Middletown transcript., 1922-05-13
OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM
The Introduction Of The Junior
High School Plan Advocated
100 TEACHERS In CONFERENCE

"Our present eight-year elementary
and four-year high school system in the
public schools in not meeting social and
economical conditions. This system was
just an accident, it was not planned. In
the elementary schools it drags the
work out over two extra years. Most
OF the seventh and eighth grade stu
dents can do high school work accent
ably.
Ih's statement was made Friday
Light by DIR. w. S. Deffenbaupb.
specialist in city school systems, United
States Bureau of Education, Washing
ton, ID. e, in advocating the junior high
school plan, which, he says has worked
out successfully in other sections of the
country. DIR. Deffenbaugh was the
principal speaker at the evening meet
ing of the fourth annual State High
School Conference held at the Uniyer-
sity of Delaware.
The conference was attended by
about 100 high school principals and
teachers from all parts Of the State.
The conference opened Friday after
noon in the west wing of Old College,
with discussion on vocational educa-
ton, presided over by Professor R. W.
Helm. At O'Clock the visitors were
guests OF the university at dinner in
The Commons, and this was followed
by social hour in the Faculty Club
rooms.
Saturday morning there was discuss
sion on "The Aims and Functions of
Secondary Education, led by Principal
Cox, of Wilmington Assistant State
Superintendent Shilling made a report
on certain high school tests and Super.
intendent Holloway discussed superin-
tendents' and principals reports to
their Boards of Education The confer
ence closed at noon and Saturday after
noon the visitors are guests at the in
ter-scholastic field and track meet on
Frazer Field.
Professor Wilkinson in calling the
conference to order Friday night told of
the first conference of high school
: teachers, three years ago, when there
was an attendance of about 40. The
conference has grown in Importance he
: says until 1T is now set annual affair.
: DIR. Hullhen extended greetings from
the university and welcomed the Wis
itors on behalf of the trustees and fac
E ulty. DIR. Hullihen said our great edu.
IratiOnaI prnblap, will navar 10 f,,nx
solved until there is thorough co-opera.
ton between all educational interests.
4 DR.. Holloway responded to this greet.
I ing and also gave the teachers word
t of encouragement in their work.
DIR. Deffenbaugh after stating thai
s our present eight-year elementary anG
r four-year high school system is no,
n meeting social and economic conditions,
!, said in this respect many other coun
tries were ahead of us, and that ir
many instances their 16-year-old chill
dren were as far advanced in educatio.
as ours at Is. 1.-The six-six plan"
n said DR.. Deffenbaugh, eliminates non
~ essentials and gets right down to work
We are educating away from the indus
&c tries and the farm. The six-year high
school course is more democratic. He
also advocated the elective system il
school as better than the compulsory
% system. 1t gives the pupil the chanc,
. to select for hinself and use his judg
Il ment and this should not be suppressed
! Under the junior high school system
y he said, pupils are kept longer il
schools. that is, not so many drop ou
the first year or so of high school.