The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-05-05
Educator TO REPORT ON.
Local SCHOOL PROBLEMS
Rotary Club Votes to Procure Services
of An Expert to Look Into Ad-
visibility of Adopting Six-Year
High School Plan in This City

The members of the Harrisburg Ro-
tary Club at their regular business
meeting last night at the Hershey
creamery, 400 South Cameron street,
voted to engage the services of COM
petent. educator, whose name has not
as yet been snnounced, to report at the
next meeting of the organization, May
is, on the advisability of adopting in
this city, the six-year high school plan.
The action was taken at the recon-
mendation of the committee on educa-
tion, DR.. Samuel z. Shope, chairman.
sive idea of the plan which provides
work and six years of high school
former and four of the latter as at
present. The following passages of
the report show with what favor the
plan has met in other places.
81 am informed by the Department
of Public Instruction that several
cities in Pennsylvania have taken steps
to inaugurate the sixsix plan. Among
these may be mentioned Pittsburgh,
Johnstown, Altoona, Erie, Williams
port and several large boroughs. The
Johnstown Democrat, April 26,
1915, prints the following: The junior
high school plan, such as is contemplat-
ed for Johnstown, is being adopted by
most of the progressive cities of the
country. When asked the reasons in
favor of the grouping of the twelve
years of elementary and secondary
schooling into six years of elementary
and six years of high school, j. n.
Adee, superintendent of the Johnstown
schools, asserted that there were many
strong arguments in favor of the plan.
but no valid ones for holding to the
present plan of eight and four years.
"That the movement is having a
potent influence upon reorganization of
schools may be seen from surveys of
city school 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 survey of
the Portland, Ore, schools, in its re-
port, outlined courses of study for the
junior high school. -
The Rotary club is the first local
organization to consider the proposed
plan, and by bringing the matter be-
fore the public it hopes to evoke inter
est in the suggested improvement. A
plea for immediate action is embodied
in the closing paragraph of the commit
tees report:
knowing the deplorable conditions
in our Central High school with the
consequent disadvantages to both fac
ulty and students, l ask in the light of
this report, is there anything this
organization as a medium ought to do
to increase the efficiency of the public
school system of this eity7' From quo
tations cited in the report, there are
good reasons for believing that the
junior high school would do much to
relieve the overcrowded conditions in
the Central High School and greatly i'm
prove the teaching. Judging from ex.
perience in other cities, it is quite OBJ,
vious that the junior high school is the
solution OF the school situation in Har-
risburg. Your committee on education
has method of procedure, and with
your approval will make an effort to
find out how easily the six.year high
school could be adapted to the present
system and the probable advantages
accruing therefrom. With the slight
chances of relief from the present con-
ditions for at least many years to come,
makes immediate action for the well
fare of the boys and girls as well as of
our people Imperative
The Rotary Club S host of the even
ing was Z. \. Hershey, manager of the
Creamery company, VINO told briefly of
the growth of the firm IS ice cream
business and conducted the visitors
through all parts of the plant. During
the business session nominations for of
ficers were made as follows: For presi.
dent, Karl Stewart, DR.. Samuel z.
Shope and Arthur D. Bacon; vice presi-
dent, George w. Mumma; secretary,
Howard c. Fry, Theodore P. Carey, f.
F. Weaver and H. E. Lindley; treas
urer, W. Grant Rauch; sergeant.at-