El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-06
Erection of New Building
VIII Permit Of Many New
Features in School.
SELF GOVERNMENT
PLAN 4 SUCCESS
Pupils Aid the Authorities
of the School in Main
tanning Discipline.
BY A. II. HUGHEK.
principal Ell PasO High sehOOl.D

- nave nut Tor several years,
- - published an annual report
which would set before the people OF
the city the work done and the prog
ress made by the school, am glad
Of an opportunity to put, in brief form.
a statement Of the work OF the FL Paso
high school, during the calendar year
which has just closed, and a prospectus
Of the work to be done during the
year just begun.
An Improvement has been the adop-
ton of a progressive and broader
spirit in the operation Of tile school
with the intention Of making the Ell
PasO high school one Of the most ef-
ficient, most up to date, and most
wide awake schools, not merely in
Texas, but in the United States. We
have made the beginning toward hav-
ing the high school building a social
and community center by encouraging
its use by the students Of the school,
in their activities and interests out
side of school work, and by placing the
building at the disposal Of various
public organizations in the city for
their meetings, such as the D. A. R. and
the Woman's club.
As further evidence Of the adoption
Of this progressive policy We haEa-
tried TO keep frankly in touch Wlth
the public through the newspapers and
other means so that there W9uld be
better mutual understanding AID
greater cooperation Of the school and
patrons.
Creates Better spfrff Among Patrons.
A second result Of this forward
looking" policy has been the creation
of a better spirit among the students
of the school and in the faculty. Both
OF these parts Of the school have
ready to undertake some immense
tasks. such as the presentation of a
Historical Pageant Of the Southwest
at last Mays commencement The
whole student body Of about 400 took
part in this, which cost $1,000 to pre-
sent.
The most noteworthy accomplish
ment of the past term has been the
establishment Of student self govern
ment, which has worked entirely
satisfactorily and has forever dis
posed Of practically all Of the old
troubles had with high school disCi-
pline, because the students, through
their own council and executive Off
ces, control the order in the halls and
on the grounds. They are cOnscien-
tiOus and are living I'D to their re-
spOnsibility- Such an innovation has
worked uccessfully only in the older.
larger and better supported high
schools in the north and east
Form Cadet Corps
Furthermore, the school, especially
the boys of the school, have under
taken the formation Of the cadet corps
have interested the board OF trustees.
have engaged the regular services OF
an army lieutenant and begun drilling;
have complied with the war depart
ment's regulations and have had a
bond made for the issuance of arms to
the high school, so that they may be
recognized as one Of the regular mill
tary schools Of the United States on the
war departments list.
AS further evidence OF the carrying
out the progressive policy, the school
has organized its curriculum more like
a college thereby allowing a student
to have greater freedom and choice in
the selection of his school work, with
the expectation that the school would
thus be better adapted to the needs OF
all classes of students. Thus a student
who will not go to college is not forced
but may make a selection Of subjects
more along useful or practical lines.
This has made more intricate the in
ternal organization of the school. has
tended toward making the school more
than college preparatory and toward
adapting the school work more to the
needs Of all students Moreover. this
has been done without impairing the
college preparatory work or the stand
with universities all over the country.
which now recognize the work OF the
Ell PaSO high school as sufficient for
utilization and accrediting privileges.
OvererOwdinE Is a Problem.
At the beginning OF the past year
the number in daily attendance
reached such a point as 70 really in
terfere with the daily operation of the
school, on account of overcrOwding.
The number belonging last spring APP
400 BY a different Organiza-
ton of the work and by encoura giug
the students not to be inside the school
building except for Rotations. the
work Of the school for the fall term,
has been carried on with about AS
students actually belonging every DAY.
Such is the effort which the school has
made to adapt the accommodations to
a number of student larger than the
accommodations had been planned for.
In the separate subjects Of the school
particular growth must be
referred to in the Spanish, science and
commercial departments, the work in
those subjects having more than dOu-
5led.
Another small accomplishment has
been the splendid results from MONTH
teachers meetings, in which create
interest and better results have bee
during the past year.
Perhaps, another Accomplished
hat, in part. can be said to belong
he high school, is the starting of
crest i'm and the work toward the
high school building, which is now
process OF construction.
We have also instituted the first
Continued on page 4, Col. L