THE BASE OF LEARNING

The National Education Association whose membership consists of about 150,000 school superintendents and teachers, has made a curious recommendation concerning high school curricula. According to the report in "Time", the society desires a closer alliance of secondary school subjects with those of the grammar chool. As a reason for this liaison, the argument is urged that since only a small proportion of the students intend entering college, their needs should not dominate the courses given. In the theory of the immortal average, the greatest good of the greatest number, this attitude finds its justification.

Although ease of transition from elementary to grammar school is important, it is no less necessary to maintain intact the educational connection with the college. Unless one is to deny many a boy of moderate circumstances adequate training for university work, the public school must accept the burden of that preparation. Already a gap exists between the college requirements, as enforced through the entrance examinations, and the ordinary high school training. Making the gulf wider by increasing the emphasis on practical rather than cultural subjects in the secondary schools is a violation of that democratic principle which strives to give every man opportunity proportionate to his abilities. This theory seems at least as venerable as the idealization of the average.

If the colleges are not to relapse into institutions operated for the benefit of a single class, the way must be kept open for able recruits from the public schools. By admitting free from examination men in the ranking seventh of their graduating class, Harvard has done much to preserve this necessary contact. It remains for the high schools to enforce cultural standards which furnish adequate preparation for college work.