The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-14
STUDY COURSE
BEING CHANGED,
SAYSEDUCAT0R
Curriculums in Illinois High
Schools Being Altered to Meet
Present Day Needs.
Especial to The ArgusD

Galesburg, Ill, Oct. 14.-Illfnois
high schools in general are reor-
ganizing their curriculums or lists
of study courses offered in an ef-
fort to better meet the needs of
students along two lines, Principal
J. F. Wellemeyer of the Quincy
high school reported in a session
of high school principals and school
Superintendents from all over the
state yesterday afternoon. He re-
ported as chairman of the commit
tee on revaluation and reorganiZa-
ton of the high school curriculum
of the Illinois State Teachers as
ISOLATION, and the meeting was held
in the Elks' club assembly hall, at
tended by nearly 100.
The two trends of this reorgan-
iZation, Mr.. Wellemeyer said, are
aiming at a more careful system of
guidance for every student. to fit
him for entrance to colleges and
universities or to fit him for com
potency in his chosen line of work
directly after leaving high school
Based upon QUESTIONABLE inves-
tigation made in AZ high schools,
five of class A, thirty of class B and
seven of class C, his report was
authoritative. 1t was indicative to
the educators present of attention
being paid to more progressive
methods of high school administra-
ton.
Another section of the commit
tees report was submitted by Pres
ident NJ. NJ TiIden of Lombard COL
lege, Galesburg. He told of ques-
tionnaire inquiry from % colleges,
all who reported out of nearly a
hundred to whom QUESTIONABLE
were sent
Freshmen Get Best.
That the best instructors in most
cases are assigned to the teaching
of freshmen, was a significant fact
learned by this inquiry. His re-
port was concerned with facts of
technical interest to the instructors
present rather than to the general
public. In the discussion which
followed, the fact that college
classes in which freshmen took
part are very large, too much so,
some of those present thought, to
permit of good individual instruc-
ton That most of these were lee
ture courses and that smaller sec
tons prevailed in the quiz and rec
itation sections was the counter to
this objection In this discussion
prominent figures were Principal
Wellemeyer and DR.. Tilden, G. W.
Gayler of Canton, and Charles M
Gill, city superintendent of schools,
Quincy, and president of the state
teachers association.
Junior high schools, as operated,
each with all classes under one
central management and one plan
of supervision, are a total failure
in this country" said Frank G.
Pickell of the Cleveland public
schools, speaking before 800 teach
ers in the Galesburg high school
last evening.
He said that the plan of junior
high schools as now operating in
Quincy and other cities-with the
seventh, eighth and ninth grades
under a separate supervision and
plan of study from the three senior
high grades-presents possibilities
for the accomplishment of much
good, however.
AS another of the several pres
ent day problems of secondary ed
ucation which he discussed, he ad-
vocated a modernization of texts
and material for study There is
too much taught in most courses,
and methods are used in the teach
ing, he said, that do the pupil
no good in practical life Another
contention he upheld was that
graduates of accredited high
schools should be admitted by vir-
tue of that fact to state universe
ties, and that the college "A. B.
and B. s." preparation is too much
stressed in high schools.
Superintendent Gill of Quincy. in
a short address early in the after
noon meeting at the Elks' club,
made an unqualified favorable
stand for extra-curricular activi-
ties in high schools. He told of
the great success the Quincy high
school has met in building I'D a |
scool spirit and morale by use of
in clubs, a band and
athletics.