The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-12-04

and does not live entirely in the pres
ent. He is impelled to exert all MS
powers to meet successfully the larger
opportunities, which is present when
he has an uncontrolled desire to be
like the "grown-up" to bring things to
pass, TO go forth relentlessly to hunt
the dragon and when he has found him
to STAY him on the spot.
In the second semester OF the 9Th
grade the work is aimed at making the
pupil appreciate the value Of an educa-
ton. Here foreign languages are given
with the regular classes OF the high
school, and | do not hesitate in the
belief that the children finish the
eighth grade a year ahead in develop
ment, possession Of knowledge, and
the power to acquire it, Of the eighth
year pupil under the old plan. Some
where below the university and below
the high school We must learn the in
dividual to recognize the fact that the
world owes him just what he is worth
to the world and he owes himself just
what he is worth to himself. Much
Of the lack of interest in, and the dis
satisfaction with, his school and most
of the bluff and buster of the average
eighth grade boy are due to his in
vironments which is not in harmony
with his nature. The average eighth
grade girl is equally, though perhaps
differently, affected.
The departmental school offers op-
portunity to secure men teachers for
its pupils. However this does not eX-
clude teachers, and while
teaching is not a sex problem it will
be conceded that so long as men and
women differ widely in their eXper-
fence the adolescent mind should come
in contact with both the masculine
and feminine viewpoint. This is nee
essary to insure the mental balance of
the individual pupil.
The American high school has
grown within the last decade to be-
come the greatest educational insti-
tuition in the world, largely because it
has had to concern itself with the in
terest of the pupils not going to col
lege. The departmental grammar
school in the next decade will be do
ing for the boy and girl not going to
high school what the high school Is
doing for the boy and girl not going
to college.
The present demand for the en-
largement Of the function of the public
schools, through the introduction of
industrial education, in my way of
thinking is but a step in the evolution
of this popular institution. Judging
from the results of the experiment in
departmental teaching in the Brook
ings schools l am convinced that the
schools have been greatly Enhanced
by dividing the elementary schools at
the end of the sixth grade instead of
the eighth. This does away with the
idea Of lone curriculum for ALL" and I
feel that we have accomplished much
in the departmental school, which is
the seventh and eighth grade, organ
lied into a separate or intermediate
school in which pupils become accus-
timed to departmental work and hence
prepares him for high school methods,
and as a result more than sc per CEN
of the pupils who completed the work
in the department last year are in
the high school this year and all are
doing more than passing work.
So all things considered, l have a
conviction that our present day school
problem can best be solved by divid-
ing the school into three divisions:
The first six years to be given up to
the uniform study of the things all
citizens must know, because these six
years, in many cases, will have; the
or junior high school
with its departmental teachers where
the pupils find subjects full Of interest
and where they study all kinds of in
and vocations whereby the
boys and girls can get close to the life
about them through the knowledge of
processes of distribution and con-
sumption, as we'll as those of produc.
ton, last, the taking over our indus
education in all it's forms into the
existing system of high schools, see
ing to 1t that one-fourth the time of
every pupil is devoted to something
vocational, something Industrial, If
you please, and no industry is too
common to use for this purpose. It is
the common things of life that Ia fun.
and 1t is through them that
teach life itself.
Trade schools, would you have
them! By all means, but + would
have them - a part Of the secondary
school system. Agricultural schools?
Yes, but - departments Of the htsh
Cooking schools? Yes, and
more; I would have schools OF house.
hold affairs. but I would have than -.