The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-25
SCHOOLS WELL DEFENDED
A High School Teachers Calm and Ra,
tlonal Answer to Critics.

gates letter Of Aug. 5 on the High School
Course?" While his standpoint, which he
admits to be purely financial, is not the
only, nor, indeed, the chief point of view,
it is nevertheless en- important one and as
such Is entitled to full consideration.
MT Wingate puts down several things
which he thinks should be in the high school
course in order of Importance.
First-Penmanship. In this he asks for
legibility, neatness and rapidly, regardless
of style or model: This is reasonable thing
to secure. But Mr. Wingate asserts that "By
far the greater proportion of school children
ire lamentably deficient in this respect, and,
II am correctly informed, no attempt is
made above the lower grades to remedy the
defect The first clause admit freely.
Good writer's do not abound in our schools
Gny more than good workmen abound in the
several trades. The good, the very good, is
the rare. in school as out of school. But as
to the second clause, WELL, Mr.. Wingate has
correct the defect is made Systematically and
on wise U.s. principles; Good writing is the re-
Each pupd has an ndvdaa Style easiest
and best for himself. and after the first prin-
cipes have been well mastered, he should
he encouraged to discover and develop that
style to its highest point. The teacher can
help best by providing for much written work
in connection with the subjects studied. and
by insisting upon legibility and neatness in
its preparation This with few personal
hints on the overcoming of personal diff
culties is all that Is necessary, and this is
what every good eighth grade and high school
teacher does. II pupil of ordinary intelli-
gence on entering the high school is made
to write every paper neatly and legibily, IL
he knows that it must be up to a certain
standard in these respects before a teacher
WIZ examine it, much less give him credit
for the subject matter thereof, he will in a
short time conform to the requirements and
take pains to do his writing well. This mat
ter or penmanship then is not matter of the
| nigh school course at all but of school man
ageme1it and discipline; a matter of the
| standard of work the teacher sets for his
to live UP to that standard
| Second-Arithmetic. Commercial arithme-
tic which Mr.. Wlngate thinks is taken UP
children. are we'll grounded in it, Here,
again. Mr. W1ngate is right Few, if any,
OF our pupils go from high school prepared
for the ready transaction of general business.
They are not ready to enter offices as skilled
! bookkespers, bill clerks End. business extend
ers. Has the business world right to de-
mand it? Complaint is made that the high
sohools are being made mere stepping stones
/ to the university. Would not the complaint
be more vigorous and juster if they were
s 'fd he ahoE de al is aar o
one shall we turn to a commercial ideal
which is still narrower? And If the school
board and teacher were willing to work for
this narrow end, where is the youthful mind
that would submit to or endure the suggested
course? Try keeping a normal, healthy,
Keen sIseln live witted youth grinding away on
|
the slightest detail. He will do 1t if he is
in business" for his immediate interest in
his daily work will carry him on; but in
s s;a without that close, direct incentive
know this next year" will supply-he will
either grow to loathe the subject with great
loatning, or he will become too narrow and
Supplied to ever, raise his thoughts beyond
the cover of his books. But instead, let him
try other departments of mathematics, let
MIN try his best powers in the fresh fields of
nfr oy,I h1, !, 10
to his commercial arithmetic, If he has need
to-, with deeper insight into its principles,
a sharper eye for its intricacies, a keener
rest for its problems, which will enable aim
to accomplish more in six months working
drill than he would if commercial arithmetic
had been the only mathematics in his four
year OF drill should come in the last year
Of high school or the first year Of business
lite Is minor question, Some good high
schools are putting it in their course for the
senior year. That is, they think it wise to
become to a certain very limited extent pro-
| fessional schools. Others, just as good, do
1 not. Both may be right. But no school can
transform boy at eighteen into finished
business man. If it could he would not go
to work in all office for IS week. The boy
has much to learn. much that only expert
!; to learn business is in a business office
The school takes only the responsibility Of
getting him ready, and willing and ambitious
to learn, and removing hinderances so far az
possible.
Third-spelling and English composition
! Our state high school course provides for four
years work in English, at least, while az
high as seven may be taken If desired. This
includes reading of the best English classics
, for at least three years and a thoro drill
in English composition. If, then, the results
are not satisfactory, as in many, many cases
they are not the trouble is not with the
course but with the management of the course
, and with the teacher and the individual pupil
Nor is the drill in composition confined
to the English class. Every paper the pupi
WITHSTAND only pupil and teacher know how
truly their name is legion-is drill in Eng
lakors to express himself correctly, clearly
briefly, strongly and courteously, and If a
or of the teacher, but it is certainly not the
fault of the course of study. And a boy
: otherwise bright and capable after thu
teacher could not be seriously handicappet
by his ability to write in proper form sim
r pie business letter" He may or he may no
5 in the school room, but he certainly comes il
r contact with them the moment he steps int
business, and if bright" enough to know
7 pressing himself properly the correct form
r will be matter of very few minutes
} requirement.
: Fourth-Geography. Here Mr.. wingat
, asks no more than our schools already teach
only that again real and permanent knowledg
of details Is not to be gained without liv
ing interest In the thing itself. The detailed
: knowledge Of the resources of the northwes
, which Mr.. Wingate demands is at the pen
r end OF every seventh grade pupil, to be care
fully forgotten the week after examination
. But that he forgets it is no sign he shout,
learn 1t again in the eighth and the nintl
and the twelfth grades. Only when he has
living interest in the facts will be remembe
the facts. If when the pupil leaves school b
knows where to turn for the information
he wants, if he knows as much of the natura
sciences as will enable him to attain som
understanding of the facts and phenomena
, + OF nature, then he is as we'll fitted for bust
) ness as the business world has any right t
demand. Besides, some one might blunde
and the boy who had all the facts abou
soil, climate, etc., might go into mining
while the who had devoted himself t
learning the locations and capacities an,
possibilities of the mines of the northwes
) ]ivolihood-and then, what a terrible waste
, from the financial standpoint
No one, ], least of all, will claim that GU
nigh school course is perfect, or sacred. n
not to be meddled with. All thoughtful
teachers are well aware of Its weaknesses
its deficiencies. But real reform is a mat
ter of much time, Of earnest effort of loviu,
| care. What we need most is not a radca
overthrow Of the present course of study bu
good teachers and righteous management O
the present course. With those we shall find
think. that all the results that Mr. Win
gate asks for are forthcoming, and that eyel
from "a financial standpoint" the four year
, of high school Is mot wasted ti1ne.''
"A High School Teacher
FAILURE As A cIvILIzER
Washington Star.
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