CHAPTER III.

SECONDARY EDUCATION.

THE NEED OF SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Whatever may be the view as to the purpose of the high school, it holds or should hold a most important place in the educational regime. The elementary school at best can but offer the very rudiments of an education and, without further training, the individual does not attain that development necessary for his highest efficiency. In the days of the pioneer, the time of brawn rather than brain, there was little time or occasion for secondary education. The common school answered the need of that early day, not because of its superior excellence, but because of the simple demands of the time. The elementary school of today, imperfect as it is, and far from attaining as yet that measure of effectiveness that it ought, does not suffer in comparison with the school of yore. The school of our forefathers was not that embodiment of thoroughness often ascribed to it, nor the creator of the great men and women that have gone forth from its door, and who have thrown about it a halo not at all its own. It was not so much the school, as the time, the occasion, and the environment, that fashioned these men and women who left their impress on the life of the nation. The conditions of life have so changed, socially, commercially, economically, that what was formerly amply sufficient is now wholly inadequate. Today, a secondary education is almost a necessity for thorough efficiency in any walk of life. This training is given during the most eventful period in the life of the individual, the most potent character-building period of all the years, and its importance well deserves the best thought and attention that can be given it.

THE ORIGIN OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.

The modern high school is largely a product of the last half of the 19th century. For a time, the academies1 were the chief

1 See chap. I, p. 14.

means for secondary education, but early in the 19th century there arose a demand for schools under public control. Various influences contributed to this end. Free elementary schools had become an established fact, and the idea of education under public control was abroad in the land. With the development of the elementary school system, there came to be a large number of children not intended for college or professional life who, nevertheless, were ready for further school privileges. Better social and economic conditions tended to increase this class. The first step to meet this growing demand for more extended training was taken by the larger towns and municipalities. The schools thus established as an upward extension or outgrowth of the elementary schools were regarded as the schools of the people, in contradistinction from the academies, the schools for those who were able to pay. The right of school authorities to thus maintain public high schools was established in the well-known Kalamazoo case.2

To Boston belongs the honor of establishing the first English high school in this country, in 1821. Before the Civil War, the number of high schools established was comparatively small. Dr. Harris estimates it at forty. There were doubtless others which bore this name, though probably not much more than advanced elementary schools. By 1870, according to the same authority, the number had increased to at least 160, and by 1880, to 800. It is, however, especially the last decade or two that may be designated as a high school era. From 2,526 public high schools, with 202,963 students, in 1890, the number had increased to 8,960 schools and 770,456 students, in 1908, and to 10,234 schools and 984,677 students, in 1910.5

4

STATE REQUIREMENTS AS TO COURSES OF STUDY.

The early high schools were often founded under special charters and statutes, hence, it is difficult to determine their statutory provisions. The law usually provided that the studies. to be pursued should be determined by the local board. While

2 See chap. IV.

Harris: Recent growth of public high schools, etc. Proc. N. E. A., '01, p. 175.

4 U. S. Commissioner's Report, 1908, vol. 2, pp. 861, 865.

the legal enactments do not always keep pace with the needs and educational progress of the time, and the law doubtless does not reflect fully the place occupied by secondary education, the statutes of all the states and territories, without exception, contain some legislation on this important subject, and indicate the change that has taken place in respect to secondary school administration.

In the control of the secondary curricula today, the different states pursue as varying a policy, as they do in the elementary school, but the power of performing this function for the former is not yet vested so widely in state authorities as the latter. In twenty-four states, the determination of the curriculum is left to the local school board (or board of education, board of directors, school committee, etc.) which, however, in a few cases must conform to some general authority or direction. In Arizona, the course of study must be approved by the State Board of Education; in California, by the County Board of Education, except in cities and incorporated towns; in Iowa, by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction." The course of study of rural high schools in Michigan must be approved by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the President of the Michigan Agricultural College.10 In North Dakota, the State High School Board has the power to establish necessary and suitable rules regarding examinations, classification of schools and courses of study, and no state aid shall be granted by said board to any school until the report of the high school inspector has been examined and found satisfactory.11 Six states12 vest this power to formulate the high school curriculum in the state superintendent, while fourteen others13 make it the duty of the state board of edu

6 Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, New York, Oklahoma, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

7 Arizona, Sch. L. '12, sec. 82.

s California, Sch. L. '13, sec. 1750.

