Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-04-05
BAY STATE OFFICIAL
Tells ADVANTAGES OF
JUNIOR HIGH SYSTEM

JUNIOR HIGH SYSTEM
In his speech before the Open Forum
Opera house, Frank \. Wright, deputy
commissioner Of education of Massa-
chusetts, defined junior high school
as follows: Junior high school means
a grouping the With and With Of
the With, With and Nth grades 10
form a new educational unit in which
shall be some freedom in choice Of stud
in the traditional content of the sub
ject and methods of instruction, depart
mental teaching, promotion by subject
and prevocational work"
This is the sort of an educational unit
that will be esta blished in this city if a
new junior high school is built. More
room is imperative to take care of the
age and u junior high school is highly
recommended by the highest school au-
thorities in the country. Should this
system prevail, the need of more grade
buildings will be eliminated for some
time.
The meeting, which dealt with sub
iect vital to every citizen in Watervlle,
was not SO we'll attended as it should
have been as an opportunity was given
for questions, which privilege was in
dulged in b.. a few people. On the plat
form sat the speaker, Mr.. Wright, Pres
ident Arthur J. Roberts, Mayor Z. T..
Finnemore. Supt. W. II. Patten. DR..
John G. Towne and Harold Duhord,
chairman Of the board of education.
Dr. Towne made few opening re-
marks and announced the meeting Of
this evening which will be mass meet
ing Of the taxpayers of the city held at
the Armory to which everyone is urged
to come. At this meeting a discussion
of ways and means Of financing a new
school building will be held. DR.. Towne
then introduced President Arthur ].
Roberts of Colby as chairman of the
afternoon.
President Roberts announced that
the speaker for next Sunday after
noon will be Benedict Maher of Au-
gusta- who will take for his sub
ject, Labor Questions of the Day"
In regard to the question in hand,
President Roberts said that in
school matters the city is confronted
by condition and not theory He
explained that the schools belonged
not to the superintendent of schools,
the school board or the city gov
eminent, but to the citizens and
whatever money. was appropriated
would be with the public approval
and consent. He asked for q full
and free discussion of matters at
the close of the address of the aft
ernoon. He then asked Superinter-
dent Patten for a few remarks To
this request Mr.. Patten consented
rather unwillingly as he said that
he had already presented the matter
at three separate meetings but he
did explain that if a building were
not erected to take care of the sur
plus that rooms would have to be
rented in various parts Of the city
and this method Of attend school
was not fair either to the children
or the parents of the children so
sent to school.
Mr.. Wright went into the matter
of the significance Of the Junior
high school Of the 6-3-3 system
thoroughly and explained it's advan-
tages. He said that this system had
grown SO large in Massachusetts
that three days conference had
recently been held in Bridgewater
Mass. of Junior high school princi-
pals and also that high school prin-
cipals Of Massachusetts who each
year take up some subject for
special study two years ago took the
subject of the junior high school
He gave statistics compiled from
auestionnaires sent to the 4S states
showing to what an extent the Jun
Tor high school system has been
adopted. He received $50 answers
and $50 of these places had adopted
it.
He stated that in Massachusetts,
AZ cities and towns had broken aVay
from the S-4 plan, meaning eight
yaers of elementary work and four
years of high school. He then gave
the definition of what a junior high
school really is as given at the OPEN
ing paragraph Of this story. He
said that he felt the old system was
responsible ina great measure for
the tremendous dropping out of
school of pupils at the close of the
elementary work and also from the
freshman year in high school.
Among definite arguments which he
advanced in favor of the junior high
school were the following: Earlier
teaching by specialists giving them a
chance to come in contact with different
personalities; a departmental plan Of
teaching which has the advantage Of
promotion by subjects, the advanta se
Of bringing the child at the adolescent
age the pricileges OF a laboratory.
gymnasium and other things for which
they have natural DESIRES. it brings the
teaching Of foreign languages into the
period Of life when It Is the easiest to
learn them; 1t makes an easy transition
from the sixth grade to the high school:
1t holds child In school longer as sur
veys prove: the discipline of an ordi-
nary elementary school Is often insult
ed to the boy or girl of the adolescent
period in a large measure; it is psyche
logically sound. children want to try
themselves out; the gap between The