Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-18

not too much to say that no other part
of the school system has ever been sub
! jected to such separate forces working
! for readjustment as the secondary school
is being required to meet
The situation at present lis this: On
the one hand are the colleges with a set
of fairly well established requirements
based on many years, if not generations,
OF experience and custom; while on the
other is a large body Of students and
their parents voicing a clearly fSt, if
! not distinctly expressed, desire that the
schools shall depart from the traditional
courses and adopt those of a more defin-
;tely "practical' aim.
Both classes of students. those who
will go to college and those who will not
go, have equal rights to receive sever
ally from their schools the kind OF SER
| vice they require. However. it should be
borne in mind that comparatively few
students on entering high school have
any clear notions as to what the aim of
their high school course will be for them.
The youth at this age are stin going to
school under the impression that doing
this will later serve to some good pur-
pose. There is no early separation of
those having different aims: there is,
rather, a considerable confusion of aims
in each individual case.
The high school has as a part Of its
mu,tifarious duties the scrutiny Of its
students with view to giving them such
advice and help as the wisdom and ex-
perience of its instructors may suggest,
that each may be led into that one course
L,
, vanta geouS.
! There has been, in this era of read
justment, no little criticism made by
public school teachers and administrators
that the college has kept an undue infiu-
ence over the secondary school and that
this influence has presented the hign
school from enjoying that degree of free
dom which in any educational Institution
/ is essential to growth.
/ 1t is pointed out that the concrete de-
mands OF the college. applying to almost
I complete program of secondary studies,
has kept the high school from formu-
! lating any program for the benefit Of
! those not intending to so to higher in
stitutions. Both these complaints have a
very substantial basis of facts. On the
! other hand, the college with equal force
has shown that the secondary schools
have been invaded by not a few vaguely
planned experiments, that many of the so
called practical courses" have been
lacking in substantial values: have been
aimless and, not infrequently, character
ICED by an appeal to easeful accomplish
/ ment rather than to serious and conse-
cutive study. Those who have taken up
the question intimately with college au-
thorities have found them not unsympa-
/ thetic to the secondary school point of
view and to be reasonably ready to adapt
themselves to a reconstructed curriculum
as soon as the definite values can be es-
tablshed.
With view to providing opportunity
! for the harmonious adjustment Of vari-
Gus parts of the educational system Of
the State there was recently called by
the State superintendent a conference Of
the representatives Of the colleges. Out
of this conference came an unofficial
committee of the colleges which meeting
semi-annually with the State superinten-
dent has rendered invaluable service in
the promotion of the interests Of gen.
eral secondary education.
The influence Of the work of this COM
mittee is further reflected In the actions
taken by the colleges in the direction Of
more liberal recognition for credit in
secondary courses not previously recog-
nized for college preparation. Moreover,
a serious and fruitful effort has been
made to secure just estimates of the
work Of secondary schools.