9 Iowa, Sch. L. '11, sec. 2776.

10 Michigan, Sch. L. '11, p. 157, sec. 4.

11 North Dakota, Sch. L. '11, chap. 267, secs. 1034, 1036.

12 Alabama, Missouri, North Carolina, Oregon (for the first two years of Co. H. S. The last two years are determined by the Co. H. S. B'd), Vermont, Wisconsin.

13 Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, Nevada, Oregon (for union H. S.), South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia,

cation. Florida assigns this work to a committee consisting of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and "of not less. than six or more than ten most capable persons, of whom not less than one-third shall be presidents or principals of state institutions for higher education, and not less than one-third shall be principals of high or graded schools." In Washington, it is the all districts of the first

duty of the principal of each school, in class (districts maintaining high schools of not less than a two years course of study), to prepare a course of study, under the direction of the city board of education, which must be approved by the state superintendent before going into effect.15 Pennsylvania makes it the duty of the superintendent having supervision of the high school, subject to the modification of school directors.16 For Hawaii, the department of public instruction, consisting of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and six commissioners, prescribes the courses of study for high schools.17

EXTENT OF STATE CONTROL.

Eighteen18 states prescribe specific requirements more or less extensive. For the county high schools of Tennessee the law provides:

"In every county high school shall be taught all the branches of study now required or permitted by law to be taught in the secondary schools, excepting and excluding the branches named to be taught in the five grades of the primary schools; and in addition such other high school branches may be taught as the Board of Education may prescribe as necessary to prepare pupils for college or for business. The county high schools shall be graded by the Board of Education under the general regulations of the State Superintendent and the supervision of the County Superintendent, beginning with the sixth grade, which sixth grade shall be adjusted for the admission of pupils who have completed the five grades of the primary schools."19"

Indiana enacted in 1907 that:

"The public schools of the state be and are defined and distinguished as (a) elementary schools and (b) high schools. The

14 Florida, Sch. L. '11, p. 35, sec. 78.

15 Washington, Sch. L. '13, p. 126, sec. 268.

16 Pennsylvania, Sch. L. '13, p. 95, sec. 1712.

17 Hawaii, Sch. L. '11, p. 9, sec. 25.

18 Cal., Fla., Ga., Kan., Me., Md., Mo., Mich., Neb., N. H., N. J., Okla.,

O., Ore., Tenn., Va., Vt., Wis.

elementary schools shall include the first eight years of school work, and the course of study for such years that which is now prescribed or may hereafter be prescribed by law. The commissioned high schools shall include not less than four year's work, following the eight years in the elementary schools. The high school course in non-commissioned high schools shall be uniform throughout the state and shall follow a course to be established and amended or altered from time to time as occasion may arise, by the state board of education.

"The following enumerated studies shall be taught in all Commissioned high schools throughout the state, together with such additonal studies as any local board of education may elect to have taught in its high school: Provided, That such additions shall be subject to revision of the state board of education. Mathematics: Commercial arithmetic, algebra, geometry. History: United States, ancient, medieval or modern. Geography: Commercial or physical. English: Composition, rhetoric. Literature: English, American. Language (foreign): Latin or German. Science: Biology, physics or chemistry. Civil government: General, state. Drawing. Music."20

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.

California, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon and Tennessee, specify minimum requirements, which must be observed in the framing of the course of study.

21

The statutes of Florida require of the committee before mentioned that the "course of study shall require minimum requirements and shall be arranged as far as practicable to secure equality of mental power and training among those completing its instruction." But the course of study "shall not prescribe unnecessary details as to order or methods of instruction, though it may recommend such details."22

The requirements in Oregon are as follows:

"The course of study for high schools in this state shall embrace a period of four years, above the eighth grade of the public schools of this state, and shall contain two years of required work, which shall be uniform in all high schools of the state. Such course of study for the two years of required work shall be laid down by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, after due consultation with all county and district high school boards in the

20 Indiana, Sch. L. '11, p. 112, secs. 133, 134.

21 See appendix.

22 Florida, Sch. L. '11, p. 35, sec. 78.