The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-04-05

work and study the general trend of
the training that is given and then
make up your mind as to whether it
is wholesome or not. You will not find
it perfect, you will find some poor
teaching, you will find some lapses of
discipline, you will find possibly few
pupils overcrowded with work, you
will find some pupils not being worked
to their capacity, but with it all you
will find it the best that we have had.
In regard to the curriculum of the
schools as | have heretofore stated it
is a growth of evolution in which
many elements have had to do. You
would prune it to the extent / feal
that the life of the system, like the
sap of tree, would run out and the
system would die for lack of nourish-
ment.
From your expressed opinion of the
manner in which they are taught and
the necessity for them l take it that
you would eliminate Latin to start
with. You would find most intelligent
people would not allow this, but if
they did, most of our high schools
have an elective scientific course in
which sufficient units may be made to
permit graduation without the Latin.
Then you would trim out algebra,
geometry, French, botany, zoology,
literature, agriculture, physiology,
music and domestic science.
What would you have left? Mighty
little bI1f tba dTv homes
Yes, you could do this and. still fall
back on Webster's blue back spelling
book, McGuffey's set of readers,
Smiths old English grammar, Davies
or Rays arithmetic-all of them
good in their day and time, but the
world went off and left them. / have
one or two of these as valuable keep
sakes. The people came to the con-
clusion that there was something
more and better for human being
than being simply spelling, reading,
and "figgering" machine and the en-
richment of the school course of study
came in response to the demand of the
people to feed their children the
bread of knowledge.
At the recent meeting of our coun.
ty educational association at Dunnel-
lon, the leading subject for discus
sion was: Our present school curricu-
lum, is it overerowded, in what par
ticulars, suggested remedies, and
evil effects upon pupils, if there are
any," The subject was formally treat
ed by Mr.. J. NJ Feagle, principal of
the Dunnellon school, and generally
discussed by the association showing,
as usual, a great diversity of opinion.
In addition to the studies previous
ly taught the state law by special en-
actment requires the teaching of an
atomy, physiology and hygiene, with
special reference to the effects of
stimulants and narcotics, particularly
alcoholic liquors and tobacco. The
passage of this law was secured
largely through the efforts of the
Woman's Christian Temperance IN
ion and | am very firmly of the opin-
ion that the calm intelligent study
and discussion of this subject in our
schools has had a mighty influence in
SOLDERING and making more clean and
rational our people.
In response to a popular demand a
few years ago the legislature also
passed special acts requiring the
teaching of agriculture and civil gov
eminent in the public schools and
these demands did not come primarily
from the teachers but from outside
influences. I do not know that the
teachers are so anxious for increased
work to be piled on them and for ad-
ditional subjects to have to pass rigid
examinations upon, but they have had