The times-news., 1938-11-07
NATIONS HIGH.
SCHOOLS MAKE.
GREAT STRIDES
Problem Today Is to Learn
What Studies Are
Most Helpful

center of the stage during the
week, November 6-l2, for this pc
riod is observed throughout the
nation as "Edueation Week"
People everywhere are invited
to visit the schools to see what
progress they are making. Public
meetings are being held to con-
slider the needs Of education.
During the last half-century
there have been very great chang
es in the high schools Of America.
Fifty years ago only = small pro-
portion of the boys and girls who
finished the grammar grades went
to high school. There were fewer
students in high schools than
there are in colleges today. AS a
usual thing one who finished the
eighth grade went to high school
only if he expected to go to col
lege later. High schools were for
melly thought of rs places where
young people prepared to go to
college. All students were requh-
ed to take courses which prepared
them for college, whether they i'll
tended going to college or not.
In the course Of time the high
schools experienced a very heavy
increase in enrolment. Boys and
girls who had no thought of go
ing to college later began to go
to high school. This crowding of
young people went on until now
about 70 per cent Of all youths
of high school age are in school.
This created big problem for
the high schools. Boys who want
ed to learn to repair autos were
required to study Latin and
French. Girls who wanted to learn
how to manage a home and who
asked for home economics had to
take geometry SO as to be able
to enter college mathematics.
A constantly growing number
of high schools have broken with
the past and have attempted to
adapt their courses to meet new
and changing conditions. Those in
charge of making out the pro-
grams of the high schools are
coming increasingly to feel that
they must do much more than
merely train the students to sue
ceed at subjects they will take
in college. Since most Of the stu
dents will not: gO beyond the high
school, it is necessary to give
them the kind of training which
will help them best to take care
of their health, to get along in
society, to make living, to be
good citizens, to enlarge their In
terests, and to live satisfying
lives, whether they are going to
college or not.
Consequently, many new cours-
es have been introduced into the
schools-courses which meet the
actual needs of young people
more directly. ; .
Il is the problem Of the modern
school today to determine what
proportion of time should be spent
on customary courses in mathe-
matics, Latin, modern languages,
and other such subjects, and what
proportion to courses which d.
rectly help them to meet prob
lens as individuals and as citl-
zens-courses which assist them
in choosing occupations and which
in other ways bear more directly
upon their needs and interests.
Among the ropidly growing
movements gaining Roadway TO-
day are: student guidance, where
an attempt is made to study the
interest of each student, to ma
out what each one can do best,
to advise him about the courses
that he should take in schools, the
activities in which he should en-
gage, and the life work he should
pursue after leaving school.
Closely related to the guidance
movement is vocational education.
During the last few years voca-
tional courses have been added TO
the list of high school courses IN
all parts of the country. Health
instruction is being provided on
a wider scale in the schools today
than ever before. English courses
in many high schools are Deing
revised so as to place less stress
upon the classical literature ana
more upon helping. the student
speak correctly and effectively.
Social training is also gaming
headway in the high schools OF
the nation. 1t has come to. be rec
ognized how extremely important
it is for young people, both from
the standpoint of vocational sue
cess and of personal enjoyment, to
know how to meet people and TO
conduct themselves in a group
with poise and assurance. 7 o.
Finally, there is agrapidly grow
ing movement under way to place
greater emphasis on citizenship
training. There is a feeling among
many educators that students
have not been sufficiently trained
to do their part in a democracy;
that more. time and attention
should be devoted to the study of
present-day problems; that they
should learn about public opin-
ion an dhow it works; that they
should find out how they them
selves may influence public opin-