The Columbia evening Missourian., 1922-05-17
Ill DIPLOMAS
PRESENTEDTO
GRADE PUPILS
Continued from page one)


some easily remedied defect. he shoulc
be excluded from the school and his par
ents notified and urged to consult theil
family physician for treatment In NJ
case would the examiner attempt to treai
any case unless requested to do 50 by
the parents after they have been noii
fled.
FREE TEXT BOOKS TOR GRADES
The supply of all textbooks free to
the pupils Of the grade schools is another
matter that is pressing for consideration.
Such schools as ST. Louis, Kansas City.
ST. Joseph, Springfield. Hannibal. JEFF
ferson City, Carthage. Marshall. Kirks-
vile, Cape Girardeau. Poplar Bluff. Mob
erly and scores of smaller places in the
State are supplying their pupils with
textbooks. and many patrons of the Co.
lumbia schools are inquiring why Colum-
bia has made no similar provision. There
are reasons both for and against such
provision. and the matter should not be
passed upon hastily Mexico and Seda-
liza. like Columbia. have not yet uner-
taken to supply free textbooks.
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL NEEDED
Perhaps the most important single
feature of educational policy pressing
for consideration at this time. however.
is the question Of the organization of a
junior high school for Columbia. There
is a rather settled conviction of recent
development among educators that the
American school system. as at present or
ganized, does not make proper provision
for the boys and girls in the early years
Of adolescence; that the break between
grade and high school work is too pro-
nounced; thai pupils who have COM
pleted the sixth grade. although not We.
mature enough to take up high school
work in senior high schools as such work
is now organized, may very profitably
take up more highly socialized type OF
school work and thus better bridge the
break between the grades and high
school.
There is a settled conviction. like
wise. that pupils of this age ought no
longer TO be subjected to the same me- !
thods in discipline and control that are
properly used in the first six grades.
Nor. if plunged suddenly into the new
environment, can they safely be trusted
to the degree of self control desirable !
in high school. Because of the import !
ance of these critical years in moral |
development and character building. i. !
is highly desirable that pupils of these |;
ages should, where possible, be hand |,
led in a separate group and in a spe
cial way.
WHAT 1T WOULD PROVIDE
''Oui Of convictions like these has !
grown the notion of the junior high |
school. Such a school, if organized in
(olumbis, would among other things.
make provision for: |
l. Increased recognition of individual
differences.
2 Exploration for educational and /
vocational guidance.
8. Better adapted methods of disci- !
rline and a more highly socialized school
and curriculum.
4. Greater emphasis upon physical
activities and physical welfare.
5. More effective teaching.
Historically, courses of study design
ed to prepare men for the ministry were
deemed adequate to prepare them Tor
the other learned professions. More re-
Gently, courses of study patterned after
these with all too little modification.
have been offered to all classes in the
community, both boys and girls. as
necessary preparation for iIfe. The in
PRODUCTION Of financial training, CONNER,
cial subjects, agriculture and domestic
science is a series of progressive steps
in an attempt TO provide for the needs
Of larger class of pupils. But pres
rnt notions of formal discipline suggest
very clearly that manual training is rot
the 'cure-all it was at first thought %
be. and it is plain that agriculture and