The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-08

The curriculum of the Fargo high
school offers the young men and wom-
en- of the city and state chance to
prepare for further study in the uni-
versities or colleges of the country or
prepares them for entrance into the
world Of industry or business
In yesterdays issue of The Forum
detailed mention was made of several
of the subjects taken up during the
four years. Those subjects together
with the following are the principal
ones which have made the Fargo
high school noted throughout the
northwest.
History In the High School.
The history work in the high school
is divided into three full years, and
includes ancient, modern, and Ameri-
can history. In modern and Ameri-
can history the essentials of English
history are reviewed,
In ancient history the instructor
gives each pupil a printed outline of
text containing the essential in
cidents and results which are to be
studied In connection with the para
graph assigned in the text. This out
line also contains references to books
in the history library. The, reason for
the use of a printed outline Of the
textbook is to give the pupil definite
points to study and recite on rather
than q conglomerate mass of infor-
nation unrelated. This outline method
is used to a greater or lesser extent in
all the history work.
Ancient History.
This subject is studied for thirty
eight weeks, with four recitations a
week. 1t Is the first year of historical
study and is a sophomore required
subject. Myers text is used. About
five weeks are devoted to the study Of
oriental history. the remaining thirty
three are divided equally between
Roman and Greek history.
The course in ancient history COM
prises. in addition to the study of the
text book, considerable supplementary
work from various works of reference,
special reports by individual students
on topics assigned, such as some strik-
ing incident in the life OF some i'm
portant man, a battle, ETC., also keep
ing a notebook in which are abstracts
of all reference readings, individual
class reports, lectures given to the
class, and an outline of the whole
ground of ancient history made daily
from the textbook Also map note
book Is kept, in which exercises are
given from time to time, for class
and home work.
Among the reference books used are:
Guerber's Myths of Greece and Rome /;
Stories from Herodatus; Greek His
tories by Bury, Abbott, Curteis; Lives
of Pericles, Alexander; Mahaffy' s
Greek Life; Roman Histories by
Merivale, Howe and Leigh, Schugh-
burgh, Mommsen; Abbot's Constitu-
tional History; Plutarch's Lives
Fowler's Caesar and the Epoch Series
of biographies. The total amount of
reference reading is about 500 pages
for the year.
An effort is made to emphasize the
continuity of history, and the close
relation OF one period to another.
Particular stress is put upon the he
roic and romantic parts of the story,
With this end in view, considerable
prominence is given to biography, es-
pecially OF the more striking and in
teresting historical characters. and to
familiarizing the pupil with the life
and customs of the times.
Medieval and Modern History.
This subject is pursued for thirty
eight weeks, five time a week. It is
the second year of historical study in
the high school, and is a junior study.
The text used is Vests Modern His
tory. In addition to the text, the
course comprises much supplementary
reading, notes on reading kept in a
note book, and an outline of the whole
period Of medieval and modern his
tory, occasional lectures to the class
by the instructor, special class reports
by Individual pupils, and frequent ex-
ercises in filling in outline maps.
Each pupil prepares one paper, DUR
ing the year, in addition to other ref
erence work, on some important SUBJ
/. iect assigned by the instructor. The
paper is of about $500 words in length
and it's preparation requires the con-
sultation of several books. The total
amount Of reference reading amounts
to about 500 pages.
The chief books used in supple
mentary reading are: Emerton's
Medieval Europe; Greene's English
People; Bryce's Holy Roman Empire;
Adams Civilization of the Middle
Ages; Thatcher and Schwilrs His
tories Robinsons Modern Europe;
Lodges Close of the Middle Ages:
Tout's Empire and Papacy; McCar-
thys Modern Europe: Seignobos'
Political History; Mathews French
Revolution; Epoch Series of important
periods.
American History.
The classes in American history
recite ave times a week for thirty
eight weeks. Channing's American
History is the text used. The first
semester's work extends to Washing
toms administration. This includes a
brief study of the aborigines. Con-
siderable emphasis is put upon the
epoch of discoveries and the colonial
period For additional information in
tracing the rise of colonial institu-
tions, Montgomery's English History
Is employed. The school supplies each
pupil with copy of Thwaite's. Colo
nies, to supplement this period. and