The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-25
HCH sCHooI COURSES.

11lCu SOaNOA OOOIhSE1ko.
1t is to be hoped that in the investi-
cations which have been made by the
members of the schools and education
committee of the Commercial club,
preparatory TO the meeting of that
committee tonight, when six of the Of
ficials of the present school regime will
help the other members of the COM
mittee to formulate a report on the
school conditions. particular attention
has been paid to the courses OF study
as they are now arranged in the high
school.
If the investigations have taken that
line, it has been ascertafned that the
elective system prevails in that insti-
tuition to an unusual degree. In fact,
there are few colleges in the country
where the students have such a wide
choice in the studies they will take
from the day of their entrance as have
the pupils n the high school here.
Under the present high school system
it is possible for pupil as soon as he
enters the school to shape his own
course of study in almost all of its de-
tails by selecting such studies as APP
peal to his fancy. That would not be
so bad principle to start in with IL
the rules of the school compelled the
pupil to follow pretty generally the
course OF study he maps out at the
beginning. But such is not the case.
If a pupil gets tired of one particular
study he has chosen, or perchance does
not like the teacher who presides over
another study, he can drop that study
at the end of term or the end of
year and take up with another one.
Each year, and in some instances. each
term, pupil can change entirely his
course of study, if there is no par
entail objection and. unfortunately,
there is not much of this thing, to suit
his own whims and fancies.
The result of such a hit and miss
system of education is easily seen.
Changes are hankered after by men
and women as we'll and school boys
and girls. 1t is a human falling to
discard the old and take I'D the new
whenever the opportunity presents
itself. 1t is also quite easy for young
person to skim through study or a
portion of il with the knowledge that
he will be able to drop it at the end
of a term or school year and take up
something else. That's Just what a
large portion of the high school pupils
do. And when they have come out of
school they have had a certain amount
Of training in a great variety of sub
jects But they have only picked up a
smattering knowledge of any of them.
In jumping from one subject to an
other, though, as caprice has dictated,
they have not had the advantages Of
mental training that is thorough or
that will be serviceable to them in
their careers that follow the school
days. Such a mental training can only
pills follow stated courses of study from
the time they enter school until they
leave it. There should be three or
four of such courses for the pupils to
choose from. but once the choice is
made in the freshman year the pupil
should be compelled to follow it until
the end. unless there are most excel
lent reasons presented why a change
| Of courses would be advisable. At
least, such a system should prevail for
the first couple of years in the high
school and there should be little in the
way of elective courses until the last
| two years of high school course, and
| then such election should be limited to
a minimum. Such system would
make much less work for the teachers,
| also, and the work they would have to
manner with much more satisfaction
| to themselves and much more benefit
to their charges.