The San Francisco call., 1908-09-03
SCHOOL SYSTEM IN
CHAOTIC CONDITION
President Wheeler Makes a
Strong Address Before COL
Iegiate AIumnae on Changes
Advocates French and German
and Industrial Training in
Preparatory Courses


ent school system in the United States
IS in more or less of chaotic condi-
xion which needs revising if the higher
aims of education are TO be reached
was the statement made by President
benjamin Ide Wheeler Of the Univer-
sity OF California during the course of
an address TO the national collegiate
alumnae in Hearst hall this afternoon
The head of the university attacked IN
vigorous terms the inroads that had
been made on the study schedules OF
the grammar schools in the last few
years and said that most OF the nigh
school courses We're temporary pad
cling Of sawdust and excelsior" which
viii be filed later by real subjects like
French and German. industrial train
ing. drawing ana music.
Il Or. Wheeler declared that two years
had been added TO the grammar and
high school courses since the 10 5,
when the American colleges hoped TO
rival the European universities by lift
ing the standard. He continued:
These added requirements come in the form OF
added subjects, like natural science and English,
"a tber than in Improvement in the existing sub
1ects. We were just AT that time beginning 10
lose our faith in the exclusive right Of classics
and ma athematics TO furnish the basis OF liberal
culture. and, while not quite ready 10
ADMIT lL lhe lace of the documents. we ullt-
lied the new free space for new subjects dineren-
fiated out of the old humanities, such as Eng
lsh. history. modern languages. and for science
added 10 mathematics This had the effect OF so
enrching the high school course as TO change il
from preparatory course 10 a general culture
course: at least the center OF gravity for cultural
study shifted from the college TO the high school
The college lost its shibboIerh and stood daZed in
the midst.
SHOULD CHANGE SUBJECTS
This result was aided by the more rigid formu-
1stion OF the curriculum in the grades and the
consequent advance Of one year In the age of ad-
mission 10 the high school, Much Of this fOrmu-
lsti0n has been mere Journalism, 50 far as the
brightest pupils concerned, but we can not ex-
pect the grades 10. relinquish the year they have
gained; can only hope that most Of the TEN
porary padding Of sawdust and excelsior with
which the space filled viii be later re-
placed by real and really needed subjects like
French German. industrial training. drawing.
music. The language acquiring age reaches
down into the bailiwick Of the grades. and II.
the present age Of admission TO high school, is
TOO late for a beginning. The dislodgement has
preceded 50 inperceptibly that we have not made
The necessary adjustments, and our pupils are
paying the costs OF our Journalism
The main effects upon the college
course OF the addition of the two years
TO the lower institutions were first, he
said. the loss Of the center OF gravity
in liberal and cultural study, and the
material change affected in the status
of studies at the end of the university
period. DR. Wheeler said further:
The effect which has shown itself at the up
per end Of the rollege course consists in this:
The course has 0verlain two years Of the region
Of active participating life, and the instincts and
tastes of those years print through the paper on
which the course is written. The twenty third
year Us 100 late. in the normal case. for the
continuance Of studies which. have no relation
10 real participation in the real activities Of
individual life.
COLLEGE COURSE DERIDED
The college course stands then boldly astride
The main break in tire route. The FIRST two
years bear relation 10 the high school course
IN that they complete and supplement IL. OF
bridge between II and the specially. or by hinge
ing into both make the inner fiange Of a folding
door. The last two years belong 10 the yoca-
tional work and turn toward the professional
and graduate schools They must occupy them
selves with central subject OF study presum-
ably marking the proposed central activity Of
The college course having therefore at the
lower end yielded its control of the word of
culture and the upper end been at the same
time infected with the bacteria Of vocation is
certain. with the backward spread Of the infec-
ton 10 become u shapeless mass Of crude, pre-
mature and yacillating specializstions, unless a
check landing is interposed at the middle Of
the course in the interest Of classification and a
more gradual concentration.
CERTIFICATE MAY CORRECT EVIL
That the university by the Junior GER
tihcate requirement at the end of the
second year for admittance to the last
two years is trying to correct the pres
ent day evils in education, the speaker
emphasized. Ii forces the student to
finish up his preliminary work before
entering into his special field of spe-
cialization and secondly it adjusts and
supplements the high school course
toward specialization and spares the
student the necessity Of choosing his
life work in the first two years In COL
lege besides cleaning the slate OF the
first two years Of study for the special
ization process of the junior and senior
years. Dr. Wheeler explained this
scheme as follows:
In two years comes the baccslsureate degree
and after third or graduate year the mas
rer's degree IS the general professional de-
gree for such as propose 10 teach At the same
for technical students the degree Of engineer
&C. j. and the Ike. the degree Of B. =. hay-
ing been given ut graduation. The n D.
sud the Ph. y. would then he both placed alike
nj the end of the I've year period OF special
study reckoned from the date OF the mfdyear
certificate. The two last years Of the baced 4.
; laureate period having been used by the medi.
.. cal student Tor the medical sciences of physi-
ology. pathology, etc, much as the future can
didate for the Phi y. Uses them FOR the begin
nings u lis specialization.
With these adjustments, and such as these
she four year college course can be given again
SIS. place and meaning place which. during
stormy. nerod OF transition, 81 has threatened
10 lose between the cross seas Of contention
ono hand and = deltIge Of confused electives
or Of unripe specialization Oh the other.
STEPHENS MAKES ADDRESS
over 100 members of the collegiate
aluuinae heard DIT. Wheeler's speech
and applauded vigorously at the points
OF needed correction in the school
% courses brought out by the speaker.
Prof. Henry Morse Stephens was the
first speaker or the afternoon and. gave
a short address on Research Work for
Women in which he emphasized the
fart that. the college women who took
up the various phases Of research work
had a great field before them.
The collegiate aiuinnae took posses
sion OF the campus on their. arrival
this afternoon. They were entertained
at luncheon in the Basket ball court of
Hearst hall AT 1890 o'clock. the women
. Of the Prytanean honor society being
the hosts for the occasion. At 2:3O
O'Clock the former college goods were
treated 10 a band concert in the Greek
theater by the cadet band. under the
leadership OF DelRert Crane.
After the addresses in Hearst hall
the alumnae were the guests Of Miss
Anna Head in her Claiming u-av