Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-12-05
WHAT JUNIOR
HIGH SCHOOL IS
Superintendent Sifert Ans
wers Question in De-
scription of 6-3-3 q
Plan.
HOW RUN ELSEWHERE
Provides Opportunity for
Those who Quit School
Early.
HOW RUN ELSEWHERE

The following article which explains
the advantages of the junior high
school system has been prepared by
Superintendent Il. r. Sifert, Of the
Webster City schools, as part Of the
education week program here. 1t is the
first Of a series of articles on school
subjects which will continue during the
week:
Webster City is now in the midst of
a building program which bids fair to
provide at least temporary solution
to the crowded condition of the schools.
A new grade building is being complet-
ed on the north side. A new Junior
high school is being started. To ans
wer the question often heard, what
is a Junior high scho0l?" this article
is being offered as a mere statement
of the manner in which Junior high
schools are managed in other places.
lt1Vc kkHU TWO DlSloAOhSs
For years, our school system was
divided. into two main divisions, the
eight grades of the elementary schools.
and the four years Of the high school.
If is found that some GO to 20 per cent
of the students leave school at or be-
fore the end of the eighth grade. They
leave school without having had an
opportunity to do much of any indus
trial work. and without having had
much of any elective work, such as the
high school work offers. Also, the
break between the eighth grade and
the high school has been found to be
too distinct. AS a last consideration,
building problems have become such
that some better system of handling the
number of students is required. AS a
martial answer to the effort to keep
students in school longer. to provide
those who leave early with some thing
more of disable information, to AVOID
TO some extent the distinct break III
interests between the grades and the
high school proper, to solve in a small
way the building problem, and even
other important considerations. the
iunior high school. consisting usually
of the seventh. eighth and ninth grades
has come into our school systems. III
now represents what is commonly
known as the 6-3-3 plan: six years OF
elementary grades. three years OF jun
Tor high school. and three years oil
senior high school.
Much Like Senior High
In organization, the Junior high
school resembles, to a large extent, the
senior high school. having its separate
administration. specialized teachers 90
ing departmental work, and from the
mystical side, having its study halls
class rooms, laboratories, industrial
shops, kitchens, sewing rooms. CONNER
cial rooms, music rooms, health depart
ments, etc, all much the same as the
present senior high school systems.
The junior high school period is es'
sentially an exploration period for the
interests of the child. This means a
flexible course OF study. Provision
should be made whereby the student
can successfully work ont in Il NUMBER
of pre-vocational types OF work. just
how wood work has managed to usurp
almost the entire industrial field in
school work is hardly understood. 1t
would seem that there should also ne
adequate provision for machine work,
electrical work. printing work. and es-
necially very brief course OF instruc-
tion in the almost universally required
subject of auto-mcchanics. Whether
all these subjects should be provided
depends upon the size of the school.
With these things in mind the student
should he allowed some electives. nut
not to the extent that electives are al
lowed in the senior high school.
A fitting statement of the Importance
of the Junior high school may he found
in the following: Because OF the fact
that the junior high school is the last
schooling 80 per cent of the boys ana
o;rIs will over receive. the best in
environment is none too
good"