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Chicago High School.

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR A

HIGH SCHOOL,

EMBRACING

A GENERAL COURSE

AND

A CLASSICAL COURSE.

THE circumstances of different cities and towns are so various, that it is impossible to devise a course of study equally adapted to all high schools.

The following outline embodies substantially the course adopted in the Chicago High School. Some of its features have been borrowed from the course of study adopted in Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Boston, and other cities, and some of them are the fruit of observation and experiment during a period of six years.

The greatest danger, even with the time extended to four years, is that of crowding too much labor into each period of the course. It is not always sufficient to arrange the course so that pupils will not be required to carry a large number of studies at a time. Cases will frequently arise in which certain

High School Course.

portions of a text-book may, without serious loss, be either omitted altogether, or used only for occasional reference. These should by all means be marked in the class, and treated accordingly. A reasonable amount well learned, is better than more learned imperfectly; and either of these is far better than the highest intellectual acquisitions obtained in exchange for good health.

When the time of the course is reduced to three years, still greater care will be required to avoid tasking pupils beyond their strength, and to prevent them from overtasking themselves. The tendency to this evil will be greatly diminished, if pupils can be retained in the grammar schools till they are thoroughly prepared to enter the high school. No pupil should be received to the high school under twelve years of age, and in many cases thirteen years would be a better limit to establish.

The highest standard of requirement in all the classes should be attainable by pupils of average capacity, without the necessity of studying during hours required for exercise and relaxation. But in attempting to remove the evil of overtasking pupils, we should remember that there is also danger of falling into the opposite extreme. If pupils are tasked beyond their strength, the school is justly chargeable with blame. But if the standard is dropped so low that it fails to stimulate the scholars to habits of thoroughness and self-reliance, then is the school itself a failure, and every community would so regard it.

General Department.

HIGH SCHOOL.

SYNOPSIS OF THE GENERAL COURSE.

FIRST YEAR.

FIRST TERM.-Algebra; German or Latin; Descriptive Geography. SECOND TERM.-Algebra; German or Latin; English Grammar and Analysis.

THIRD TERM.-Arithmetic; German or Latin; Physical Geography.

SECOND YEAR.

FIRST TERM.-Algebra; German or Latin; Universal History. SECOND TERM.-Geometry; German or Latin; Universal History. THIRD TERM.-Geometry; German or Latin; Universal History; Botany.

THIRD YEAR.

FIRST TERM.-Geometry; German, or Latin, or French; Physiology; Rhetoric.

SECOND TERM.-Trigonometry; German, or Latin, or French; Natural Philosophy; English Literature.

THIRD TERM.-Mensuration, Navigation, and Surveying; German, or Latin, or French; Natural Philosophy; English Literature

FOURTH YEAR.

FIRST TERM.-Astronomy; German, or Latin, or French; Intellectual Philosophy; Constitution of United States and Book-keeping. SECOND TERM.-Chemistry; German, or Latin, or French; Logic Political Economy.

THIRD TERM.-Geology and Mineralogy; German, or Latin, o French; Moral Science; Political Economy.

Drawing during the second, third, and fourth years. Such at tention to reading, spelling, and penmanship, through the course, as may be necessary to secure satisfactory attainments in these branches. Rhetorical exercises, music, and physical exercises through the course.

Classical Department.

At the beginning of the third year, those in the General Department are allowed to continue their Latin or German, or choose French instead, for the remainder of the course. Thus no pupil in the General Department studies more than one foreign language at the same time, and all are permitted to take two at some time in the course.

Those pupils who elect to take Latin during the first and second years, can defer their choice between the Classical and the General Course till the commencement of the third year.

SYNOPSIS OF THE CLASSICAL COURSE.

FIRST YEAR.

FIRST TERM.-Algebra; First Latin Book; Descriptive Geog⚫ raphy.

SECOND TERM.-Algebra; First Latin Book; English Grammar and Analysis,

THIRD TERM.-Arithmetic; Latin Reader; Physical Geography.

SECOND YEAR.

FIRST TERM.-Algebra; Latin Reader; Universal History.

SECOND TERM.-Geometry; Cæsar; Universal History.
THIRD TERM.-Geometry; Cæsar; Universal History; Botany.

THIRD YEAR.

FIRST TERM.-Greek; Cæsar or Cicero; Physiology.

SECOND TERM.-Greek; Cicero; Natural Philosophy.

THIRD TERM.-Greek, Anabasis; Cicero; Natural Philosophy.

FOURTH YEAR.

FIRST TERM.-Greek, Anabasis; Virgil, Eclogues; Cicero; Latir Prose.

Forms of Organization.

SECOND TERM.-Greek; Virgil, Æneid and Georgics; Latin Prose. THIRD TERM.-Greek, Iliad; Virgil, Æneid; Review of Latin.

Drawing during the second, third, and fourth years. Rhetorical exercises, music, and physical exercises, through the course. Such attention, through the course, to reading, spelling, and penmanship, as may be necessary to secure satisfactory attainments in these branches. Classical antiquities, military affairs, during the second year. Classical antiquities, civil affairs, during the third year. Classical antiquities, mythology, during the fourth year. Ancient geography, in connection with the literature and history of Greece and Rome.

DIFFERENT FORMS OF ORGANIZATION.

In the organization of high schools, three differ ent forms have been adopted by different cities and

towns.

1. That which embraces a general course and a classical course in the same school; the parents or guardians of the pupils being allowed to elect between the two courses.

2. A division into two distinct schools, an English high school, and a classical school, each independent of the other.

3. A union of the two courses in one classical and English school, in which all the pupils are required to study both the English branches and the classics.

The first of these forms is illustrated by the course already presented, and by the course adopted in the St. Louis High School.

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