The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-05-06
the JUNIOR High SCHOOL.


Having in mind the establishment OF
the Junior High school as a part OF
our school system, the school board
instructed me to visit the Lewiston
schools where such High school has
been successfully established. In ac-
cordance with this idea spent two
very interesting days last week visit
ing the Lewiston High school, and
though / went there somewhat skepti-
cal OF the results such a plan can ac-
complish / came away fairly convinced
OF many points OF superiority over the
old plan.
The Junior High School movement is
a comparatively new movement in edu-
cation, and has for its purpose the.
adjustment of the school curriculum TO
meet more fully the demands of the
day. About a score Of cities in the
United States have adopted the plan,
the largest OF these being Los Angeles
and Grand Rapids, Mich. Besides Lew
iston, there are three others I'm Idaho
-Couer d'Alene. Bonners Ferry and
St Anthony. From all of these places
comes the report that both pupils and
parents are highly satisfied with the
innovation. In Lewiston found, as
far as / could inquire, pupils parents
| and teachers UNANIMOUS IN their praise
OF the Junior High school.
| The plan of the Junior High school
calls for the organization OF the
seventh, eigth and ninth grades into
one body somewhat similar to the
present High school organization. Thus
the division between elementary and
secondary education is made the end
OF the sixth grade, which is both the
natural and psychological point Of divi-
sion. In the curriculum. some subjects
and many topics are eliminated and
the attention Is conferred more upon
the essentials. Some freedom Is allow
ed in the selection of subjects which
permits the beginning of pre-vocation-
al work This liberty of selection var
les from one-fourth OF the work In
the first year (seventh grade) TO
three fourths or four fifths of the
work In the third year (ninth grade)
The amount of work which pupil may
carry depends upon his capability. The
scheme permits the completion of the
six years's work of the Junior AMI
Senior High school within five years.
Though the plan abolishes some OF
the old subject matter, 1t permits the
election of other subjecs of practical
nature, such as domestic science, agri-
culture manual training and German
In these grades. This permits empha-
sis upon a work of a more practical
nature In the case OF the German, II
has been found that pupils in the
seventh or eighth grades find 1t easier
to learn the language at this time
than during the last years Of the
: Senior High school.
: The argument for the Junior High
s..,h rot oau he euTnnnQd nm under the
following heads;
1. 1t is more elastic. Permits the
adjustment of the course to needs Of
the pupil more fully than the old way
q 1t saves time for the pupil The
failure in one subject does not NEAR
!, the repeating of the whole years work
since promotion Is by subject instead
I of grades
q. It is the natural and psychological
: division of pupils.
q A. 1t bridges the gulf between thu
High school and the grades.
s. Keeps pupils in school longer
since the eighth grade examination Il
! abolished and with 1t goes the ten
:. dency to quit school at such stoppint
! point Pupils once in the JUNO
2 High school desire to finish IT ant
: by the time they have done this, the!
! generally see the value In CONTINUING
. their work thru the Senior High school
= 6. More efficient teaching results
I. The departmental plan permits tn
! employment of special teachers 10
the different subjects.
: z. Greater interest aroused through
). larger numbers in one body.
a II the Junior High school should b
= :, installed, its success will require tn
- combined support of parents. teacher
and pupils. In order that we may kno'
the attitude OF all toward this, W
, freely invite criticism both favorabi
and unfavorable.
ID. f. r. RICE.