Gainesville High School - Hurricane Yearbook (Gainesville, FL)

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GAINESYILLE HIGH SVHOOL, 1915 university. All these things and more make books one of the great ma- terials ot' education. In the education ot' the future, books must take a greater part than they have yet assumed. He who learns to use books wisely has in his possession a tool of great power. No school can afford to send boys and girls out into the world without lveing' thus equipped. it is this fact that has resulted in so many schools accumulating good libraries for young people. The organization of reading circles has been invaluable in many cases. Many problems in school discipline have been solved in an easy manner by reason ot' the reading circle. The bad boy often forgets to lze ltad if he is interested in some line book of adventure. The restless l:oy becomes quiet and the silly girl sane under the magic spell of a good book. Many parents have caught, through these same books, their first glimpse ot' the world of story, and as a result have themselves become pat- rons of libraries. Experience has convinced many that nothing is so etfective for children of the grades as a school room with its book shelf Iilled with just the things a child loves. Given these favorable conditions, the child goes forth into the world with good taste, good reading habits, good character well started, or, if perchance he goes into the high school from the grades, he has a knowledge of books that can be used etiectively. A high school without a library is as impossible as a high school with- out a laboratory or a high school without an adequate teaching corps. As to size and quality of this library there will be various notions. It cannot be too large, but much discretion should be used in the selection of it. Books should be selected in accordance with the age ot' children and their ability to absorb the contents. The modern school provides a wealth of literature for all grades and, instead of being compelled to grind through text books, children are read- ing with enthusiasm and understanding a variety of high class books. The great problem which the school hasin connection with the library is to develop the habit of its proper use. The great problem which the li- brary has in connection with the school, is to secure as extensive a use ot' books as is possible. The old View of the relation of the libra1'y to the school was that the Iii,-rary was a very useful adjunct to the school, but the school of today recognizes the fact that the library field is of equal importance with its own. The old idea of the library was that of a reservoir into which was gath- ered the materials for use within narrow range. The modern idea of the 18

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GAINESYILLE HIGH SCHOOL. 1915 not stop there but will extend more and more completely to the field of subjects before distasteful to him. We have as yet touched only briefly on other phases of community and social life whose interests the high school should and must serve. School is not merely preparation for life, but is in no small degree life itself. And though this period stands at the threshold of life in its complete state, yet those who are pupils must now begin to meet and solve the problems which meet one on every hand. We have said that the high school is not merely a preparatory school for college and yet it must make adequate provision for those who desire a higher education. This is and must always be a subject for serious con- sideration on the part of both high school and university authorities. Our system of education in Florida is so arranged that there need be no decided gap between the kindergarten and the State University or Wo- man's College. Thus the graduate of the high school, who so desires, may turn to one or the other of these institutions with as little inconvenience or interruption to work as is experienced in passing from the lower grades into the high school. Hence this correlation between high school and university niust not be overlooked, but it w'ill always remain necessary for the high school to provide such instruction as is required for the foundation for a university education. We may conclude then that the high school occupies a position of vast importance in the States educational system: and, as it recognizes and meets the requirements imposed upon it, in just such proportion will it justify its existence and increase its value and usefulness to the State. T. J. SWEARINGISN, JR. THE GENERAL VALUE OF LIBRARIES TO SCHOOLS The schools of America, and especially the public schools, are doing great things for the country. They are the future hope of the republic, and with out schools its days would be numbered. The schools have labored hard to give the youth all needed informa- tion, that is, the fundamentals of knowledge. In recent years other things have been added to these, such as manual training, domestic science, draw- ing, music, agriculture, and many other subjects of practical value. Books and their uses is a topic of great signiiicance to teachers, and is of real importance to every grade of the schools from the primary to the 17

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GAINESYILLE HIGH SCHOOL. 1915 lihrary is that it is a fountain sending out. as well as gathering in, for it- self. In many communities experiments are heing carried on tending to make the school a community center and these experiments are in many cases successful. Through the use ofthe school huilding as a community center the value of the school lilgrary to the community will he inestimahle. The time will come, no doubt, when the school building will I:-ecome the real social center of the community, and when that time comes it is safe to say that every school will lie equipped with carefully selected hooks for the use not merely of the children hut also of adults. The whole academic life in America is weakened lizy the mad desire for credit. Many of our young people go to the lilzrary as a reference for examinations. thus piling up credit instead of culture. For the relief of this situation the most potent factor yet discovered is the library con- nected with the school. Every high school boy or girl will become a lover of hooks if the proper opportunity is given. The lover and reader of hooks is always ready to communicate something to his associates. He is then on the road to a good conversational powe1'. It is doubtful whether the school through any other line of endeavor has so great an opportunity to influence the life of our country as through the liberal use of the library. With all the enlargements of our curriculum let us continue to give the library its proper place in the school and in the lives of children. HELEN HOLDER. STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL A modern high school must have student organizations to be complete. Without them, important duties of the school will he left undone. Al- though student organizations are necessary, there lies great danger in hav- ing too many. If a school is in such a condition, the students do no one society justice, and at the same time possibly they are slighting studies. Literary societies are essential for any high school. They are the foun- dation of practice in public speaking and legislation. By means of such societies the students learn parliamentary rules and the necessity of order. It is very important also that each class of the high school have its organ- ization. In this way the spirit and unity of each class may he realized. 19