Milford chronicle., 1927-10-07

IT is IMPORTANT for all the
people of Milford to know the facts
and remember them, as to the public
schools and what is being accom-
plished for education of the children
Read this little sermon carefully and
learn understandingly, what is Of
great Importance to both men and
women, but especially to the children
of this section of Kent and Sussex.
The public high schools of Della
ware offer six courses for which the
State Board of Education issues di-
plomas on graduation. These courses
are the Academic or college prepar-
atory, the Scientific, the General, the
Vocational Agricultural, the Voca-
tional Home Economics, and the
Commercial. Pupils may enter col
lege from any of these courses by
electing to study during high school
certain subjects recognized as en-
trance credits, but the usual course
for college aspirants is the Academ-
ic course. This course emphasizes
the languages, and mathematics
aside from Arithmetic.
The Milford High School offers
five of these courses, emitting to Of
fer Vocational Agriculture.
Delaware high schools are not es-
sentially, either in purpose or ma
ture, college preparatory schools.
They are of and by and for the pub
lie, supported by one generation for
the direct benefit of the succeeding
generation. High schools are not
built and maintained to select su-
perior minds for dominating position
by sort of straining and sieving
process. That is what colleges were
once endowed for, and in many cases
what colleges are for today.
When a public high school in a
town of 45OO people reaches an en-
rollment of 200 pupils, no one of any
experience would expect that all
of those enrolled will complete the
four-year, sixteen-point curriculum
in any of the five courses above men
toned. Again no one would expect,
or even hope, that all who do grad
uate will enter college.
High schools in Delaware are not
true to the interests of their patrons
unless they offer definite, lasting
preparation for the routine every
day work of the community in which
the majority of their pupils are des-
tined to live and serve and be served
by others. There was time when
no immediate practical results were
required for an education. Today
practical results are desired immedi-
ately. So close is employment to the
school pupils today that they are
able to evaluate their courses be-
fore they undertake them. Indeed
they are inclined to be impatient of
instruction in subjects such as Eng
lish Composition and Literature be-
cause they are contributory to eff
cheney in a way which pupils can not
appreciate-namely this, English
ability is of most value when by
reason of its perfection no attention
is called to it.
In order to fit boys for intelligent,
contented and profitable participa-
ton in Agriculture, and to fit girls
for like participation in Home-mak-
ing, two special courses were Or
ganized by the State Board of Edu-
cation as early as 1917. At the same
time provision was made for the in
PRODUCTION of Manual Training and
the Commercial Subjects. Milford
has since that time always had full
and efficient Home Economics De-
partment and the same can be said
Tor the Manual Training Department
in 1920. These departments
offer respectively two year courses,
with the exception of Agriculture
which is not offered, and the Com ;
nercial Subjects which occupy four !
'ears or a part Of each of four years,
ogether with other subjects.
When the enrolment of the Mil
ord High School reached and main
aimed for several years the number
# 100 and over, it became evident to
he Board of Education after careful ,
tudy that an additional department
7as needed to further serve the i
eeds of the pupils. After having '
iven the girls two years of Home '
economics and the boys two years l
Manual Training, it seemed prac-
cal to the Board to offer both boys t
nd girls practical business train d
lg or training for practical busi- C
ess during the last two years of
leir high school life, or during the t
ntire four years if it were desired. il
he Commercial Course was opened Y
the beginning of the present year, a
nd after few weeks the following tt
sport is made to the Board.
There are 45 pupils studying Typ D
lg, of whom 25 are also studying "