The Penn's Grove record., 1910-07-15
The GREAT SCHOOL PROBLEM
A Woman Heads the National Edu-
cationaI Association

n IN III NlGtttpIieht EtSefN
is the greatest the country has TO dea
with. Never has SO much progress beer
made on thai line as has been made III
the past ten years. There is SO much
we should know and so many lines to
be specialized that it is difficult to
decide between those who insist upon
having their special hobby taught
About fifteen years ago the temper
ance element became so strong That leg
isIatien was enacted requiring hygiene
and the evil effects of alcohol and tobac'
co be taught. Now all children from
the time they are nine until they are
thirteen are compelled to have a book
on this subject to study.
Laterca Games along the Grange influence
aud insisted on having agriculture
taught and this has displaced etymol-
ogy, the history OF words.
The advocates of manual training,
and domestic science, insist on their
specialties.
The State Beard Of Education, who
are college graduates, and are looking
to higher education prescribe regula-
tions and courses which lead more to
literary training and preparation for
COLLEGE.
With such a mass of knowledge pre-
..:IoI loo,.Jco f ad,,oafiOn narnutc and
teachers become beW iIdered, not know
ing what to teach. while the pupils are
SO oyeIburdened in some cases that little
attention is hoM given to reading, writ
ing and spelling.
The National Association OF Edu-
Gators held THEN 48lh convention in
Boston last week. After discussing
various topics, Mis-. Ella Flagg Young
was elected president. She is the first
woman ever elected 10 this position.
Mis-. Young is superintendent OF Chi
cago's schools and the practical Work
she has done in the line Of practical
work bas won her national prominence.
What Mrs. Young is dong / Chicago
is regardless OF any %articular method,
TO compel every boy and girl 10 know
how to read, write and spell efficiently
and to he thoroughly grounded n the
cardinal principals i'll arithmetic.
Mrs. Young's diclum is to write any
way you please, SO long as you write
LIGHTLY and FAST
she believes in school books, she be
lieves in repetition, she believes i'll deli
| ~niteness. She does not think That the
burden OF the work should tall on the
teachers TO the extent that they must
| carry home seyeralhundred papers to be
| examined. She believes that the three
RS can be learned efficiently by every
normal Child, and this has made the
| teachers love her, has made them sup
| port her for her present position,
Mrs. Young is doing PRACTICAL admin
istratiye work in making the high school
course moLe practical than has been
prescribed by high educators who have
only in view a preparation for college.
She has made Recommendation for
two year high school courses so that a
pupil who expects 10 be in school only
Two years can get thorough training on
| some one principal subject of study,
together with the allied subjects which
are necessary. For example, a thor
ough ~tWo-yea,s' course viii be given in
stenography and typewriting, with such
WORK in business arithmetic, English,
ETC., as is necessary.
TIE very wise plan has betn adopted
of arranging these courses so that pupils
who, at the end OF the first two years,
lind Iliat they IA continue for The long
f~our-years' course, will lave an oppor.
tunity to do so without loss of time.
There is a certain Encouragement to
young people to undertake a high school
OF college course which they have little
hope of completing. A certain stigma
attaches to the failure to ''go on" or
''get through" Diplomas or credits
for Short Courses are strong and worthy
inducements for boys and girls to remain
i'll school as long as they afford TO
stay. Ii short courses are arranged so
That two Years., or o~ne-year'S work
! stands as a definite achievement, high
schools and colleges will reach the PEG
pie much more widely and directly than
they 10Y 90.
The Chicago plan of arranging three
short courses SO the time counts equally
for the long course will increase the
number of graduates for the fouryeaTs'
course, for many will undertake the
short course who would not otherwise
enter the high school at all and will be
stimulated by their interest OF ambition
to go on.
Many modern school reforms are ex-
pensive and difficult to bring about
but the short course plan can be adapted
to any high school, IL is not necessary
to make the courses technical or special
lied. The principle and advantages are
equally applicable to the general high
school and can be worked out wherever
there is one.
Work a. Hours A Day
| Tho br1otac4 J{4lo fbin0c oror wade mr. H.