The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-09
4 Significant Movement

OF the many conventions now being
held In the South, and especially IN Vir-
ginia- IN the interest OF education none
Is Of greater significance than the one
just held at the University OF Virginia
upon the invitation Of President Alder
man
At this time have no reliable inforrna-
ton o. the work accomplished by that
conference, but IL goes without saying
that a convention called TO consider the
possibility OF bringing into closer har-
mony the courses Of secondary schools
and colleges IS, from the nature OF its
task. Of paramount importance 20 the
general cause OF education
That there should be greater harmony
between the curr1culums OF secondary
schools and colleges l. fully recognized
I by the principals and teachers. on the
one hand. IN their efforts 10 prepare the
student Tor college. and in no less degree
Goes the college professor recognize the
misfit when he receives Tie student into
hls classes.
would not overlook the fact that much
has already been done IN this respect IA
Virginia: but only a united. organized
enort OF several States can accomplish
the best results. or even remedy the diff
Guilty. FOR colleges do not draw their
patronage from one State.
The reasons, therefore. for this confer
ence are obvious. For their continued
growth the colleges are dependent upon
the secondary schools. Their standards
must be determined. IN reality, by the
secondary schools. Their standards must
be determined IN reality by the
secondary schools. II a logical system
must prevail The secondary school is
the source from which the college flows:
and the stream cannot rise higher than
its source. however much evidence to the
contrary the catalogue may present
II IS A weil-known fact that no con-
dition has so seriously threatened the
progress OF the Southern college IN recent
years as the Wretched preparation Of
good percentage Of the freshman class,
or better. the candidates FOR this class.
At all hazards. the college must main
tain her former prestige, when the old
academy. or the excellent preparatory
(privatc) school. sent men to college who
really had received fundamental training,
and who could enter college and take
the prescribed course creditably.
With the passing OF these schools, what
took their places? Nothing. The people
made out" as best they could. The un-
graded public school OF five or six months
session became the college Dependency
ia the main. in the rural districts-the
college preparatory school The result or
this Is too we'll known to permit OF dis
cussion here. The college had to meet
the situation. In the catalogues, the
standards .(courses) could not be lowered
10 meet this situation with justice to
those who were prepared nor without in
fictiug upon the institution adverse criu-
cisrn. Therefore, in some institutions
preparatory schools were established; in
others, sub freshman classes. while some
refused to recognize the situation, re-
ceivod all applicants, and continued their
way or course, many students came in
on trial but few were dismissed when
once enrolled. The result of this was
! that many students became Disguised with
college life BY the end Of the freshman
year because Of their cropping in the
| darkness, gave up the race and quit.
| Others, seeing daylight family, lived on
/ and managed 20 scrape through with
enough OF the course TO their credit 10
get their names among the list Of gradu-
! ates / do not mean 70 say that this
] picture is a type OF the Southern college
man. Far from It, But IL is typical of
| an appalllngly large minority.
Ny own observations permit me to say
| that tho Southern college student in post
J graduate work holds his own side by side
| with his fellow student from the North
/ ern OF Western college, who has enjoyed,
/ as rule, excellent college preparatory
training. lie Is able TO take this stand,
! however, by reason Of the fact that he
| represents generally the drst men OF his
class in point OF scholarship; and, sec
ondly. he devotes himself assiduously to
/ inc prescribed work, failing 10 enjoy the
! freedom from pressure enjoyed by his col
/ league from the North or West
AS above mentioned, the colleges have
tried in various ways to cope with the
| difficulty. They fought a great fght
( against conditions over which they had
, little control; for, in the past there has
| been little cooperation between the coll
| lcge and the secondary school in the
! South In some instances there has been
| open antagonism. But. thanks to the
| progress of both sides. they now recog-
nize their mutual dependence: and repre-
sentatives from colleges and secondary
schools are annually in conference
throughout the South to better the con-
ditions in their respective 9eIds Of ac-
| tlvity.
believe these conferences will result
In great good In the sphere OF secondary
tralninE. and this VIII In turn enable the