Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-04-05
LAS VEGAS SUMMER SCHOOL
Its Aims and Advantases-The Work
it Proposed to Do.

| IL TTOPOScu 10 Do'
Special Correspondence New Mexican.
Las Vegas, N. NJ, April T.
| Unless every prospect fails, there
will be a reasonably large attendance
at the summer school to be held in
| the Normal at Las Vegas, from June
6 to July 29 1t is a well known fact
| that the great mass of teachers of New
Mexico have had little opportunity to
prepare properly for their work and
they are going to take advantage of
this one as soon as possible. 1t has
been said repeatedly that the educa-
tional system of New Mexico is top
heavy. Those who take this view of
the matter say that the Normal School
and other territorial. institutions have
been aiming at higher and collegiate
work without recognizing the fact that
the elementary schools are not in con-
dition at present to furnish them with
properly prepared pupils. No doubt
there is much truth In this and the
statistics of the last year bear out this
criticism. During the last school year
the total enrolment in the high
schools of New Mexico was 333. Of
this number, 1T were in the first year
of the high school course, 92 in the
second, 46 in the third, and 18 in the
fourth. Out of this total enrolment
of 333 the average attendance was on
ly 27S. 1t will be observed that at
best there could not be more than 18
pupils finishing high school course
and ready to take up the work of the
normal school, the university, the
Agricultural College or the School of |
Mines. When it is taken into consider |
alton that but small per cent of !
those who complete high school |
go to a higher school, it will
be observed that the high schools of
New Mexico furnished last year less
than a half dozen pupils for the high
er institutions. 1t is well to keep the
advantages of higher education in
view but it is not easy to see
there is any advantage in at
tempting to do class of work for
which there is SO little demand. The
cost per pupils on this account is sim
ply enormous. 1t should be known that
no state in the union paid as much
per capita for education in it's state
institutions as was paid by New Mexi-
co last year. This is all the more sig
nificant when the demand for more ele-
work is taken into considera-
tion.
New Mexico needs more competent |
teachers in her elementary schools,
and conditions will not be materially
better until these schools are made
more efficient. Great strides have
Aeen made in education in the Terri
DRY during the last few years, but this
progress has only served to make pres
mt needs more clear 1t is the parti-
ular province of the normal school to s
improve elementary education 1t is t
he aim at Las Vegas to meet the ]
leeds of those who expect to teach in
he city schools, but we are making a
pecial effort to formulate courses t
dapted to the needs of the large num- t
'ers of teachers in the small towns
md country districts. The school
which it is proposed to hold this sum-
ner is only one of several steps
o meet this demand. Begin
aking to meet this demand. Begin
ling with the regular session which
pens in September, we shall offer in
he junior school an opportunity to any
'upil who comes to us, systematic
york in any branch from the first
rade to the eighth inclusive; and
bove the eighth grade we offer our
cademic course, which prepares for
ny college or university. In thus {
eaching down to the lowest grade of ,
7ork and offering the advantages of
II grades of the first twelve years of !
chool, we are declaring our belief in !
ne principle that this normal should :,
o such work as to reach the largest :
ossible number.