Large numbers of children to be educated demand correspondingly large numbers of teachers for the task. Only let each teacher bear the responsibility and exercise the intelligence worthy of a real teacher and the individuality of the child, who is 1 in a system of 100,000 pupils, may be as fully respected and as adequately treated as though he were 1 in a system of 100 pupils. The progressive withdrawal from teachers and principals, as their numbers increase, of opportunity and responsibility for the exercise of worthy educational intelligence, and the corresponding increased assumption of responsibility by central authority as the knowledge for the exercise of it decreases, is indeed a prevalent, but none the less a mistaken practice, without justification or merit.-(Portland, 138.)

It ought to be the superintendent's chief business to read, study, observe, think, plan, advise, and lead.—(Portland, 37.) Teachers

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are constantly gathering practical experience which would be valuable to the administrative authorities. Consequently their advice may often be advantageously sought.-(Newburgh, 11.)

THE HIGH-SCHOOL PROBLEMS.

Let us strive to ascertain the contour and dimensions of this highschool undertaking.

To care for hundreds of thousands of boys and girls, of every blood, nature, and disposition; all different, all alive, all changing, sentient, sensitive creatures, growing rapidly with the new-born emotions and thoughts of manhood and womanhood in the making, and yet to awaken and develop, in each one, common qualities for our civil life that is the creative task of the high school. The public, the social, the national needs must be regarded, but the glory of our State consists in the fact that the individual's need and interest are also sacred.

The individual's need and interest should determine studies and methods.

The policy of treating every boy and girl according to individual needs seems so profoundly reasonable that it is hard to believe that any other policy could be obviously and deliberately pursued. Yet, it is a most obvious fact that until recently almost everywhere, and still prevailingly, the policy is not to find out what children as individuals need and then to supply that, but to determine on the things to be done subjects to be taught, methods of instruction, plans of organization, and administration— and to let children adapt themselves as they can to these predetermined requirements, or abandon their education.-(Newton (1913), 15, 16.)

Perhaps the greatest educational question of modern times is how may the publicschool system be organized and the schools conducted so as to aid in the discovery of the special talents of the youth of the land, develop these talents in the highest degree possible, and turn them to social account.-(Illinois (1907), 4.)

I know now that he would have been interested in the agricultural school, but I was always talking dentist to him then.-(Parent's statement, quoted in Minneapolis, 21.)

In this connection nothing has been said of the most important of all principles in successful teaching-individual instruction.-(Ogden (Ms.), 3; 1st Boise, 1.) Other nations have the same problem, evidently.

A. Matthias, member of German State ministry of education,' says: Ever since 1892 the authorities have declared again and again that they would be glad to see the curricula handled in a liberal spirit. Intelligent and enterprising directors and keen, self-reliant groups of teachers have done their part to avoid the strait-jacket, but in vain. Schools have not seldom taken on the aspect of factories, where forever the same threads were spun and all work seemed a burden instead of a joy.

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What is the proper application of these facts and considerations?

COURSES OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.

While individual instruction must ever be the ideal in American schools, human society, as well as school life itself, imposes certain limitations upon ideal individual aims.

Articulation of high schools makes necessary certain adjustments: (a) With the elementary schools in order to bridge the present gap between them and the high schools; (b) with colleges and professional schools; (c) with the business and industrial world. How can these adjustments be made?

The six-year high school.-Can we discover what it is in the teaching or administration of our schools that causes the work to lack individual quality, to be mechanical and unproductive?

How can we secure individual instruction? Can it be that the lack of it is due to ignorance or disregard of the nature of adolescence, to disregard of the practical needs of the children, and to too great dependence on college entrance requirements?

The program of studies takes little account of those who leave school at the early age of 14 or who go to work. (Montclair, 20.)

