The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-31

Editor The Advertiser:
 toriaI headed "A Day of Education. In that article. you mention the gen manifested throughout the state. you refer with pride to the splendid growth and development Of AlabamAs scnooA system. and you also refer to the gsneF.s e.., ous appropriations that have recently been made by the legislature Tor tne cause of education.
 Contemplation of these things ehould, and no doubt does, awaken sentiments of pride ana of gratitude in the hearts of all right thinking Alabamiane.
 But as e tax payer, as teacner 2. many years experience, and as loyai tious of me to address, through tne eolaaS sSe powefs or y2Sa tRat and asc to give public expression te some ox my .,s owr {, derive the greatest possible nencttt from the large sum that hna been ap propriated for educational purposes ; this, ~fiow are the boys and girls, the State Ss to derive benefit at all conlmen- surate with the magnitude Of the ap-
 Ny own opinion is, that the effective ness of these appropriations. especially of that part which is to he cxpenaen in the establishment of nign scno1ls. ns attitude of the University of Alabama. of the Alabama Polytechnic lnstttules and Of the alumni of these two great institutions. towards college entrance
 Some years ago the legislature of Alabama wisely passed q law looking to the elevation of the teachers Of the Iaw, aven if poorly enforced at firsE has ultimately accomplished more good for the children of the State than iins the appropriatlon for schools with- out attempting to raise the standard of proficiency on the pert Of those who aspire to teach. Wiser teachers have produced better schools and more thor oughly trained pupiia. Hence, those colleges and universities that, for want aa they claim, of better secondary schools, have heretofore been them work, may now ceaAe to compete with grammar schools and high schools for pupila By establishinH and enforcing fair standards of scholarshfp for au. address themselves to collegiate work proper. and at the same time force tho lower schools to do more thoroughly loges hold the key to the situation. Al firm stand on the requirement. Of due preparation on the part Of a candidate Before his admission to college will re- who is compelled 10 end hin educatiop with the high school courae as well as to the boy fortunate enough to at- tend college. For each of them will thus receive more thorough. and con- s6Quently, far more useful tfaiufnx.
 The present system of e0Tupetition between colleges and secondary schools tends to degrade the former and to kill fhe latter. Colleges have diplomas and degrees to confer. These serve as an- ducements to the ambitious youth, drawing him away from the preparA- tory school and into college. A youth Of fourteen or fifteen years of age ap~ plies for admission to e college whose Standards of admission and o1 gradua- ton are low, or practically nothing. The secondary school may say with all truth that this boy ts not ready by three or four years for even the fresh man class of any reasonably high grade college Nevertheless. the applicant ts admitted to college Ion conditions" as they say, and. after three or fours years, receives a diploma equal. ap- parenfly. to that received by student who may have spent several years ia a high school before entering college. The student without preparation seems to have saved three or four yaars of labor and expense In securing the same degree that his fellow class mate from the high school recefweH. Uee~ less. indeed. for the secondary school