The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-11-26
THE PUTNAM HIGH
/ SCHOOL BUILDING
Keeps the School from Be-
ing Placed on Accredit-
ed List.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.


Teachers College and Normal School
Jno. A. Thackston, Dean
State High School Inspector.
November goth, 1915.
Professor R. w. Van Brunt,
Palatka, Florida.
My dear Professor Van Brunt:-
Your Application for Accredited
Relations was submitted to the Flori-
da Commission and to the Southern
Commission. After they had examin-
ed it, and had thrashed the whole sit
uation over, they did not feel that they
would be quite justified in placing
your school on the Accredited List
while it is still occupying the old
building. The Commission does not
feel that you are sufficiently well
housed to give all your pupils the very
best kind of high school training. In
all other particulars the Commission
found your school up to the standard,
and | am sure it will be glad to give
you this distinction, which you are
worthy of, when you occupy your new
building.
What about the new building? Are
you to have it pretty soon? have
not heard from Palatka in quite a
while, and fear that l am a little be-
hind. I hope that the prospects for
your new building are bright, and
that you will be in it within the next
twelve months.
Cordially yours,
JNO. A. THACKSTON,
High School Inspector, State of Fla.
The above letter is self explana-
tory to some; for the enlightenment of
others a word of explanation is need
ed.
The high schools of the South
have in recent years been standard
lied and classified into two, three,
and four high schools. The Putnam
High School is striving to be accred
tied Four Year Senior High School,
which would bring her into relations
of equal rank with all other schools
of this standard, not only of our own
state, but of the entire South, max
ing it possible for the pupils of this
school to transfer to any other school
accredited school and take up the
same work persued here and, too,
without an examination. Besides, it
would mean that the graduates of
this school could enter any accredit-
ed college of the South and many of
the North without an examination. A
diploma from the Putnam High School
would mean a certificate of entrance
into almost any college that the boy
or girl might wish to enter.
AS might be inferred from DR..
Thackston's letter, The Putnam High
School made application for member
ship in this Southern Association of
Accredited High Schools, and just as
readily can it be seen this application
was denied.
The attention of the citizens of Pa
latka is hereby called to the fact thar
they are, in a way, being called to
task for neglect. The educational
progress of this state and of the en-
tire South is something to be mar
veled at. Almost every section, every
community has caught the infection
and new school buildings are seen 60
ing up on every hand as result. The
community that is not showing a like
progress is conspicuous. Unfavora-
BILE attention is directed toward such
community, and, as a consequence,
that community suffers.
In many respects Palatka exhibits
progress and the progressive spirit,
She has been commended the state
over for voting $215,000 for roads,
but it may be safely asserted that no
other community in the state would
have defeated a school bonding prop
osition and on the heels of it voted
more than twice the amount for
some other purpose, no matter how
| important.
Particular attention is called to
this statement of DR.. Thackston's let
ter: "In all other particulars the COM
mission found your school up to the
standard, and | am sure it will be glad
to give you this distinction, which
you are worthy Of, when you occupy
your new building" This means that
the school authorities have done all
they can in the matter of improving
the school with the present equip
ment. No further material progress
can be made nutil new building is
secured. People of Palatka, how long
are you going to allow this condition
to exist ?-Communicated.
Mr.. Merryday Ill.