The daily sentinel., 1909-07-07
A STARTLING ARRA|GNMENT
OF COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL
High Schools Arrange Studies for
Benefit of Few Pupils college
Has Lan1entably Failed
Try Associated Press l

Denver. July I.- Inc American
College OF Liberal Arts has lament
ably failed as a popular institution
of higher education in that it trains
less than one per cent of our young
men and women, but one-tenth of one
per cent OF the population. II has
permitted various institutions. not
ably correspondence schools, private
business schools, industrial and agri-
cultural schools to usurp its func-
tions. because of illiberality." So de-
clared Prof. Samuel Wendell Willis
ton, of the University of Chicago, at a
meeting of The Department of Higher
Education. held in connection with
the convention of the National Edu-
cation association. 1t has lost dis
cipline, both mental and moral. con
tinued the speaker. ''till the charge is
freely made, and in great measure
truthfully, that very large proper
tion of its students are seeking mere
ly the diploma rather than an educa-
tion which will fit them for higher
pursuits in life; who work, upon an
average, but three or four hours
daily and who acquire habits neither
of industry nor application; that
there has been decided lowering of
moral standard among college stu
dents; that, upon the whole the bach
elor degree is losing its significance
as an indication of fitness for most of
the pursuits of life.
"Undeniably the college has lost
discipline by the general adoption of
the system of electives, which leaves
so much to the caprice and unintelli-
gent choice of the inexperienced stu
dent. There has been, also, de-
moralization both of discipline and
requirements as result of the riy-
blry among institutions. especially
the state institutions for numbers: in
stttutions are still for the most part
gauged by their size, rather than by
their product. Furthermore the
elective system has lowered the dis
cipline by the rivalry among the diff
ferent teachers in the same institu-
tions for large classics. with the de
velopment of soft courses -conces-
sions to the all too obvious inclina-
tions of most students to seek the
easiest way to their diploma with
little regard for the value of the work
accom- plished.
Perhaps the gravest charge which
may with justice be laid against the
college is that II has hindered or re-
tarded the best development of the
high school; or has perverted Il from
the highest uses to the people. Most
high schools still arrange their course
of study chiefly for the needs of the
three or four per cent of its pupils
who are preparing for college. to the
detriment. or at least discourage
ment, of the ninety-siX per cent who
have neither the desire nor the op-
portunity to continue their education.
The fact that only twelve per cent of
those who enter the high school ever
graduate is also largely due to the
influence of the college" The speak
er said he believed that the only hope
for the regeneration. not only of the
high school, but the college also.
lies in this complete severance of
this control; that the leayening of the
whole system of higher education
must begin from below. instead of
from above, as has been the case
hitherto: that the high school should
seek the highest and widest field for
development without regard to the
college, whose field OF usefulness is
still far too narrow to permit II to
denominate the whole province of
education. He also believed that the
discipline of the high school has
i"i S'is suiieitu ny lls HpiHS the
methods of the college, and that this
discipline must be regained at all
cost, first by return to the most
essential disciplinary and useful stu
dies which should be made compul-
sorry for all; and by the abondon-
ment of many of the educational ex-
periments Introduced either at the
behest or in imitation of the college.
and especially by the elevation of the
standard of the high school teacher
and the employment of a larger pre-
portion of men as teachers, teachers
who are trained as teachers and not
as research men.