Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-10-14
Hungry Horse News
Look at Our Schools

Look at Our Schools
With the coming White House Conference on Edu-
cation there is interest developing the whole
school situation.
Magazine and metropolitan newspapers tell of
school building crowding and what is being done to
remedy the situation. We hear about the favorable
and more frequently about unfavorable aspects of
our school systems.
An article whats Wrong with Schools in the
United States in the Oct issue of ~. S. News and
World Report is an interview with Dr. Homer L.
Dodge and Norton T. Dodge, just returned from Eu-
rope. One of their conclusions is that American high
schools are lacking in mathematics and science in
struction.
There is graph that shows comparison of
science instruction in the United States now and back
in 1900 Algebra was offered in Sc per cent of the
high schools in 1900 and in "a per cent now geom-
ery in u per cent of the high schools in 1900 and II
per cent now and physics in 10 per cent of the high
schools in 1900 and 43 per cent now according to U.
S. News" We doubt the accuracy Of their figures.
We asked Principal Carl Launer how Columbia
Falls high school compared He answered that Col
umbia Falls high school students may take chemistry,
physics biology, general science, algebra, advanced
algebra, trig0nOmetry plane and solid geometry.
It would seem that Columbia Falls high schools
curriculum is adequate when it to science and
mathematics.
We've heard criticism about the lack Of foreign
language instruction.
At the same time we know that nationally in the
past 20 years foreign language courses have been
diminishing in colleges and high schools. bachelor
of philosophy degree became prevalent in the 193Os,
that is in effect bachelor of arts without foreign
language requirement Premedical students still seem
to be taking German, but Latin courseSonce consid
cred so essential-have melted away. A semester Of
Latin words in English apparently takes Of many
future physicians.
Columbia Falls high school does not seem partic-
ularly enthusiastic about foreign language courses
This is part of the national trend that think is
fortunate First year Spanish is offered here one year.
and second year Spanish the next
We believe that Spanish is not good choice. Lit
tie of literature culture or language derives from
Spain and few of graduates, if any, have contact
with SpaniSh-Amercan countries. they do, high
school taught languages Of less consequence In
contrast Latin French or German seem more suit
able from a cultural standpoint.
Then we have the fril courses rather distant from
reading, writing and arithmetic Personally we think
it was a fine idea to start driver training
at Columbia Falls high school this year.
In fact in these past ten years we have seen
manual training and band instruction also started
here We take these for granted now but they
are recent and liked.
Some attempt is also being made in the direction
of vocational guidance consumer education and others
Present day high school education tends to follow
in the path of present day living.
This brings to mind that through the years there
is the constant criticism that youngsters of today do
not seem to be as well educated the high school
senior Of 40 years ago They cannot spell or add fig
ures Our older folks do not always seem well versed
in this respect either.
Back in 1915 the percentage of young men who
completed high school education was only frac-
ton of what it is today.
Twenty years ago college journalism students
told to keep writing at the sixth grade level for
that the educational level of the average mature
American. We do not know if it was true back in
1885 We know it is not true today
Today the average girl and boy in the North be-
comes high school graduate.
AS the nation industrializes more and more en-
phasis is being placed on high school diploma as
the minimum educational qualification. We actually
are educating the whole people and not percentage
of them
There was World War II with the CT bill that
brought new thousands into the universities and col
egeS Many of these boys would not have gone to col
lege they had not been in the service. and at the
end found that free educational ladder provided by
the CT bill
This fall 10 of the as Columbia Falls high school
graduates of last May enrolled as freshmen at uni
verstes and colleges That is unusual for northwest
ern Montana over 100 miles from the nearest college
An unusually high ratio are boys-16 out Of the
49, and good percentage of these have enrolled in
engineering and science courses at college
Going to college isn't the whole answer but it
indicates effort toward self improvement
Good students at Columbia Falls high school in
most cases to become adequate to good students
at colleges and universities Local graduates such as
Jane Mcdonnell, West Glacier, who was graduated
from Montana State college last spring have won high
honors She has Fullbright scholarship in New Zea-
land starting in January Don Brownson, Hungry Horse
1854 va]edictoran now sophomore in engineering at
MISC was on the college honor roll last year. and has
scholarship this term. There are others.
Education is basic to an improving civilization.
When we settled in Columbia Falls in 1885, scenic
setting of the community appeared outstanding and
the Schools appeared to be the best phase of the
munity created by man. Our thought is that the local
school systen-ever in need of improvements still
outstanding for this size town.
Average salaries for teachers have been doub
led in ten years. There are more new school build
ings over the district than old ParentTeachers As
socations have become active Better schools are moi
an accident Interested citizens is the most important
factor MR
@ d.