Evening star., 1936-12-27
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE
y INCREASE HAS PROBLEM
Regarded Significant From Standpoint
of Community Responsibility and
for Financial Support.

It Is an important fact, however,
that it costs more money to educate
the hand minded than it does to train
the intellectuals. Band saws, unit
kitchens and adding machines are
more expensive than text books, sta
tionery desks and ink wells. A mathe.
mates teacher can instruct IS stu
dents in a class, but q cooking teacher
can hardly care for more than Is.
1t Is an unfortunate truth that most
States and local communities have not
faced the problem of increased fnan-
cial responsibility for secondary edu-
cation squarely nor solved it ade-
quately. should say that less than
one-half Of our high school boys and
girls are interested in general educa-
ton. They include those who will go
to college and those who will not, but
whose main interests and abilities are
in the academic fields. The other
group, the majority I believe, in
cludes those who wish to prepare for
a vocation, those who cannot or will
not learn from books. the hand
minded, the dull. and those who do
not want to 60 to school at all, but
who are forced in by compulsory at
tendance laws. Yet, while shops,
laboratories. gymnasiums and domes-
tic science rooms are part of almost
all high schools, it is definitely true
that the major part Of school space Is
still devoted to class rooms and study
halls and that the equipment for
commercial education, for technical
training. for arts and crafts, for ply
sical education, for dramatics, for mu-
sic is entirely Inadequate and in some
communities almost lacking entirely.
Teachers Lead.
Nor has the number of teachers en-
ployed in the secondary schools in
creased as rapidly as the number of
students to be taught. In 1920 the
ratio of students to teachers in the
junior and senior high schools was
19 to /; in 1886 it is estimated that
the ratio is about 35 to /, and in cer-
tain cities 1t is even higher. Whereas
in 1920 the average teaching load was
from rs to 100 students per day, now
the teachers have anywhere from ITS
to 225 different pupils a day under
their supervision and instruction.
We hear much criticism about the
ignorance of high school graduates
and the illiteracy of those holding
college degrees. Unfavorable COM
parison is often made between high
school education in the United States
and secondary education in European
countries. Critics lose sight of the
fact that in the United States about
68 per cent Of the youth attend high
school whereas in Europe only 8 or 10
per cent go to the secondary schools.
The problem here is not how the in
dividual may be educated, but how
the masses may be educated.
II We, in the United States, are to
carry on an effective program of sec
ondary education and spend our
money wisely, careful study must be
given to the problem by State and
local officials. I should like to con-
clude with number of suggestions
for consideration.
- AAAaI SOli4hlCiIId1 OCpdI LlllcIlGS NC
expanded and commercial high schools
be constructed. This expansion should
be consistent with the needs of mod
ern business and should provide vo-
catlonal preparation for the large
group who will engage in the many
activities Of commercial life.
2. That trade schools for the skilled
and semi-skilled trades be provided
This means the provision of educa-
tional opportunity for the thousands
who leave school annually and 60 to
work in factories and shops with no
training or preparation.
3. That space and equipment be
provided to meet the educational
needs of those who cannot learn from
books. This means the expansion of
programs Of physical education, in
dustrial art, practical arts, home eco
nomics, art, music, dramatics and
visual education.
4. That more thought be given to
an adequate program Of education for
those who are book-minded and capa-
BILE Of the study of abstract subjects
This would mean the development of
the junior college as a public insti-
tuition. It probably would mean the
reorganization of secondary education
beyond the tenth grade 1t would
mean more opportunity for the gifted
student.
S. That a sufficient number of
teachers be hired so education might
become more a matter of individual
guidance than a problem of mass in
struction.
6. That an expert study of State
and local taxation be made to pro-
vide for adequate educational budgets
necessary to the expansion required.