
in the grades and in the high school
complete the work after the intellect
ual capacity of the pupil is equal to
the work demanded of him.
The Importance of history as dis
cipline is recognized and there is a
demand that more time be given to
it.
Then since the course includes the
fundamentals and many do not at
tend college it is necessary that there
shall be elective studies. This makes