The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-03
URGES CHANGES IN.
ORGANIZATION
OF SYSTEM
President McVey Suggests
New Means of Carrying
on Educational Work
u REDUCE THE
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS
Two Years Less There and
More Time in High School
and Colleges

In the second paper on the SYM
postum. The Scientific Organization
of Education in North Dakota, Presi-
den McEey Of the North Dakota uni
versity addressed the North Dakota
Educational association at Fargo this
afternoon. He discussed the problem
from three points of view. First, the
tional system: second. the relation Of
colleges to the general plan of or
ganization, and third, the supervision
and direction by the state.
Under the first head the speaker
dealt with the time element in the
public school courses and the division
Of time into the groups of primary.
school. arguing for the dropping of
W years in h grammar and pri-
mary periods and beginning the work
OF the high school at an earlier per-
iod in the pupils life. This would
make 1t possible for the strong high
schools to carry two years of col
lege work and meet the movement to-
ward the requirement Of two years of
academic work for admission to pro-
fessional schools. as well as establish
a time basis for vocational training in
the high school.
The second Of the speakers points
had to do with the problem of coordi-
nation Of state institutions in such a
a. Is to secure the best ARRANGEMENT
for economical as we'll as efficient in
struction in the field Of education. He
suggested the field Of normal school
instruction to be that of the six years
beginning with the ninth grade and
pointing distinctly toward a two year
normal school with a high school
training as the basis Of entrance. The
schools at Glendale, Wahpeton and
Bottineau might become Industrial
schools. forming a second group, or
the school at Wahpeton might turn
Its attention to the normal field of pre-
pairing elementary school teachers. The
agricultural college n the university
would the university field, with
its time and energy to the great practi-
cal and research problems Of agricul-
ture. This would leave to the univer.
sity instruction in the professions. lib
aral arts and engineering. In the opin-
ion Of the speaker, any conflict of fields
could be settled by cooperation, while
all are agreed that there must not be
in North Dakota a duplication Of the
difficulties developed in Kansas and
Iowa. The principle Of governing the
institutions should be based upon the
idea that schools doing the same work
and engaged in the same field should
be governed by one board, as in the In.
stance of the normal schools.
The last point was that Of coordi-
nation. in which direction the need OF
greater unity in the public school
system was pointed out. This result
could be secured through the enlarge
ment Of the department of public in
struction. the granting of greater pow
ers and the placing Of the superintend-
ency on a non-partisan and non-politi-
cal basis. In other directions, the
speaker urged longer tenure of office
for county superintendent. more coun-
ty field deputies. and the appointment
Of state inspectors for the purpose of
maintaining standards of work In the
schools of the state. Since any school
system is measured by its rural schools
the proper direction and c%oordina.
ton become vrey important. We shall
make progress in North Dakota Just
so far as We are sincere in our pur-
poses to solve the problems. Adher-
ence to prejudice. narrow institution
al pride. etc.. are not going to get us
very far in the solution Of what faces
US. Our problems in this state. while
important, are not menacing. The test
of an educational system is its ideals
and purpose, its freedom from bias
and prejudice. and readiness to adopt
what is sound and wise.