The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-07-18

y small number entering 90 the lack of
preparation for ordinary occupation and
the common duties of citizenship, and
| (4) the meagerness of the information of
graduates Of the facts common to daily
| life
He stated that in the Y high schools
of the State with two teachers, two type
courses are found. One is a restricted
program meeting specified requirements
of the colleges, the other is made up of
three parts selected from the first course
and the fourth part made up of so called
''practical' or 'commercial'' studies.
| Both are stereotyped, due in main to in
breeding of teachers and school author
tiles. The first meets the definite need
of 10 per cent of the students, the other
is vaguely educational for the remainder.
In most cases they are suffered to repre-
sent two standards of mental ability.
He held that it is desirable for small
school to give but one course, because it
would meet the needs of all but small
number of students and the teaching
force is insufficient to do more than this
effectively, also it would eliminate any
double standards in the school admins
tration and would permit breaking away
| llOIll lllS otClCOlyPSo SOQlSSS dlu IlIctil-
DDS.
He believed that it is practicable, since
it meets the requirements for approval
of standard schools, simplifes the admin
istration in the matter of teaching periods
and subjects taught and serves the real
interests Of at least rs per cent of its con-
stituency and those preparing for college
and may easily find schools where such
preparation may be made. Such course
would offer the best possible preparation
for normal school, the business college or
other schools where full rounded prep
aration for citizenship is of prime i'm
portance.
NEW HIGH SCHOOL PLAN.
At the meeting of the principals July
10th H. H. Stuart of Augusta described
| the upper and lower high school plan. In
brief he said:
The school system of the future must
provide for the following classes of
pupils: Those who intend to go to COL
lege; those who will complete their
formal education with the High school
course; those who will not complete their
high school course, but wish to get a
start in their vocation in school, lastly,
that class who leave school at the end of
Ine compulsory ScnOOl perlOQ.
'"The best plan seems to be the six
year elementary school course. The lat
ter should be organized into an upper
and lower high school. The lower high
school includes the two upper elementary
grades. Foreign languages, simple pro-
cesses of algebra and geometry, and
elementary science should be introduced
Courses in agriculture, manual training,
domestic science, industrial training,
commercial work must find a place in
the curriculum of what is now the eighth
and ninth grades. Administration will
be along High school methods. Depart
mentalizing will be very desirable. Dis
cipline will be suited to the age of the
pupils. Promotions should be by subject
THE only disadvantage will be in
creased expense. But change will not
be abrupt so expense will be distributed
over number of years."
COMPULSORY EDUCATION AND SUPER
VISION PROBLEMS.
Mrs. Frances C. Jewett of Cherryfield,
speaking, July 18th, of those engaged in
work in the smaller places, said that the
portion of the school law embraced by
the Compulsory Education act is the back
bone of the moral ethical training of our
school system and that it should not be
too much in evidence, although it is abso-
lutely essential to'the uprightness of the
structure. cit is of supreme Importance
in the early steps of development, said
Mrs. Jewett, ''that children gain a re-
spect, even love, for law and order;
this we can teach in our schools and by
SO doing avert much legislation and the
unlearning in reform schools and jalls of
pernicious lessons, for if our discipline is
not stanchly positive it is waveringly
negative. No school, system however
attractive, which permits slovenly disci-
pline as regards habitual hardness, tru-
ancy and careless use of school property
has valid claim to federation.
The problems of supervision in small
town were referred to by Superintend-
ents Ross Of Dexter, Woodbury. of Bel
fast and Burrill of Island Falls. Mr..
Ross said that the greatest difficulties he
Apathy and Inertia. They begin early
with the motion, "that we raise the
same amount for schools as last year,
an amount so small that it precludes hir-
ing other than local teachers. Many of
those teachers prefer to all others the
methods by which they were taught and
with which they are the most familiar.
Few parents ever visit the schools or show
any interest in them. These difficulties
are combatted by presenting in the
school report detailed statement of the
necessary expenses for the coming year.
He stated that he tries to help the teach
er by frequent consultation, and by re-
quiiing her to take some school paper
and to do certain definite amount OF
professional reading. He has interested
the parents by means of Boys and
Girls Agricultural Club and by an ex-
hibit of school work at the end of the
year.
WEAR mn111: RuBBERs