Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1924-02-29
STATE BOARD or EDUCATION
(By Carter w. Wormeley)

| the emphasis is no longer upon
the multiplicity of schools, as
was necessary during the estab-
lishment of the present high
school system, greater emphasis
can now be given to improving
the quality of the high schools
already established. In fact,
| it is said, that in a number of
counties there are too many high
schools and State program of
fewer aud better schools has
been adopted.
As new check upon the
quality of high school work, be-
ginning with the present session
the State Board of Education has
authorized the use of the records
of high school graduates made
in the freshman year of college
Because over one-half of the
graduates of our high schools
now go to college this is regard.
ed as fair check upon the pro-
duct of the high school. III
graduates do poor work in col
lege, an investigation of its cause
in the high schools from which
they were graduated is in order
If they do we'll in college, the
chances are that the high schools
are doing work of satisfactory
grade in this one respect at least
A number of school boards
this session have adopted a newl
standard recommended by thel
ID partment Of Education for
a, sli school graduation which
provides that the student in high
school must not only complete
The usual sixteen standard high
school, units representing quantity
of work, but must also do a
prescribed standard quality oil
work in tie uuits completed in
the fourtlI-year course. On this
plan the student who barely
passes year by year remains IN
school until he is able to bring
up his record to the qualitativeI
standard set for graduation,
provided he wishes to graduate.
This general system is said toI
have been adopted by a number
of colleges. While it Can no
work essential hardship, it CAM
be made to greatly improve the
quality OF scholarship in the high
school as it has done in the COLI
leges where it has been adopted.
To further perfect the quality
of instruction the State Board of
Education, has authorized a new
high school course OF study which
will represent a complete revision
of the course issued in the sum-
mer of 1919. Work on thisl
course has now been in progress|
considerably more than a year.
and 1t is expected that the first
draft of the course provided b,
the members of the several com
mittees will be presented to the
State Board of Education for
consideration at an early meet
ing. When passed by the Board,
it will be printed and made
available for classroom use next
fall. In the opinion of State
Superintendent Harris Hart this
new course will embody the most
recent achievements in subject
matters and methods of procedure
adapted to the modern high
school.
Realizing the excessive financial
burden and even the inferio,
quality of work that may be ex
pected from the maintenance of
multiplicity of small high
schools in any county. in The
last year or more number OF
school surveys have been made
upon request by representative of
the United States Bureau of
Education, the State Department
]! Education, and certain mem
bers of the departments of edr
cation Of the University OF Vir-1
giuia aud the College of. William
| aud Mary. The impartial work
Of such survey committees has
already effected helpfnlly the
high schools situated in number
| of counties. Superintendent Hsrl
| has stated that more demands
| for this type of work are being
! made than can easily be met.
The quality Of high school
| Libraries, high school equipment.
and the supervision Of high
/ schools on the part Of State and
local officials are other important
| means of improving the general
jouality Of high school instruction.