Lafayette High School - Oak Yearbook (St Joseph, MO)

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Y F W ADMINISTRATION

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5, 1 ll ll . ,.,..,T,,,,-. A. tv, , uv an raihzabuhi ' it at '-17 ' The aim of the first high school was purely American in the ideals it embodied. These ideals were: to furnish young men of the city with the means of completing a good English education g to fit them for active life or qualify them for eminence in private or public station. The development of the American high school was at first very slow. The cost of maintenance was a factor in this. The school movement met with the same opposition we find today-the opposition to increased taxation. Even after the establishment of a high school in a community, constant watchful- ness was necessary to prevent its abandonment. Up to 1880 the public high school had made little headway. This was due in part to the Civil War. However, after 1880, a rapid growth began. There were probably 500 high schools in 1870, in 1890, the number was increased to 2526. Legislative ob- jection to the establishment of schools had practically ceased because people had become accustomed to the idea that public support of high schools was necessary in a democracy. VVhile not originally begun with the idea of preparing young people for college, the high school soon manifested this purpose. Since 1900, however, laboratory sciences, manual, domestic and agricultural subjects have occupied a large place in the course of study. The introduction of new subjects was so rapid that the course of study became poorly organized. The results were: the extension of the high school course to four years, the introduction of elec- tive courses, and the custom of a number of parallel four-year courses. Today we have in our many high schools, courses such as the classical, the scientific, business, manual art, household art, agricultural, teacher training and special vocational courses. The American high school has become a place for trying out boys and girls, for developing tastes, for testing capacities, and for opening up life op- portunities. As our civilization grows the responsibility of each individual to society increases, and the' responsibility of society must increase correspond- ingly. This fact has come to be recognized and our country is providing for further improvements of the public school system. It is the duty of the American Youth to make the best of the educational opportunities given him by his forefathersg to educate and prepare himself for responsibility he must bear as a member of society. 1928 it ui 1 Page Six

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