Prescott High School - Hassayamper Yearbook (Prescott, AZ)

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Retrospect and Prospect “Felix quo potuit rerum cognoscere causas. “Happy the man chose steadfast eye surreys The whole worlds truths, its hidden works and ways. APPY. too, the boy or girl who lias made at least a beginning toward an understanding of the processes of nature and a knowledge and appreciation of human achievement. In this jubliant mood the Prescott High School is now sending forth its seventh graduating class and may be pardoned if it calls the attention of the public to the service it has rendered and promises to render in the future. Forty graduates have gone forth from its class-rooms, about ninety per cent of whom have entered some higher institution of learning, either technical or normal school, college or uni- versity. They are scattered all over this broad land from Stan- ford to W ellesly, and. and with one exception, have been ad- mitted everywhere without examination, upon the school’s recommendation. 1 he foundation of its curriculum is a uniform requirement made up of four years’ work in English : two in Ancient, Med- ieval and Modern History: two and one-half in Mathematics: two in Physics and some other science: and two in foreign language, either ancient or modern. In order to graduate a pupil has to supplement this with three and one-half units from elective studies. His choice of electives determines whether he is to graduate from a Latin-Scientific, Scientific. Literary. Latin-Modern or Manual-Training course. Systematic work in various forms of public speaking is a part of the work in Eng- lish and one hour a week is devoted to choral music. Not the least important is the care and attention given both to indoor and outdoor athletics and to the social diversion of pupils, whenever these are carried on under the auspices of the school. The average American High School makes its chief claim to excellence on the basis of its record as a preparatory school. Yet we are confident that the few. who. have been obliged to give up their intellectual pursuits upon graduation, have at least taken up lift’s problems upon a higher plane, with better dis- ciplined mind, with fuller knowledge of the world’s treasures, with greater reserve power and with higher ideals of conduct than those who dropped out at the completion of the elemen- tary course. 1 herefore we believe that too much importance

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HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING. PRESCOTT. ARIZONA

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should not be ascribed to the current criticism that the high school leads nowhere except to the university. Aside from the more strictly acamedic courses the school has, to the extent of its resources, responded to the industrial idea, which has had such rapid growth during the last few years. It offers a special two years’ course in commercial sub- jects for those who are from any cause not adapted to the strain of a four-year course leading to graduation. Further than that, in its manual training course, mentioned above, it offers work in carpentry, wood turning, metal art work and mechanical drawing, while cooking and advanced sewing are promised for the near future. It does not require Greek oracle to foretell that this idea is destined to develop much farther, as it has already in older and wealthier communities. However we believe that this industrial idea should not be over emphasized to the extent of overshadowing our interest in the artistic and the purely intellectual, if America is to develop an intellectual and artistic supremacy of her own : that young men and women should learn to honor the man of learning as he would the captain of industry and prize the possession of wisdom and philosophic insight as they would the technical skill required for constructing a steel bridge. After all civiliza- tion is a complex matter and no one idea either in politics or education will solve all the problems that it presents. As a wise old Roman once remarked : “Wide is the field of action in a state, and for many an open highway unto glory.” Per- haps the sanest view is that young men and women should acquire and assimilate a full share of the world’s truth and beauty and equip themselves to play an efficient and worthv part in the society that is waiting to receive them. W. D. RAKER.