'On the other hand, much that is attempted in the first year of the high school, when students have reached the age of adolescence, can be done very much better at ages of 12 and 13," says East Orange, 57, 58 (see also 63-64); and adds its testimony in favor of beginning high-school studies in the grammar schools. This is the view expressed in Newton, 1913, which says that it is the "pupil's need," not the "quality or quantity of his work in elementary schools," that should be regarded in admitting him to high school; and again in the high school his work should be arranged according to his needs. This view is favored by Harrisburg, 13; San Mateo (Ms.), 71; Ogden (Ms.); San Francisco, 60; Richmond Synopsis, 23, 26; Connecticut (1907-1909), 67-68; Baltimore, 49; New York, Vol. I, 148, 463 et seq.; Minneapolis, 7; 2d Boise, 5; Portland, 196 et seq.; Nutley, 17; Kansas, 29.

The six-year plan is advocated also by Springfield, 117-122, as being desirable there, and as being successful in Berkeley and Los

Quoted in "Oberlehrer," 133.

73226°- -ED 1914-VOL 1- -37

Angeles, Cal.; Grafton, S. Dak.; Columbus, Ohio; Cokate, Minn.; Chicago, Ill.; Neodesha, Kans.; and Concord, N. H. Another able discussion of the plan is given in Vermont (Bulletin 7), 96–99.

Admitting that the junior and senior high schools are still in the experimental stage, and that there may still be some question as to whether they will afford the greatest help in the production of civic talents and habits or not, this much is certain, that it is during the years of adolescence that each human being is recreated physically, morally, and mentally, that bones grow, social powers and affections are developed, that ideals take form and luster, the bent of the will is given-in a word, that the foundations of character are laid. This is the time in which the true teacher by personal quality, by sympathy and insight, can do a work of lasting value for the youth and for the Republic; and the school administration, by assisting, can render splendid public service.

The chief thing is a desire to work. In Kerschensteiner's words: "It is as a rule a matter of indifference what form educative work takes. The important thing is honest, earnest work."

"Local needs *

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* fresh intellectual and spiritual needs" must both be considered. (See General Education Board, 95,96.)

But the child's interest needs to be aroused for this purpose, and an unyielding curriculum may not arouse interest.-(Portland, 129.)

It also prevents development of powers of judgment.-(New York, Vol. II, 278.) The teachers then, i. e., with an unyielding curriculum, teach subjects and not pupils. (Leavenworth (Ms.), XI.)

Elective work. The best authorities approve a certain amount of elective work (Ogden, 7). It is admitted, however, that election should be accompanied by advice. (Ibid, 8.)

When a pupil is not getting benefit from a study he should be allowed to change, declares Grafton 9, 10, but certainly not so that he will cultivate "whim" power instead of will power.

The school program must cover:

(a) The school arts-reading, writing, arithmetic.

(b) Language and literature (modern and ancient).

(c) History, government, and economies.

(d) Art (pictorial and plastic, constructive art and music).

(e) Mathematics.

(f) Natural science.

(g) Manual arts and domestic arts.

(h) Physical education, including physical training and athletics.

(i) Vocational guidance.-(Prof. Hanus, in New York, Vol. I, 136.)

Now, which of these studies and courses should a high school student select?

The first and most important thing for a child in early adolescence is to become interested in something that will call out his best qualities and powers and develop his staying habits.(Portland, 194.)

Where high-school students have once answered the question of their life work, then does school life become real, earnest, and studious. Concentration is impossible as long as that question remains unanswered. -(Nutley, 17.)

But in general, it seems an unreasonable thing to expect an immature child to know what his life work is to be. His school record, the judgment of his teachers, ought to be of importance both for him and for his parents in the selection of his studies. The chief advantage of the high school consists in the fact that it gives the pupil some chance for greater maturity, wider vision, and better self-knowledge before plunging into the occupations, whether "enervating" or "energizing." Meantime the student will exhibit tastes and interests, and surely these should be regarded in the making of his program, and in the continuance of it.

If the high school would train the boys and girls so that they would be ready to go after something with assurance, then they could settle such things as wages when they go to work. (Minneapolis, 11.)

