Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-11-14
SYNOPSIS OF THE REPORT MADE
President Harper's Plan to Increase
High School Course to Six Years So
a. to Include First Two Years of
College Work Opposed by Smaller
Colleges.
Special to mines RepublIcan.

IN chicago, tnat ne VIII De uIldple Z
be present and take part in the dis
cussions there today. A year ago at tn
meeting of similar nature a PROPOSE
| ton was heralded from Chicago Uni
vesity to extend the work of the sec
| ondary schools and high schools as t
| include the first two years of colleg
work thus making the high school o
six years. A commission of twenty on
was at once appointed to report upol
| the proposition at this years confer
ence. The commission was divided VI
4 into three divisions, and these division
| were to consider the proposition from
the standpoints respectively of the htgl
school. the college and the university
| President MacLean, Of the State Uni
yersity of Iowa, being SO PROMINENT.
| connected with the work of the Nortl
Schools and Colleges. was appointed
upon that part of the commission which
was to report from the universit.
standpoint.
| The answers received from college
presidents were unanimously agains
the proposition and some of the reas.
ons urged against it are as follows
First. The inability of the majorit,
Of the high schools to do the work pro
posed because of: (a) Inadequacy O.
the equipment. (b) Incompetency o.
the instructors (c) Overcrowded con-
dition Of the work now in hand and ths
consequent need OF opportunity to per-
form the present tasks more thor
oughly.
Second. The need OF the youth OF
the average college age for surround
iings, tests, and general atmosphere OF
the college as distinct from those Of
the high school. especially: (a) Assoc
citation with those who are maturer
(b) Demands for new and greater eff
fort. (cl More effective aids to ma
turity ard independence Of thinking
(d) Change of local surroundings and
broader associations.
Third. The unwillingness to adopt
the plan on the part Of the larger cities
that have easy access to we'll establish
ed colleges and universities.
Fourth The probable harm that
would come to the American college.
Fifth. The probable injury to our
national life.
1t is beyond doubt the fear OF being
crushed out OF existence altogether that
appeals most strongly to the college
presidents for with the six year high
school as the neither mill stone and the
university as the upper there Is small
room left for the college.
President Mac Lean in an interview
this morning said that he had stood by
the college in this discussion because
he felt that the college was "A real AM
erican institution and for 1T and its
work there was a good field. He re-
cognized the six year high school agi-
tation las an endeavor to transplant
here the German system but he believes
that our educational system Is evolved
from the English system instead: tina.
the college is a great feature Of the
system and IL here to stay. Said Presi-
dent Mac Lean: Universities OF AM
erica should plan to get students into
their professions earlier In life as they
are at present doing in England, Ger
many and France, but this proposition
to increase the work Of the high school
by taking from the college and univer-
sity by no means tends to this end. The
ordinary high school Is not ready or
able to take up the first two years work
OF our colleges and universities and
feel that 1t would be disastrous blow
to the cause Of education II we were to
undertake to hold the rank and file OF
our high schools up to such an artificial
standard The six year is undoubtedly
a possibility for the large cities and
may be q success In these exceptional
cases but as q general proposition the
plan to turn the first two years Of our
work over to the high school Is in my
judgment premature and wholly Inn
practicable"
Thru President MacLean's influence
the report has been modified from the
radical stand taken by the University
OF Chicago, to the following. which was
given this tSaturday) morning: 1.-THE
committee interprets the proposed plan
as being not shall the six year high
school supercede; the four year high
school on the one hand and the lower
half of the college on the other, but
rather. would the six year high school
meet an existing demand and If so
where and how?"
Such high school exists and 1t is
tACIClOlS u pldCtiSdl QuCSliOu WHcluSt
such school is a legitimate type of
school end what its function is. Re-
garded from strictly pedagogical
view, II not from a social point of view,
the work of the first two years of the
college course is essentially secondary
work. Important as it may be to car
ry on that work in the peculiar atmos-
phere OF the college, it may, where de-
manded. be suitably provided as an ex-
tension Of the high school AS now con-
stituted. This fact is recognized in the
German system of secondary education.
In the judgment of your committee
q matter of more practical Importance
Is the probability that the six year high
school, where 1t can be we'll organ
lied and equipped. will first of all at
tract and hold for two additional years
of general culture and training, hun
dreds of boys and girls who at present
end their school life with graduation
from the four years school. Second
In addition TO this higher culture and
training thus afforded, there viii also
be made available much technical and
other special preparation for life work
NOW audar tho praSenf system mt of