Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-05
ROTARY CLUB HAS
SCHOOL SURVEY PLAN
Continued from First Page. !

school men at the present time 1t is
doubtful IL there is any of greater i'm
portance than the one relating to the
readjustment of programs of studies
in elementary and secondary schools.
There is a growing conviction that too
much time is required to accomplish
the results actually obtained. The first
striking evidence of this conviction
was afforded by the remarkable report
| of the committee of ten. In 1898 this
committee reported to the National
Education Association in favor OF en-
riching the course of study in the
grades below the high school through
the introduction of subjects which had
hitherto been confined to the high
school Except for a few experiments
along the lines recommended by the
committee, very little was accomplish
| ed.
In 1899 the committee of thirteen.
recognizing that the enrichment plan
had failed and the reasons for it. re-
sociation in favor of a unified siX-year
high school beginning with the sew
enth grade. This recommendation,
most part not public school men, sue
ceeded only in few cities Kansas
City and Muskegon went so far as to
transfer the eighth grade into the high
| school giving thus a seven-year ele-
mentary and a fve-year high school.
change was a decided improvement over
former conditions; 1t should be noted
that no city, at that time. adopted the
| recommendations of the committee of
thirteen as a whole.
AT the 1906 meeting of the National
Education Association a. committee
was appointed to study the question.
This committee and its successors in
So7 and subsequent years; emphatic
| six plan that is, a siX-year elementary
course followed by six-year high
school school course curse, The work Of this com
mlttee, which was composed of prac-
tical school men, has had such a tre-
mendous influence upon the school sys-
TENS that as result nearly 100 cities
and boroughs throughout the United
States have adopted the six-six plan.
success Elsewhere
! The Association of Sencondary
Schools of the Upper ohC VALLEY last
the Upper Elementary Grades and
superintendence held recently in Il Gin ~
| ctnnati. a resolution approving the six
year high school was adopted with
School Mems Week. recently held at
| Philadelphia, under the auspices of the
University of Pennsylvania, one entire
problem of the junior high school and
to, the desirability Of it's application to
| school systems in Pennsylvania.
'I am Informed by the Department of
Public Instruction that several cities
in Pennsylvania have taken steps to
these may be mentioned Pittsburgh,
Johnstown, Altoona. Erie. Williams
port and several large boroughs. The
lJohnstown Democrat, April 26, 1915,
prints the following: The Junior high
school plan, such as is contemplated for
Johnstown. is being adopted by most
of the progressive cities Of the country,
When asked the reason in favor of the
grouping of the twelve years of ele-
mentary and secondary schooling into
six years of elementary and six years
high school. j. n Adee, superintendent
of the Johnstown schools, asserted that
there We're many strong arguments in
favor of the plan, but no valid ones
for holding to the present plan of eight
and four years.
potent influence upon reorganiZati ton of
schools may be seen from surveys of
city shool systems in various parts of
the country. DR.. Henry snyder super
intendent of schools. Jersey City. in his
report to the Board of Trade in this
, city, recommended the adoption of the
junior and senior high school as a
scheme of school administration that
is considered both practicable and eco
nomical. DR.. Leonard P. Ayres, in his
report OF the survey of the Springfield
Mass, schools advocated the adoption
| of the siX-year high school. The COM
mission appointed to make a survey of
the Portland Ore. schools, in its re-
port outlined courses of study for the
James H. Harris, superintendent of
schools. Dubuque, Iowa, summarizes
the arguments, in favor of the six and
| First, that it marks the point of
emergence into the adolescent period,
awakening purposes. and broadening
activities, and for this reason should
be paralleled by fresh subjects of in
struction. different methods of teach
) ing, a greater variety of activities. and
new type of school administration.
These things would be provided by the
| A- pfyo ion Of Nhn afe
ninth grades into distinct group.
Second, that the six and six plan
would admit of the introduction of a
foreign language and of elementary
science at an earlier age than at pres
, ent; at point when interest is keen,
the memory more retentive. and the
; "'Third. that it would make possible
! a differentiation between pupils who
would be likely, If not certain, to drop
; out of school at the compulsory age
limit and those who expected to con-
school and possibly beyond it, On the
basis of this differentiation. a. closer
4d and
J needs could be made than is now eff
fected under the one-course-for all
"'While there would be certain con-
stants required of all pupils, there
would be a sufficient number of options
TO respond TO the special needs of boys
and girs with varying purposes. There
would be much larger provision for
vocational and prevocational subjects.
:" Fourth, as result of the closer
adjustment of studies to needs, larger
number of pupils would be retained
throughout the upper grammar grades
and the early years of the high school
There is now very heavy loss at the
close of the sixth grade. 1t Is prob
able-and this ability has been
borne out by such experiments as have
been made in the junior high school
plan-that we should hold a consider
abe percentage of those we now lose
Fifth. that it involves the depart
mental system Of, teaching-speciall
gives to the work the variety and
richness that satisfy the broadening
interests and larger life of the adol-
escent
"'Sixth. that for the thorough hand
ling OF the great variety of material
that has now become incorporated in
our high school curriculum. four years
is insufficient. The work needs to be
spread over more time so as to insure
thorouEhness, and produce the desired
| educational effect.
Seventh. the weight of educational
authority is favorable to six and six
division, or at least to reorganization
OF the upper grammar grades; Among