The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-08
MANY new \ ! SCHOOLS
George B. Alton, State Inspector,
Says High Schools Will Number
a 200 in Ten Years.
Steady Decline in the Study of Greek
Is Noticed-The Journal
a.. Debates.

In MS ninth annual report, George B.
Alton, state inspector of high schools.
pred1cts that there will be more than 200
nigh schools in Minnesota within ten
years. The increase OF state aid from
$4Oo to $500 and again to $1,000 and the
1apld growth Of the newer parts of the
state, has resulted in the establishment
OF forty new ones in, the last three years.
! The addition of twelve schools in the
present year to the list of those entitled to
state aid has brought the total number of
such schools to 141 One is at Hopkins. a
suburb Of Minneapolis one at Lamberton
Redwood county, and third at Winthrop
S1bley county, The nine other schools
are in territory heretofore unoccupied at
Benidji, Pine county; Two Harbors, Vir-
glnia, East Grand Forks, Fosston, Pelican
Rapids, Perham and Herman. Mr.. Alton
expresses the belief that there is field
for 500 high schools in Minnesota.
A notable fact is that Minnesota COM
munities, as a rule, are willing to build
-commodious school houses.
Last year." writes Mr.. Alton, '11S
schools sent out 1922 graduates; this year
l33 schools have graduated classes with a
total Of 1888 students, making a net gain
of fifteen schools and 271 graduates. AS
compared with statistics seven years back
the enrolment has gained about 60 per
cent, while the number of graduates, and
all from a four years course, has gained
100 per cent.
"English classics very properly lead in
the curriculum with an. enrolment of ovef
1000 Following English come element
airy algebra and Latin grammar, gaining q
dozen schools and 500 students annually
C1vlcS the worst taught, and as taught
| the least profitable subject in the group
seems to share the general prosperity
The study of Greek in the high schools
| shows a steady decline. Where twenty.
| two schools took up Greek in '94 and '95
the number had dwindled steadily to nine
this year. The number of schools study.
| ing English classics has grown steadily
from 80 seven years ago to 1919; English
literature, from So to SO; political econom!
| from II to 10; elementary algebra, So tt
| al; plane geometery, 80 to 1877: solid ge
ometry, from IS to 11S; English history
81 to 80; civics, 66 to 92 botany, SIS to 80
zoology, IL to Al; physics, So to 95; chem
istry, 60 to 90; senior American history
| II to So.
| Mr.. Alton believes that competitive ath
letics are doing service by way Of Great
ing local interest, which result in bette
equipment and an effort to secure teach
! ers whose personality will be- fully up t
| the standard. 1t has come to be matte
1 of civic pride with business men to Sc
/ that their schools are as good as those c
an enterprising rival The excessive de
sire to win, he thinks, should be eliminat
ed from interschool sports.
Mr.. Alton devoteS one para graph to tn
series of debates originating in a stat
: prize offer by T h ] n a which Ell
gagged a large number Of schools and GU
minated in final debate between Gler
wood and LIE Sueur, in whihc the latte
7 won the prize. Although these debate
5 occupied considerable time. Mr. Alto
/ says there was no deterioration in scholar
ship.