Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-21

lew years are thoroughly awe TO tHe
principle that the public school system
is indeed an instrument of government
and that It is within their power to de-
termine the character of American So
ciety within their lifetime by con-
trolling the public school system. We
are rapidly coming face to face with
the question, rs America to be what
| the fathers intended it to be, or is it to
become the home of stratified society
| from one stage to the next of which 1t
| shall be very difficult for any child to
pass ?"
College Control of Society.
| Our present educational scheme is
| based upon the college, that is to say,
| 1t is determined priori what a COL
| lege education ought to be. Then our
high schools are for the most part SO
organized as to prepare for the college
standard, or, in other words, TO pre-
pare for admission to college. In their
turn, the grammar schools must pre-
| pare for admission to high school and
| ultimately for the same predetermined
college standard. The fact that
very small percentage of children ever
go to college does not in practice very
seriously enter into the question. The
whole drift of teaching and the whole
organization of the course of study in
the grammar school and in the high
school is determined with ultimate ref
| erenee to the preparation for college
of the few who do go to college.
Therefore, as it seems to me, / am
well within the truth when / state
that the power which controls the col
he
type of American society in the next
generation. AS people we have
ceased to be patient with the absolute
control of our avenues of communica-
ton and transportation by private in
dividuals who are not responsible to
the people. Can we as people safe
ly permit the destinies of our children
and the future of the nation to be
committed to the determination of
private boards and other governing
bodies in no sense responsible to the
people of the several states? 1t seems
to me that there can be but one an
swer. l want to point out to you, as
probably do not need to point out, and
through you to the people of your
communities, that under existing con-
ditions such an irresponsible centTol
of our public educational system does
in fact exist.
The whole history of institutions
which have developed in accordance
with Anglo-Saxon ideas OF government
and of freedom can be summarized by
saying that it has been one long strug
gle for liberty under the law. AS a
people, We have never desired license.
We have learned that that is not lib
erty. We have learned that there is
no liberty except the liberty that is
under the law. But we do insist that
our law makers and officers and all, in
a word, who exercise functions which
are essentially governmental in char
acter shall be held strictly accountable
to the people.
l have pointed out that the power
which controls the college under ex-
listing conditions can control the eff
feet of our educational system
The College Board.
So long as our several New England
colleges were all independent institu-
tons, so long as our public school au-
thorities could deal with each institu-
ton on the merits of each case as it
might arise. the relations, although IL
logical, were natural enough and
wholesome enough and under those
conditions several generations of
strong men grew up. passed
through our public high schools and
eventually through our colleges and
became strong forces in their several
spheres in the community. But you can
no longer do that thing. Sixteen of
the most important colleges in New
England are banded together in a
community of interest known as the
New England College Entrance Certifi-
cation Board. You may have dealings
with one of these institutions in your
own state, but the issue must ultimate
ly be decided in all essential matters
by body of 16 men, only few of
whom come from your state and none
of them holding any relation of legal
responsibility to the people of your
state.
The board decides for itself what
constitutes preparation for college,
what constitutes satisfactory curric-
ulum, staff of teachers and equipment
for a high school. Your high school
may, by making application and by
satisfying the requirements, be recog-
nized by the board. Its continuance in
this recognition will depend upon the
career of its pupils, mainly in the
first half year of their college work. If
student or students make an unsat-
isfactory record at one or more of
the colleges represented upon the board,
then you may be notified that your
graduates are excluded from admission
on certification to any college upon the
board. You may send 100 students to
colleges represented on this board In
one of the colleges, one or more stud
ents may fail to secure satisfactory
marks in the first half year of their
college residence, and you are liable
to be notified, and probably will be
notified, that your high school is re-
fused further recognition and that you
may not send pupils to any of the col
leges represented upon the Board ex-
cept by examination,-and a college
entrance examination is dark and
bloody mystery which no mortal has
yet explained.
Where Is the Blame?
Now, how about these students who
fail in this first half year of college
work? Is it necessarily the fault of
l. III IL IL. f.sf t.