The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-27
High Schools Fail to Take Their
Places.
TOO
LATIN.
MUCH
President SlOcum Wants More
Good Citizenship.
Would Not Have Financial
Agents" at Head of Colleges.

ern educational institutions held the
opening session Tuesday afternoon in
the new library building at Washburn
college. Following the address of
welcome by President Plass of Wash
burn, President Julius T. House of
Kingf1sher spoke on 1.-THE Future of
the Academy and the Preparatory
School,"
Professor. House took the stand that
the passing of the academies and pre-
paratory schools is a menace to the
colleges of the country. On this line
of thought he said: 1.-THE high schools
of the cities do not take the places of
the academies as has been claimed by
many and the passing of the prepara-
tory schools means more work for the
colleges as majority of the college
students require at least one year of a
preparatory course before they are in
shape to become pupils in the colleges
of the country.
while it is often argued and es-
pecially by the donors who in the past
have kept the academies alive that
the high schools are taking the place
OF preparatory schools l can not
agree with this line of argument. The
high schools are particularly weak in
the languages and the prospective stu
dents weakness in this line necessarily
compels him to spend one or more ex-
ira years in college.
''But few of the boys and girls from
the farms find their way to the high
schools of the city and 1t is from these
the colleges must get their students.
1t is a noticeable fact that of the
graduates from the high schools nine
ty per cent of them are girls and the
farmer boys who enter rarely finish.
The high schools offer no inducements
for the boys and girls from the farms
in the shape of college life. There are
no dormitOries and the influence on
those who attend is not good as they
are turned loose in a city and the in
fuence is not the best
Then again the high schools are
often the victims of ignorant school
to their operation and they are of but
little benefit to the colleges of the
country, That the academies are fast
becoming only memory is attested by
the number which have been closed
within the past five years. This con-
dition is made necessary for the rea-
son that the contributions of benefac-
tors who in the past gave literally to
schools have succeeded them and icy
now make their donations directly to
the colleges"
Professor Houses paper did not
however, seem to strike the popular
chord and in the discussion which fol-
lowed it's reading most of those pres
ent agreed that the academy of tn e
past is doomed and that in its stead
tory Institutions for the colleges of the
country.
Less Greek and Latin.
Give the boys and girls a little less
Greek and Latin and teach them to
become good citizens and the meaning
of the term in its entirety is the advice
I would give to the teachers in our
colleges today said Prof. William F.
Slocum of Colorado college in an adj
dress delivered to the visiting profess
sors at the First Congregational
church last evening.
Americas salvation lies in the
moral and spiritual leadership of its
men and women and the place and
today is to create this moral and
spiritual leadership in the young men
and women of the nation continued |
Professor Slocum. The function of
schools for our universe |
ties and their work should be thorough |
in every particular.
1.-The duty of the Am erican colleges
today is to get hold of the students |
and turn them out well rounded men
and women able to grasp the problems |
Of life. Let the universities specialize
but the student of our colleges should |
leave them with their characters so
formed that they will become useful
and ornaments to society be- |
fore they enter universities.
TT is claimed that there is danger |
come memories on account of the fall |
ing off of donations from the wealthy of |
the country who in the past have been
their principal means of support. This,
however, is not true and today the do
IA lions of the philanthropists of the
country are pouring into the smaller
colleges as they never have in the past.
In the past these donations have been
divided as between the academies of
he country and the colleges proper but
- 80 Il fr4a f1x - IaAI
colleges.
Rap at Financial Agents.
These public benefactors realize that
he future of the country lies in the col
eyes and not in the great universities
which specialize but in many instances
ose sight of the moral side of life and
he religious teaching which should be
/ part of every students life The great
junction of the college is the training of
he character of our students.
They should not be rushed through
| high school and then foisted on the
world and buried in some law office or
,ther business institutions but should
lave a college education which will help
hem to character which will be a
erge part of their stock in trade for the
emainder of their lives. This rushing
# a bow through school and into bust
Tess is not only cruel to the boy but
t is a manifest injustice to the world.
"I think that the president of a col
eye should not only be a teacher but 1
hink that he should always remain one
md I am opposed to the idea of making
he head of the college a financial agent
whose chief duty is to provide funds for
he operation of the institution at which
lie is the head
Professor Charles Sumner Nash of
ne Pacific Theological seminary,
Cal, concluded the evening
rogram by an address, The Chris
ian Mission of the College" which was
plea for the recognition of the chris
ian religion and it's teachings as a
natter not second to student life.
The conference will continue in ses-