Norwich bulletin., 1914-02-26
REMODEL HIGH SCHOOL
 TO FIT THE TIMES.
Suggested at National Education Asso- citation Meeting-Also More Study In School.

School Superintendent E. J. Graham has returned from attending the annu- al meeting of the National Education association, held at Richmond, Va, where the Norwich schools had on ex- hibition specimens of the excellent peninanship under the Palmer system. About 1000 delegates were present at the session on the opening day, Monday. It was expected the full at tendance would aggregate 2, 500. Every department of education was repre- scented. Among the delegates were coll iege presidents, state and city superin- tendents, supervisors medical inspect ors, teachers of elementary schools and others more or less indirectly interest ed in the broad subject of education
 Reconstruction.
 At branch meeting, that of the National Society for the Study of Ed ucation, Martin G. Brumbaugh super intendent of schools of Philadelphia, the president. said in his introductory remarks that there is great need to reconstruct the curriculum and in- struction in the high school to meet the needs of the times. The present high school is modelled very largely on the academy of a century ago that fitted only for college. This should be changed so as to fit for the real life that is to be lived by the boys and girls and more practical subjects and methods substituted.
 High School Study.
 David Snedden, commissioner of education for Massachusetts, said, in part, that the high school period should be for the ages from 12 to 16 years, and that mathematics should be taught as a tool for use in the other subjects, such as physics, chemistry and domestic science, rather than as a science. He further said that it would be better taught by the teach CTS of these subjects than by teach CTS of mathematics, and that much less should be taught than is given in the present high school curriculum. He said that he saw very little value in the study of algebra other than the simple equation. Dr. Snedden and other noted speakers were emphatic in their statements that algebra should not be required of every student, espe- cially the girls; that they show very little mental development that came from it and very little practical use.
 Longer Hours.
 Dr. c. H. Judd, director of depart ment of education, University of Chi cago discussed the topic of Super vised High School Study. He attack ed very emphatically the short high school day, which required most of the studying to be done at home. He thought the day should be eight hours lang and that definite instruction should be given on how to study; that the gaining of knowledge should be one of the minor aims but that the ability to systematize material and ar range 1t to meet his own needs was of great importance to the pupil Hab- it's of systematic work, and the ability to select the important facts from a mass of detail is of great importance
 The habit of study can be gained only through study supervised by the high school teacher, and only through it can the ability to study at home with profit be gained
 In connection with this matter 1t was said that the large share of high school pupils did not have quiet place in which to study at home: that many of them pursueud their home work with the other members of the family about them, when conversation was being carried on more or less They deplored the interrupted habits of study that caused and gave it as another reason why the high school day should be longer, with the study ing done at school