Fairport High School - Hourglass Yearbook (Fairport, NY)

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Oi ll l THE HOUR GLASS ! !l !0 5. It is the teachers place to hold the pupils in school, not drive them away. The ideal teacher is one who is willing to put herself or himself on the same level with the pupil, can be com- panionable to the scholar, eager to help and interested in the welfare of the pupil, always prepared, keeps order in the class- room, and one who has a neat appearance . Teachers have much influence on the pupils they teach and great responsibility lies with the teachers. 6. Many pupils fail a subject, which is not due to lack of preparing their work, but because the subject is not suited to their line of thought and therefore should not be a compulsory subject. A number of courses should be arranged under certain restrictions giving the pupil a chance to develop his ability along one certain phase of work. The school needs to be re- organized so that pupils will be able to take a course fitted to their talents and abilities. -Harriet Bingham Relations of Church and School The first schools that we know were founded as supplements to the religious institutions of the time. In Egypt, and other countries of the same period of civilization, schools were set up to train men for the priesthood, and the priests were the only educated men with the exception of a very few men who were considered marvels of learning because they could read and write. There was possibly one of these men in each village, and he was looked up to and respected as the foremost man of the community. As a whole, the nation was entirely illiterate, as all other peoples of that stage of civilization were. Wlien the Hebrews became a settled nation, and built cities instead of setting up tents, they, too, founded schools. These schools were held in the synagogues, and the subjects were all either religious or historical. These institutions of learning were taught by the elders of the church, but they were for the use of all the boys of the community. Likewise, the Christian church fostered its own schools and universities. The universities were mainly for the instruction of prospective priests, but the lower schools, held in the mon- asteries, were open to all the boys whose parents could pay the Page Twenty-four

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0 THE HOUR GLASS i ll l0 tivities should be concerned with individual and community health. 5. Teachers are the fifth reason. Sometimes it is Htoo much discipline, and Mfailure to get along With the teachers, Hdis- couragement by the teachers, and 'tteaehers who are not de- pendable. The main reason that should be remedied is that teachers do discourage pupils directly and indirectly. G. Under mental adjustment comes these reasons given by lVarren XV. Coxe for pupils leaving school : too much homework, too many subjects, and discouragement due to failure. The following conclusions and remedies may be drawn: 1. The high school course should be so arranged as to offer some subjects useful to thc pupils. If the pupil does not get along Well in mathematics, a course should be had in school so that the course would not contain geometry, commercial arith- metic, and intermediate algebra. Since mathematics is hard for the pupil, he Would never take it as a life Work, therefore it is not going to benefit him greatly in taking such a course in his school life. Courses should be arranged so that a person may study on only the subjects that will benefit him in his career. If this method would be carried out pupils would see that school is help- ful and they would be more apt to make a success of high school, instead of feeling that in certain subjects time is being Wasted. 2. The value of education should be taught in the school. In this Way it is forever before the pupil's mind Why he needs ed- ucation and of What benefit it will be to him all through life. If emphasis is not put on Why tl1e pupil is attending school, the pupil will soon have other aims and Will not think education is of importance. 3. Although the high school cannot directly control the economical conditions of the pupil's family, it can control in a small Way. The school can cut down on expenses entering the school by having a. special fund in the school devoted to buying books for students. A school does not usually have such finan- cial funds, but if the school could look into the homes and find out just what families are in need, then school supplies could be given to these pupils by the school. 4. Examinations should be given more often in school so diseases Will be discovered before they are spread to other class- mates. A community nurse should be secured by the town so that diseases which start in the pupil's family Will not be brought into the school. Page Twenty-three

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0i !! ! THE HOUR GLASS i ll !O price. The curriculum in these schools also consisted of religious subjects, in the main. lVhen free schools came, they were sponsored by the church. Until comparatively recent years, the churches and schools have cooperated to some extent. Every school at least had morning chapel exercises. But now the two institutions have separated, and are run without interest in each other. They barely recog- nize each other. Especially is this true of the school. The church is willing to help the school in all possible ways, but the school stands quite aloof. These two institutions should work together, since both have the same aims. Neither could accomplish much without the other. The church could do little of its work if its members were unable to read or to understand the sermons given. The school could accomplish little unless its pupils had the inclination to learn, which the church tends to instil in their minds. All the in- struction offered by the school would not help the world much without the character that the church creates. The curricula of the church and school are supplementary. The school teaches practical, physical, and cultural subjects, while the church instructs in spiritual lines, such as character building, the usefulness of religion, and the pleasure of service. Briefly, it may be said that the school furnishes the cqmpfmcfnt to live well, but church furnishes the desire to live well. So, since the aims of church and school are fundamentally the same, namely, to create a better civilization for the world, it seems to me that they should lend more help and understand- ing to each other. With a little cooperation between the two, their combined efforts can bring greater and better results than they do at present. If those who execute the business of the school were more interested in the welfare of the church, many pupils who would otherwise never see the inside of a church, will be encouraged to attend this institution. lf the church shows sympathy in the problems of the school, it stands to reason that the school will be benefited by this interest. --Kathryn Parke Any experience that contributes toward the equitable de- velopment of the spiritual, intellectual, and physical endow- ments of man is worthy of encouragement in the name of educa- tion. lt is in the accomplishment of these objectives that a high school education finds its value and justifies its purpose. Thomas Plassmann, President of St. Bonaventure College Page Twenty-five