The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-05-04
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{: THE "Slx- AND SIX" PLAN q
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Emphatic approval of the six
and-six' plan of school organization
urged by the Inland Empire Teach
ers' association at their Spokane
meeting was expressed by DR.. p. +.
Claxton, United States commissioner
of education. Il know of no valid
reason for the present plan of eight
and four years of school, declared
Er ClaXton. There should be six
years of elementary school and six
years of high school, the high school
period being divided into two sec
tions of three years each.
There are many reasons for the
change. Children II and 13 years
old are at the beginning of the
transition period between childhood
and youth-they should not be kept
doing elementary work. At present
the pupils in most school systems
mark time to a large extent through
the 7th and Sth grades. This is es-
peoiallyI true where the methods
of the elementary schools are car
ried through these and the children
are taught by women grade teachers
With a sixth-year elementary school
it would be easily possible to pro-
mote the teacrers with the children
from grade to grade, thus gaining the
large value that comes from teach
ers and children remaining together
until the teacher knows the needs
of the children, their strength, ami
their weakness, and can build IN
telligently on all the work OF pre-
vious years.
Furthermore, to begin the high
school with the seventh grade VIII
make much easier the departmental
work, which should begin at least
this low down. 1t will also make
it much easier TO begin work IN
such high school subjects as for
eiqn languages, constructive geom-
etry, and real literature, at TINS
point where they should be begun
The study of languages, especially
of modern languages, should be be-
gun in a practical way before chill
dren have passed the time when they
can learn in this way. This plan Will
also make it possible to introduce
manual training, domestic science
and various forms of vocational work
two wears earlier than they are now
begun.
"Our secondary school work is
now at a great disadvantage as com
nared with the work done IN the
Gynasien and Realschulen in Ger
many. the Lycees of France, and the
so-called public schools OF England
By giving six years to the hlgh
school, boys ard girls who 80 to
college may easily have, on admls-
sion to college, much larger
amount of mathematics, languages
and other subjects than they nov
have, | feel quite sure that by an
arrangement of this kind and a little
more care in the preparation and
selection of teachers you may gam
for most children two years in the
twelve.
"The division Of the high schoo
into two sections of three years
each will make easier a second dh'
gerentiation of work at the end o
the first three high school years
AT present only about one-tourtl
Of the children enter the high scnooi
The compulsory school age in mos
states corresponds quite closely VIII
the elementary school period. Par
cnts and children are thereby con
frmed in the idea that the ele
mentary education is all that i
needed. Besides, the break betweel
the elementary school and the hlgI
school at this time suggests Leaving
school and makes it easier. II tn
break came at II or 13 the grea
majority of children would be II
the high school, doing the higl
school worl, under high school con
ditions, and probably a much large
proportion of them would continu
in school under present conditions
The Inland Empire Teachers as
sociation, which adopted the resolu
ton favorlng the new plan, enroll
about 1000 teachers from the state
Of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, an'
Montana The resolution passed un
anmously.