English, and especially oral English, is essential in all programs; it is most potent in developing interest and personal power, clearness of thought, and is especially the means for moral and social training. This is emphasized in Bridgeport, 92, 120; East Orange, 55; New York, Vol. II, 285, 293; Montclair, 22; Indust. Com., Md., 16; Vermont (Bulletin 7), 85, 100, 101.

But standards in English are needed.-(2d Boise, 26.)
Dramatization is helpful.-(Leavenworth (Ms.).)

Debating clubs give interest and power.-(Counties Ala., 136.) Teachers ought to be able to use good English.-(City School Supervision, 107.)

Poor quality of instruction in English is noted in the Ohio State survey.

The old Committee of Ten1 declared that every teacher of every department should feel responsible for the use of good English on the part of his pupils.

Teachers of science and shop practice need to teach English.- (Gary, 44.)

History, civics, and economics.-"Knowledge of civics is not the most pressing need of our schools; the first and most pressing need is the exercise of civic virtues," according to Kerschensteiner, Education for Citizenship, 97.

But the student should give at least one year's attention to a study of the government of city, State, and Nation, according to the statement in Portland, 161.

Citizens who do not understand public questions imperil the welfare of the State and Nation.-(Rural School Commission, North Dakota, 13.)

History and civics should receive adequate time.-(Montclair, 14.)

1 P. 21.

Only 3.2 per cent of school time is devoted to civics.-(Ohio, 13.)

Knowledge of civics and history is necessary for good citizenship.—(Industrial Commission, Md., 17; Syracuse, 37.)

Local history should receive especial attention.-(Baltimore, 84; Bridgeport, 128.) Pupils should learn to appreciate and feel the spirit of history.—(Butte, 56.)

In Modern Educational Theory it has been common to define the aim of education in terms of social efficiency. * These qualities may be expressed as follows:

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(1) Sympathy, or responsiveness to social needs.

(2) Intelligence or ability to think straight with respect to those issues which involve all members of the community.

(3) Habit of acting for common good.-(Butte, 37.)

This is the age when the community ideal is uppermost.-(Nutley, 16.)

But a spirit of confidence, cooperation, and good will in the atmosphere of the school itself are certainly quite as influential as a knowledge of community needs. When sympathy and a spirit of cooperation are once developed in the child, a knowledge of social needs will add a social quality to his character.-(South Bend, 119.)

In short, the schools are developing a social consciousness that leads them to measure their efficiency in terms of social service.-(Emporia, 259.)

It would seem that much of our trouble between labor and capital might be avoided by a deeper knowledge of social conditions; and if "social consciousness" and especially social good will really enter the child's being, it is not probable that they will fail him in his manhood.

Latin, Greek, Algebra, and Geometry.-It is an odd fact that while the renaissance and revival of learning began with a revived interest in Greek and Latin authors, at the present time practically most of the ills that education is heir to are ascribed to these so-called dead languages. Around their tombs fierce battles have been fought, and the contest is not wholly decided yet, but it must be admitted that the trend of the surveys is against them.

To-day Latin, algebra, and higher mathematics can no longer be foisted upon thousands of unwilling high school and normal school and college students merely in the name of an alleged culture.-(New Orleans (D. S. Hill), 56.)

The result is that many small high schools provide Latin to an extent out of all proportion to the resources of the school.-Connecticut Board of Education (1907–1909). Education in the high schools of New York is declared to be too scholastic; Latin, mathematics, etc., being required of all.-(New York, Vol. I, 163.)

The Vermont report describes the injury done by the classical college program in the Vermont educational system.1

Most students not going to college should not be allowed to take Latin.-(East Orange, 55.)

I do not intend to disparage the educational value of the classical course for those pupils who obviously profit by it.-(Montclair, 24.)

The old curriculum of Latin, Greek, and mathematics still has its unique place for a few students with interest and time to follow them to fruition.-(New Orleans (Hill), 55.)

1 P. 82, et seq.