The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-22
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
], Room for School Improvement.


Room for School Improvement.
" ae sns E osss, Ct rns
iished IN your colunih 81 on the public scnoof
controversy, perm one whoSis IA private IN
me ranks 70 express ms views. agree with
schools is the best place for boy or girl
10 lay the foundaC0ns Ior anaeducation. 81
VII make even a stronger asseruon and say
that NJ private or ,aenoainational scnool is
capable OF dong the thoro preparation, work
Wnich e goou public school, does. ~ loye the
system yet !! Y realize lnlperfectio ions
assert Wsic She the criti
scisms OF all fair-mlnued and well meaning
people as we would those of our Irlenus.
As result OF these discussionsrswe will be
SHOWN our weaknesses, a more practical
course Oh study will beEframed and we Will
DO more taoro work. The public school will
not suffer In. the ehd ii n lew. men s pet
toeas DO.
In the first place it is manifestly unfair
70 say tne work Or or hign schools IS poor
because Two or three boys failed to pass
marrow lnspractlcaple examination. They
We're only rev in, several thousand. Besides,
university and college professors and the
business men who complain about our work
could not have passed lnose same examna-
lions. After all q technical examination is a
ability. 49, IA. g, = ITI<T 7a
But what about such criticisms las Mr.. Win,
gate makes? We must admit they are too
True IN nearly every community business
men car. be found who make the same asser-
IONS 1sa ana NJ who prefer boys from the eighth
grace 80 graduates from the high school.
That the boy fresh from tie graaes is bet
ter prepared to handle practical arithmetic
IS nothing new to school men, Four years OF
Latin, English, history science and higher
mathematics has not helped him to determine
the cost OF a load OF hay, or the number of
yaTa SO Of carpet required for room. or the
NUMBER OF DuShels q certain bin will con-
tain. No doubt he could do so when he left
the grades, but his mind has been occupied
VITA other things and the necessary figures
ana methods have escaped from his memory.
but tne average college or university grad
uate IS no better prepared to do this work
than the high school graduate. Then, II
me :, nigh school does not fit him. for life,7
We all must admit that there are weak.
nesses IN our system OF education. You will
please pear with Eme while make a few.
Wingate said graduates could neither speE''.
nor rite. II he had tested them in read
Ing he would have added. they cannot read. :
THESE subjects are supposed to be taught
IL Ing sgFadeS N But so many ~ Ta11S nave
cregt Into many schools that they have not
t1Ide to teach the rud iments OF AN education
know whereof affirm when I&say spelling
ana az !, penmanship are nthe grades
IN many schools they do not pretend to- teach
them. above the fifth grade We have them
IN cur courses. OF study say 100 $Superin-
tend 81 know they are, on. paper !:
nut the actual time allotted to those$ subjects
and what you have on paper are two different
propositions. s.
Here, then. gis my remedy. More time and
stress must be ;givenffo these subjects in the
grades. Then If the student is deficient when
he enters the high school. he must continue to
study them thru the entire course, If he does
not become proficient before graduating,
Every lesson spel Hing lesson and every
lesson a:language LESSON is a very good
motto. II every school superintendent and
school board, insists on. these things, in a
very few years business men will not say
our graduates cannot spell or write.s am
pleased So note that asfeW school superin.
tendents have advanced gsoffar that they are
| not afraid $to admit thatsthey are gettin back
| to some Of the good old-fashioned methods
discarded fifteen or twenty years ago
Realizing the fact that boys and girls at the
ages OILS and IA have a very limited knoWl-
| edge of the common branches, several years
ago our state high school inspector recon-
mended the study of the sO-called senior
common branches" during the fourth year.
This was an excellent and timely suggestion.
But many ,superntendents think It ADDS dig
dents pursue Latin, higher algebra, solid
geometry and chemistry. Besides, the uni
versity people do not allow us credit for
teaching any of these senior is r. common s3I,
| not? Are they not more practical than the
subjects usually pursued? What would bet
higher instit 1 nsf lea learning than thoro
review Of geography ~ history grammar and
arithmetic during their last year in the high
| school?
! must scalleattentlou to two subjects which
/ DO not receive the attention, due them in our
high schools. They are ei3ics and physiology.
Only about high schools teach
students for citizenship. In what manner can ca
this better be accomplished than thru the
study of civil government of the United
States? Personally, 7 could not prepare a
course of study without including physiology
| Many school men do not include it in their
courses OF study because the university does
Gently been asked why they do not allow US the
same credit for physiology that we ares al.
lowed for tho other yhalf year sciences.
Who can l please. eKbiain@ NV contention Is
that high and graded schools should teach
both, these subjects and school boards and
the teachers agree with me- Then why ara
! they not taught more generally? 2 ~
In closing I must call attention to grow.
ing idea, which, if put into practice, vii.
greatly lower the degree Of proficiency which
pupils now finish the common branches al
4 too young an ge,sthere are well known advo-
Gates who insist that all the essentials car
be taught in from one TO two years. less
time and thus complete alb education much
4 sooner. The ssage demands lass time spent
I in acquiring 5'an; education. s; If the super
1 structure is top heavy they would remedy
it by knocking "a couple Of stones out Of the
foundation. Many of them never taught DAY
\ in the grades and yet they pretend to be able
to tell us just what can be done. Ask any an
work Of the grades complete the common
branches in one or two years less time. M!
| sympathies are with the grade and country
4 school teacher, for have been both and know
something of their difficulties and the worl
/ expected of them. I wish we might hear from
many who are too timid to speak out II
the meetings of our state and national gather
1>ngs, but who patiently sit and listen to the
long winded and wise CD speeches OF 9TH
men. Do not allow the superintendents Wht
l prepare the courses Of study and determine
the amount Of work you must DO ITO have al
the say,sbut step out boldlygto the8fornt ant
let us have the benefit of your experience. LIE
4 the agitation from all sources continue unit
! we succeed In renedying many of.the defect
in our Beloved system -, 11,n+or
l Superintendent CannonsF Falls High School.
4 University Influence IN High Schools
d To the Editor of The Journal
A short time ago in the columns or you
paper appeared defense by Mr.. Ranki1
of our school system, which had been at
tackled by Mr.. Tawney as result OF the fail
/ ure of his candidates to pass the entranc
examinations to Annapolis. = 1t surely is
serious matter to attack school system
entirely responsible for the failure of som
II Of it's graduates to pass a certain examina
ton
The above noted failure may or may no
ii be attributable to our school system, to de
fects which exist therein, but the circum
4 stance has aroused interest in a discussion
of the merits and dement's OF high school
t in Minnesota. They are said to be prepare
: tory schools for the State University and
!. is true. It means "a course OF study marke
out firstly, for tie few who may attend IN
never get beyond the high scool and who d
Z not even finish the high school course.
{ Most of the. teachers. principals ana super