The Glacier reporter., 1963-08-08
August 2, 1868
Browning. Montana

Dear Mr.. Fields,
Thank you for printing the
statement made by Harold Gray
/ feel that his statement &C
curately reflects the thinking OF
many Of our students who have
continued their schooling be
yond the high school years !
would like TO take this OpPor'
tunity to amplify some of his
statements and attempt to rein
force them
Statement One: 1t is my
opinion that students aren't
taught TO the limit OF their
capabilities am sure that
Harold realizes the teaching pro
cess is designed 70 make II pos
sible for the student TO achieve,
but that no amount of teaching
can do anything for a student
who is not interested in learning
what IS being taught II is true
that BrOwning's students have
as great a potential for academic
achievement as students any.
where. even though too many OF
them fail 10 use their capabili-
ties in realizing this potential
The course Of study is the same
as that offered in any other
schools and is subject 10 APPROX
al and regulation by the State
Department of Public Instruc-
ron. The college preparatory
phase of the program IS designed
20 prepare students for college
If the students are willing TO eX-
ert the self-discipline necessary
10 such preparation. The dra-
matte increase in the number Of
students who are obtaining sue
cessful college experience indi-
Gates that the program can be
successful il the student is will
ing TO make il so. The desire TO
learn can be fulfilled without a
teacher. but no amount of teach
ing can compensate for the lack
of this desire. As Harold has
stated: Actually the economic
and academic ends aren't so
much a threat for the determ-
ined person who is willing to &C
cept the challenge"
Statement Two: Then there
is the problem Of keeping stu
dents in school" This, in my
opinion. is the basic problem.
and 10 that should be added "on
a regular basis" II is impossible
TO teach a student who is not in
school. The facts of the attend
ance feature of the program are
definite and conclusive. The av-
erage student in Browning miss
es 80 days a year in attendance.
This adds up 10 a total OF 2+O
DAYS in eight years. or a loss Of
i-3 years of instruction in the
first eight years Of the program
The entering High School Fresh
man has had only 6 % years Of
academic experience. The aver
age high school student misses at
about the same rate. This means
an additional loss of l20 days in
the next four years. or a total Of
% of an academic year. Thus
many of our students facing col
Iege have had the equivalent of
only ten years of grade and high
school instruction In fact, many
students who drOp-Out do so be-
cause they have fallen so far
behind in the mastery of basic
skiIls and information they can
no longer achieve successfully in
the high school program. II IS
no wonder that students with
such learning gaps would feel an
inability TO compete in a college
program.
Statement Three: In some in
stances the students aren't given
the proper guidance in school in
order to prepare them for col
Iege work" This type guidance
starts in the home Parents who
enyision college training for
their children usually keep close
track of their children's per
formance and insist on achieve
ment. The best preparation for
college is achievement in both
grade and high school. No
amount of guidance can cOmpen-
safe for gaps in learning. Many
students in recent years have
come 20 the realization, especial
ly during the junior and senior
wears. that they may not be ade-
ouateIy prepared. Realization at
this state of their educational de-
veIopment is usually too late.
when all is said and done, 1t IS
S,iII the student who must do the
nreparing for IL is he who Is
facing the problem of meeting
the challenge of an advanced
Educational program. Guidance
can only give him the path; he
still must walk IL
I heartily agree that EN-
..ouragement and guidance are
needed" II must be started in
.se home and amplified by the
srhooI and the community. Be
hind every successful student
ss.nd successful parents. The