The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-17
XVI. Wa,hington's Schools.

y junior high came into prominence at about the
time. But the latter was welcomed by
schoomen generally maybe sort of foil since the
Gary includes within itself all the promise of the junior
high, while the latter in operation, check
to the former. Yet greeted cordially it was,
the junior high slipped into most city systems as
a slice of meat in a sandwich, but without apparent
intelligent understanding of its greater working OBJ
jectives. 1t slipped in easy.
In organization, it includes the seventh, eighth and
ninth grades and sometimes, believe, wisely the
tenth That is it absorbs the final elementary and
either Just the first the first high school years.
Its generally known and specific purpose is this:
As has been painfully evident, there was distinct
break between the end OF the elementary work and the
high school 1t than break; it
Jump off. Pupils formally graduated from the
eighth grade they made to feel they were through
If they went on they went another building. maybe
in strange part of the city They left all their
sociaes of the lower classes They left everything
that familiar. and especially the teacher for all
their subjects and the one classroom.
Going to high school was as formal as the later
going to college. The building larger and more
formal and the organization wholly The work
and teaching departmental that is there diff
fcrcnt teacher for each subject and the pupil went
from classroom TO classroom for each recitation, maybe
from basement top floor and from wing to wing,
rents, and habits and customs going along with the
usual treatment to a greenhorn rubc.
The junior high got rid of this jump-of where so
many jumped off and quit that less than in ten
ventured go on 1t simply took the pupils at the
seventh grade and introduced departmental work They
stayed in the same building with other, to them,
marked change. They quit being graduated at the end
Of the eighth grade but merely slipped along into the
ninth which the first high school year, and then maybe
into the tenth. Having finished one or two years of
high school, why stop? Why not go on? The system
having become familiar only the building would be
But that is only the most evident factor of the
Junior high. 1t takes the child when IL to IL years
old just when beginning to be curious to find itself
to formulate future to reach beyond today. 1t
IS about then kngs talents vocational preferences
creative ability begin show evidence of diferentia
ton, OF distinguishing between vacations at least
along general lines. Youngsters then gropingly dis
not just what they would like be-" but what
they best fitted be. Frequently the liking is
home product OF parental ambition household need
and not at all what is marked by fitness.
All have often heard of the good farmer spoiled to
make poor preacher; there still fine mechanics
skilled craftsmen, and engineers and scientists
spoiled to make fourh-rate physicians failures as mer-
chants bum lawyers The junior high emphasizes
If it uhlls its for being-the hand side Of the
educational process The quantity and variety of shop
work, of craft of of science are spread out and
pupils allowed to browse through it all. They can
take up and drop, and go back and try over child
Is not apt to drop what really likes and that for
which it has real ability II the teaching is good if
the guidance by the teachers with supervision is even
fair if the teachers appreciate this phase of their
work (and if they do not they belong somewhere
else) very few children will end the ninth grade
without having discovered their individual abilities:
what they can do best, because they like to do it.
Having made this greatest discovery, this one
thing which will make them of most value themselves
and to the world they go rather specialize
IN It N the upper senior high school years. They
want the broader foundation, the more complete
fundamentals, the background of related subjects
and to clean up what is elemental and so essential
TO its mastery. Besides which they have come to
enjoy school They find all sorts of thrills in the
school work and they have definite look ahead TO
life work OF interest and promising success
No city playing fair with its children that does
not the Gary system where this best fits the distinct
needs, and that has not fully installed the junior high
in all other districts. The Herald does not believe in
trade schools commercial high schools as distinctive
entities in the public school system They do not be-
long The junior high system is far better gives far
more, and the two inconsistent with each other if
not actually antagouistic Wherever there are these
technical schools they should be abandoned and the
buildings used as junior highs or senior highs
THE Little House on Yap" NAV vet
hoe he fo-