El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-08-23
MERGER GRADE
SYSTEM USED
Public Schools of FL Paso
Have Reputation for
Efficiency.

I PlD4AI 1IlAupA system. LUIS Is the ol4Ag
city in Texas with a system OF u
grades. all others having only IL
A child is supposed to enter the
first grade as soon as he Is seven
years Of age. Prior to that time. he
has the opportunity OF attending one
year Of kindergarten instruction,
which is given free IN the FL Paso
schools. The first seven gardes are
taught in the grade schools, but the
eighth grade. which is just below the
regular high school work. Is taught
/ in the high school building. This
/ eighth grade has sometimes been
/ called here a Junior high school As
/ a matter OF fact, our eigeth grade IS
/ smerger" grade. which bridges over
/ the gap existing between grade
| schools and high schools, Just as a
! junior high school in theory does the
same thing.
We have found this use OF the
I eighth grade as a merger" grade to
finish their grammar school education
until they have finished the eighth
grade This makes It necessary for
them to spend one year in the high
school building While they are in
attendance in the high school building
they naturally continue their educa-
ton into the regular high school on
completion Of the eighth grade This
continuance is encouraged by the fact
that the majority OF eighth grade stu
dents are allowed to take one high
school subject which counts for credit
toward high school graduation
Merger Grade Unique.
The use of the eighth grade or So
called Junior high school, as a 'mer-
ger" grade is unique to FL Paso- Our
ability to arrange things in this way
arises from the fact that our high
school building has so far been able
to accommodate more students than
attend the. regular four years Of the
high school.
The normal age for the student to
finish the eighth grade and enter the
high school is II years. The normal
age for completion Of the high school
course is IS years. A student at the
age OF IS has or ought to have ma
turity sufficient to go to college.
Our plans for the future contem-
plate the possibility OF shortening our
II years OF public school work for any
student to II years. Evidently this
should be done II the ability OF the
student makes Il advisable. In other
words, the tendency OF our public
school management is toward COM
pletinE in the first seven years or
grades as much as possible in prepa-
ration for the high school PERHAPS in
entire curriculum OF the first eight
grades can be condensed into seven
years or grades OF school work. II in
this manner, a year OF the child's life
stated above, all other school systems
in Texas have only seven grades pre-
ceding high school Practice in the
country outside OF the state OF Texas
is divided. Some school systems have
total Of u years and some total
Of Il
Human side Considered.
Elasticity in the system Of promo
tons and the granting Of opportunity
to the child according to his individ-
IN public school system. Any sys-
TEN which fails to consider the indi-
vidual ability and the posi- Utilities OF
development IN each student separ-
ately. and which treats children In
mechanical manner, lust as animals
tons and moved, Is not approaching
its work from the right standpoint
The human side OF school work IS
more important than the mechanical /
side. and as far as possible each child {
needs to receive consideration as an
Individual
The system Of II grades in the e.
Paso schools has been one reason whv |
our high school has stood out above !
other high schools in Texas in the ad- Z
aration attained by its students It ]
is fact fairly well known, not only I
in Texas, but elsewhere. that the I
graduates OF the Fl Paso high school I
have a peculiarly good standing in en- [
terinE any college or university in Z
the United States They are accepted !.
upon certificates without examination Z
at all universities which admit stu 4
dents on certificates However. where I
an examination Is required for en- I
trance TO a university. the applicants 3
from the Fl Paso high school have
generally had no difficulty in enter .
ing, and doing successfully college +
work Five OF our students are now 4
in Boston Tech" and three in Prince
ton
Teaching Force.
The corps OF teachers for the e /
Paso schools numbers 500. OF this I
number Sc are In the high school fac
ulty Including the teachers OF the Il
eighth grade). The normal attend Il
ance at the high school IL about 1900. n
The normal attendance and the num- l
Der OF teachers. as well as can be n
foreseen at the present time for the II
graded schools OF the city. are given u
in the list below. 4
Er1n01 NJ f1sahe-e W ,,--rr-