Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-30
HIGH SCHOOL STUDIES
New System Inaugurated by
the Authorities.
METHOD EXPLAINED
NO ADDITIONAL WORK IMPOSED
UPON PUPILS.
Study Courses, From Which Choice
May Be Made, Increased
in Number.

| For nearly two weeks the new system oi
| study courses has been in operation in the
| academic high schools of the District, and,
| according to the statement of Director
| Hughes today it has worked admirably
| giving neither pupil nor teacher cause to
regret the change. The new arrangement
| does not increase the number of studies the
! pupils are required to take, 1t Is declared,
| although it does increase the number OF
| courses among which there is choice This
| enables each one to select regular course
| which will fit him or her for any particular
| object which may be in view.
| In this connection, Mr.. Hughes said he
deplored the fact that adverse criticism or
! the curriculum had come from those who
! understood the recent announcement OF the
| change to mean that the pupils would be
| given a more complicated course to follow,
! which would necessitate increased home
| study and the burning of midnight oil. This
| criticism. he states, is due entirely TO a
misunderstanding of the purposes OF the
faculty. 1t has been urged, he said, that
| the amount of study would be injurious TO
| the health of the pupils, whereas, as mat
ter of fact, the amount of study will be eX-
actly the same and In some cases a little
less than was necessary under the old ar
| rangement
For instance, it was explained a pupil
|
| study may now devote his attention more
closely to it than 1t was possible for him to
| do when the latitude Of choice was mar
| rover and the course demanded that GER
| tain things be studied In a certain time,
| whether the pupil wished 1t or not.
Physical Examinations.
Mr. A. 7. Stuart, the superintendent of
the public schools in the District recently
| remarked that he was proud of the fact
l hot of fhn mol ndi
| dates failed to pass the strict physical ex-
animation put in vogue for the first time
| last spring. 1t spoke well, he said, for the
! public school system under whose fostering
| care they had been for twelve years.
| Each year the school officials aim to make
| the school system better in every respect
| said Mr.. Stuart and the special attention
that has lately been given to the physical
| welfare of the pupils is regarded, he declar-
| ed, as a good sign.
| Touching another phase of the high school
courses, Director Hughes said it should be
| remembered that the pupil goes to school
at 8 O'Clock and is permitted to leave at 9
o'clock, and this only five days in the week.
and that out of the time come nearly half
hour for the opening exercises in the morn
Ing and about the same time for lunch in
| the middle of the day.
The time from am. to . pm is divided
for Rotations into five periods of forty five
minutes each, exclusive of the opening and
| lunch time. But some of these periods are
not devoted to Rotations being called
study hours when the pupil can either
study or rest quietly III preparation for the
next recitation That it should be asked
that the pupil give three hours each day for
nVe days to the preparation of the next
days lessons seemed to the director to be
| very sensible plan. He said:
| School should be a business for the
young lady or gentleman who has nothing
else to do and who wants to get something
| out of liz
Courses of Study Explained.
= In offering the new courses the school
authorities make the following observa.
tons:
: The pupil must take upon himself the
/ greater part of the responsibility for his
work If he is not earnest enough or mature
| enough for this, he is not fit to underta e
| the work of the high school,
| The average pupil who is taking the f1l
{ | course will need about three hours of study
> at nome daily In addition to the study
S hours his program may allow him at school
: Failure to spend the necessary effort on hi:
| work at home is certain to result in the pu
:, pills failure at school. Pupils should de
| velop the habit of studying with attention
| strongly fixed on the work in hand
THE pupil who fails to appreciate tn,
| importance of steady application and mas
/ | terry of his task from the very beginuninf
of his course may expect that he will sool
= be lost. Both for his success in school ant
u | in after life he is urged to cultivate from
. the outset habits which shall mark hin
as one who is prompt. orderly, neat ant
| thorough, one who does one thing al tim
| and always does 1t well.
I'm cases in which the school work is to-
heavy for faithful pupils of frail health i
| is suggested that parents confer with tn
principal of the school to Arrange for light
| ening the childs burden by Iengthening tn
time for accomplishing the prescribe,
course
d Worry for some and social distraction
c for others do more harm than does schoo
work.
C |
. Parents will greatly assist the pupil t
e make his school course a success if the
= insist upon regular hours for study fire
q from all interruptions. Have your boy o
" girl make a business of school.
h | Parents are requested to visit the higl
n schools which their children attend for con
" ference with the principal and teachers
! Tn most convenient time for seeing tn
d latter is at the close of school in the after
l. noon.
Military Organization and Orchestra
:, 1.-The military organization and Hig
d School Orchestra. general bodies, an
lie the athletic association and debating SO
n cieties of the several schools are the onl
n organizations recognized or sanctioned b
- | the high schools. For the sake of hi
s studies, it is not advisable for any pupil t
II | devote his attention to the work of NOR
"A ! than one or at most two of the above or
te | CARNATIONS.
1.-The aim in offering the accompanyin
Ia courses in the Washington High School
II | mas Deens 10 group certain pufSul
=, | of which shall give a training as effectiv
~ | and well-balanced as Is possible in any Hig
School course. The majority of the pupil
If who complete the work of the high school
-. end their school training with graduation
% 1t is therefore essential that each mind b
10 as well trained for its work as possible. I
20 this end each course offered attempts I
- combine the elements of broad culture wit
-, -, group of studies suited to the pecula
- qualities of individual minds. Thus. thre
and half years of English, two of mathe
-. matcs one and half of history, two {
~ foreign language, either ancient or moo
~ ern, one of an elementary science (e,
a. | cept for the few whose college preparatio
g may demand Greek instead of science
a as drawing and music are required of a
is pupils.
AZ AZ Throughout the third and fourth veal
III the several courses offer opportunities
development along lines of personal apt
tude.
n. The Several Branches.
az 1.-The basis of the academic course is FL
glish Latin and Greek Tor GERMANY. TIL
] course offers a training in the classics vii