Scarborough High School - Four Corners Yearbook (Scarborough, ME)

Page 16 text:

14 THE FOUR CORNERS concentration are the prime factors in these subjects, rather than the system un- der which they are taught. Graduates of European secondary schools are superior in formal courtesy, restraint and. intel- lectual discipline. They are also superior in language pro1'iciency, spoken or written, native or foreign, modern or classical. American high school graduates are superior in initiative, coiiperation, friend- liness, and the capacity for attaining happiness even under adverse circum- stances, and a sense of humor' which, by and large, no conditions however dire, C211 utterly etface. In general, Europeans know moreg Americans live more. In our educational system we stress the importance of exact knowledge in preparation for highly spe- cialized careersg we provide workshops to teach vocational skills, but in our entire educational procedure the emphasis is on preparing the student for the responsibili- ties and joys of living in a democratic world. Thus, the American ideal is an education modeled on the plan of the Con- stitution: specific and accurate enough to attain definite objectives, but elastic enough to accommodate the needs of an expanding personality.

Page 15 text:

THE FOUR CORNERS 13' Our curriculum has been immeasurably enriched by the addition of music during recent years. Courses offered have been music appreciation, boys' glee club, girls' glee club, and orchestra. Music has be- come an important feature of our school entertainments as well as a source of deep personal gratification. Once a year the glee clubs and orchestra have an oppor- tunity to participate in the Western Maine Music Festival. Physical education has undergone many changes since 1913. Boys and girls have two or three full periods for physical edu- cation a week. This unfortunately is limited only to Juniors and Seniors at present. Needless to say, we are looking forward to having the program include all four classes in the not too distant future. lt is well to mention at this point, how- ever, that every pupil, not only in high school, but in the town, receives a thorough physical examination once a year through the town nursing service. We are very fortunate in having the headquarters of the nursing service in our buildingg this has proved invaluable in one or two emer- gencies. In less conspicuous ways there have been curricular changes adapted to the needs of the ninety per cent who do not consider college or normal school their goal. Junior business, a course largely composed of practical problems affecting the personal budget, bookkeeping, office practicegprescnt day problems, commer- cial law fthe latter three are advanced courses for Seniors onlyj, have been added in recent years. We feel very fortunate to have had so wide a range of excellent courses offered during our years at Scarboro High School. We are looking ahead to the further ex- pansion of our school program, which will certainly come if our progress proceeds at the same rate as it has done in the past thirty-two years. THE AMERICAN IDEAL Secondary education in America has been for many years far different from that of European countries. Of course, we disregard as unworthy of discussion the utterly despicable system adopted by the Axis countries during the decade preced- ing the war and intensified during the war, which pervadcd especially the teaching of literature, music, religion, and social studies. But even in the democracies of Europe educational reform has not kept pace with changing ideals of government. This may be either the cause or the result of tl1e persistence of aristoc1'atic social pro- cedure side by side with democratic politi- cal procedure. Secondary schools in Europe are still conducted on an aristocratic basis. Such schools are largely private, hence for the select minority: tcaehcrs make and enforce rules in a highly arbitrary system, which persists in granting privileges according to class seniority, with an almost awed re- spect thc due of the teaching staff. Most unfortunate of all. this emphasis on disci- pline, this apparent desire o11 the part of parents and educators to keep from spoil- ing children. pervades the home itself. Vhildrcn arc kept in their place, which is a place always definitely below that of their parents and from which they must earn their way by respect, discipline, and restraint into the adult circle of family life. The mutual courtesy and intimate comradcship existing between the parents and children of American homes, 0116 of our most cherished relationships, is per- haps the basis of the friendly courtesy existing in our secondary schools between students and teachers. .Xnd what are the results of our respective systems? For those specializing i11 mathematics and science and the creative arts the achievements are practically parallel. Brilliance, on the part of instructors and students, plus powers and willingness of

Page 17 text:

Senior Periscope