The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-12-04
THE IDAHO ACADEMY PROBLEM.

excellent institution, but is an illus
tration of good school undoing tht
very work tht it was intended to sup
plement.
AS has been stated in The Repub
lican heretofore. The Idaho Academy
was designed for the education Of
pupils from districts where there II
no high school, but the way 1t works
out practically, 1t has prevented the
development of high schools all over
Eastern Idaho, and Notwithstanding
much Of the public money has been
expended locally by the towns and
villages to build up high school de-
partments, the Idaho Academy has
drawn just enough from all of them
to cripple the local high schools SO
that general injury to that depart
ment of public instruction is result
ing. 1t is the same story In every
town from Challis to Montpelier and
from Oxford to Marysville. Part Of
the pupils have gone to the Academy
and left the class or classes small and
the work expensive per capita and
the interest tagging from lack Of
numbers in classes. Thus it appears
that the money expended by the state
to maintain the academy, while it
may not be wasted, is an ill-advised
expenditure.
There are two means by which this
may be remedied, and without work.
ing an injury to anybody or to any
locality. Either way would supply
something that is much needed and
help to keep us in the front rank of
progressive states.
One plan is to make the academy
a branch or department of the state
university, so that pupils from the
southeast could do university work
without taking the long journey
through three states to reach the in
stitution.
Very few boys and girls go to Mos
cow from the southeast on account of
the great distance. Some go to
Boise, some to Ogden, Logan and
Salt Lake and some go east, it being
as easy to go to Omaha or Des Moines
or Chicago as to Moscow, and uni
versity work provided at Pocatello
would stop this exodus from the state
to get instruction. After liking the
first years work in Pocatello the
course could be finished at Moscow,
and in this way there would be a
great saving in expenses to pupils.and
many more would be enlisted because
of the ease OF access to the work.
The other plan would be to make
the academy trade school where
boys and girls could go to learn
trades. Industrial education is COM
ing to be more and more in demand
every day, and If Idaho would main
tain her reputation for, and enjoy the
benefits of up-to-date educational
work she should provide a place
where the young man wanting to
learn to do work well, can get tue in
struction. Where the girl who wants
to learn the approved methods of
woman's work, can get the instruc-
ton she wants and on leaving the in
stitution go out to apply for employ
ment with as good knowledge of |
the work as the age affords One of
the discouraging features about our
schools is that when the course is
finished, the pupil is useless person
unable to make a living until he or
she goes through another course in
the practical things of the world.
Either Of the above plans could be
carried into effect without any seri-
GUS disturbance of the present lines
Of work and with about the same
expense to the state.
The cause of industrial education
has grown slowly in the United
States, but national society as in
fluential in it's way as the National
irrigation Congress, has taken it up,
md is organizing in about 80 states
or active work. The meeting of
1908 has just been he'd at Atlanta,
Georgia, and the following brief re-
'ort shows something of the scope of
he work and the character of men
yho are working to advance it.
FOR PRACTICAL TRAINING. \
ociety to Promote Industrial Educa- {
ton.
ATLANTA, Ca, Nov. 19.--Page
ter page Of the Piedmont Hotel |
,gister filled today with the names e
recognized leaders of thought in
g United States. They are delegates 6
the second annual convention of Fl
e National Society for the Promo a