The Washington times., 1914-01-20
THE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.


C. schools could well afford the time
nd interest that would be required
or a reading of Emory NJ Wilson 5
Interview in The Times of Yesterday.
Ir. Wilson is principal of the Cen
al High School. and he stated in
most effective fashion the case in ia
or of building a great school of the
cosmopolitan or combination type.
The final decision as to whether
there shall be one great institution
Of the kind, or smaller ones in vari-
Dus sections of the city, will rest
With Congress. But it is reasonable
10 assume that Congress will be in
some wise guided by the wishes of
Washington people.
Mr.. Wilson has very ably stated
the academic, the educational rea-
sons why the combination school,
With academic, manual, technical,
and business courses all in one great
establishment, is preferable. In eff
fect, he finds that young men and
~ omen are not able, when they reach
Jgh school age, to decide i'll what
direction they want to specialize. If,
at the threshold of a high school
course, each pupil must decide what
special course he desires, and enter
school to equip him in it, he is
cry likely to make mistake, and
art at the wrong thing. In COM
bination school, because the pupil
can see and understand and realize
the alternatives, the mistake is easily
enough corrected. But the pupil who
gets into the wrong type Of school
may never realize the possibility Of
correcting his mistake, if he is not
trought into contact with the other
kinds of high school work and kept
in mind of the possibility of read
lily changing his course.
The value of this argument will
hardly be doubted. 1t would apply
IN any city; and experience with the
combination type of high school
seems to have borne it out.
But there is another reason that,
as The Times Jews the matter.
should argue quite as strongly for
the combination type of school in
this city especially 1t is particu-
IsrIy a Washington argument.
Washington is sui generis among
large cities. 1t possesses peculiarly
limited facilities for getting its peo-
Vlle acquainted with themselves. In
q city of equal population and sim
liar elements, but organized and gov
rrned as most cities are, the need for
making the schools a social instru-
Clent would not be so great as here.
IF, for instance, there were twenty
city wards in this town, and half as
many assembly districts, and two or
three Congressional districts; if the
narsphernalia and organizations OF
7olitics, the activities of campaigns
he doings of politicians and public
Ists, were all at work constantly in
suirring up the town, getting it &C
oUainted with itself, providing a
gnelting-pot Of the various elements
md giving a common denominator
0f civic interest and sentiment to
the whole community-in that case
the people could be trusted to get
acquainted among themselves.
But this isn't that kind of a town
These wide-ranging interests in pub
liC affairs, that stir other towns and
make sure that the people will gel
acquainted with each other, have
, cry little of corresponding effect
lere. Rather, this city has neither
he political nor the business condi'
lions that make for acquaintance anc
.ommunity understanding and real
breadth of the civic vision
A great central high school. with
some day 5000 pupils in it, will be
The most efficient instrument for get.
ting all kinds and classes and sec
lions of Washingtonians 10 know
Zach other. The young men anC
women in the high schools today will
.argely be the professional and bust
ness community of a generation
renee.
Suppose we have a string Of loca
1igh schools. in the various section,
Ok Town. The result cannot but b,
81 civic provincialism that will in fu
tuIe be unfortunate. The yOuns
people of the northwest will come t
NOW each other; but they will hav,
70 chance to know those of the 9th
er sections. Likewise, those of Eas
Washington, If they be so unfortunat'
as to get the neighborhood higl
Echool that provinciaIism would Civ,
10 them, would come to know them
selves thoroughly, but would not b.
acquainted with the young people O
the west, the northwest, and tn
other sections.
Turn them all out in the world to