The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-21

4 4 . Z /
gs8 (The following paper was read,
by invitation. in Madison Hall, at
the University OF Virginia, on sat
uraay. juno O., 1907. before the
Association of High School Teach
ers OF Virginia by Arthur KSle
M Davis, president OF the Southern
+ Female college of Petersburg. va
M On motion, Mr.. Davis was requested
to furnish a copy of the paper TO
the Committee on Course of study
for High Schools.)
Mr.. Chairman and Members OF the
Assocation,--On receiving your inni'
tatton to speak on a topic OF higf
school work, my first feeling was thai
such an Undertaking might well give
pause to the holdest private college
man OF us all, for while we may, ano
often do, advance many criticisms OF
this work from the safe vantage
ground of our own lecture-rooms, IT
smacks of foolhardiness to rush into
this presence with rash or harsh oplh :
ton 1t will, therefore, be my aim 70
tread gently, both because | have no
desire to beard the lion in his den. and
also because know that We too, fail
far short of the possible best IN
methods and results
And yet in all modesty and IN all
sincerity l Shall attempt to make pam
what seems a real fault in the pup
+ lished standards for high schools.
Sc a fault of omission rather than or
commission. but believe that 1t should
DO remedied, and trust that 1t may
be remedied. I have taken your inVi-
+n+ion' All the foot of the letter." and
shall bring to your attention def
ni,a s,,ggestion for a change or sub
stitn,ion in me course of study out
.-31i>aI For pllhlic high schools.
~ may, we'll he, true that the private
coIiaea man bapnens to be the per-
cor hest fittod to comment with Jus
t;ca and with insight upon the high
snbaai work tha srreat connecting link
i,ftuean the grammar school and coll
lhea work, for he not only. touches
man ire nigh school work and the
crllapa work Int actually takes part
IN each He therefore sees in his own
exnerience the fitting-in, the dove
#+ni,jnp of tbel lower work into the
biehar With the private college of
Virginia not onlv is there no hiatus
,,atveen the high school and the coll
lneaSwork hut there is an actual link
;ne ma 5l;aison. Moreover. the teacher
~ ina nriyate college NAV compare
~ rasnits ~ tho %hirh school work Of
Z III own finstitntion or svston with
,hoss of +bs nnbl;c school system and
S,,Ic nf s.
~ ,,;sw, yyh;,a nerhans NOT SO deem
&c nossihlv hroaf,er than that of either
~ h;eh school man or the college
man This Is true Of our Virginia
na ',l whether for men or for wo-
may,
II &c an omen secret that most OF
o,,, v,rsin,a ..co1leees for women"-
a., ..fan,a,a cnlleges,' If Won viii allow
an avowed antiquarian to use the un.
popular "old style"-offer both high
school work and college work. the
amount of each varying according t
the standards of the individual insstitu
ton. While these Institutions thus
offer varying standards, as their worl
overlaps the college content to {
greater or less degree, there is M
doubt that they all have right t
claim an honorable name that implies
some participation in the college worl
beyond the mere high school content
Whatever may be the status OF tn
private college, then, one fact remain
clear. AS 1t embraces under one man
agement or system both high schoo
and college work, its representative
have deep and enlightened interes
4 IN your problems. And so, like til
freshman Nthat claimed the right to bea
his wife as being part of himself
pray YOU " coiisiuel eIat - = 10y y
hny stripes 1t is not mere castigatior
but largely self-flasellatlon and tn
whipping hurts me as much as it doe
you
The theme that ! wish to present t
this conference is The Neglect o
Higher Grammar and of English Idion
In the Outlined Course for Public Higl
Schools.
The real advancement OF the studen
In English depends upon his training i,
the general laws Of language ana III
Il knoSvled of the specific facts of Eng
lish idiom No adequate provision 70
such training Is MADE In arr bi,r,
school work II thinl, and this sean,
to be the weak noint IN tho axcalIan