Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1903-04-15
PRESC0TT'S NEED OF A HIGH
SCHOOL.

fhtSCUlI , NEtU Uf a hi6h
SCHOOL.
The Journal Miner has previously
advocated the establishment of pub
lie high school in Prescott. We think
the children of this city are deserving
of as good educational opportunities
as are children elsewhere. The COM
petition in life's struggle is so much
greater than formerly that only those
who are we'll qualified by thorough
training in their youth, have much of
guarantee of success. The United
States Commissioner of Education at
Washington. d. c., VIM. T Harris,
has recently made a careful inquiry
into the early training of nearly 5000
of the most successful and prominent
persons in the United States, persons
representing all the trades and pro-
fessions. This inquiry reveals the fact
that the high school graduate has six
times the chance of success in life as
has the boy or girl who finishes the
eight grades only.
Sagacious business men and enter
prising corporations recognize the
value of high school training in their
employees. The Santa Fe railroad
for example has recently issued the
order that preference shall be given to
high school graduates in subsequent
employment of service. During the
decade from 1890 to 1900 public high
schools in the United States have in
creased in number from $500 to 6000.
Arizona has but two of these-one at
Phenix and one at Mesa. During
the same decade the pupils attending
public high schools have increased
from 200, 600 to 500, 900. Many of the
courts have ruled that children are
entitled to high shcoOl privileges free
of cost. In Indiana there is the state
law that when any school district
lin town or country fails to provide
high school instruction, then such
district shall pay the tuition, at the
nearest public high school, of such
of its pupils as may desire to attend
high school. In the state of New
York there is an effort at the pres
ent time to secure the same legisla-
ton. If our Prescott pupils go to
California or elsewhere for high school
instruction, they do so at a cost of not
less than 800 or $500 per year for
each pupil. Most of our people can
not afford this and even if all could
it would be far better for this money
to remain at home, and for our young
people to remain with their parents
during these most formative years of
their lives.
Again we believe the business inter
ests of the town require public high
school. Prescott is progressive and
up to date in all business and home
conveniences and appointments; but
it is not so in its high school facili-
ties. Many eastern and California
towns of one half or one third the
school instruction which gives sub
stantial education for life or prepares
students for the best colleges. A good
high school in Prescott would attract
residents and investment from the
east Within the past month our
school authorities had personal in
quiry from gentleman who lives in
New York City where his daughter is
attending high school He is inter
ested in mining in this county and
proposed moving his family to Pres
colt provided his daughter could con-
tinue her high school work here. Up
to this time all such persons have
gone either to Tucson because of the
territorial university at that place or
to Phenix. A four years high school
in Prescott would also draw attend
ance of pupils from the various small
er towns and mining camps in North
ern Arizona. Tuition from this source
would materially aid in the mainte
nance of such high school. Twenty
five tuition pupils would yield the
school something like 5000 tuition per
year.
A good high school is of direct ben
eft to all departments of school sys-
tenn 1t improves the eight grades be
cause students in these lower grades
feel that they must do this foundation
he, L. l..
mitted into the high school. Thor
oughly prepared students in turn
benefit high school; and thus the
entire system is improved from the in
spiration which the high school
brings. The record of our Prescott
students who have gone elsewhere to
shcool proves that the work that is
undertaken in our ten grades is well
and thoroughly done. One of our
seventh grade students entered the
eighth grade in Kansas City and yet
led her class. Likewise those of our
young people who have gone to Los
Angeles and other points in California
have made splendid records and have
received full credit for the work done
in our school We have reason to be /
lieve, therefore, that with the esrab-
lishment of full high school course
the Prescott City School system would
be second to none.
Now as tozthe cost. EssMost of our
citizens will readily concede the ad-
vantages of high school and would
heartily favor its establishment, if they
do not feel that the cost is pro hibi
tive. The Journal Miner, so that this
matter can be clearly and fairly put
before the public, has asked for and I
received data from the school author j