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Show BHD OF HIGH SCHOOL WANTS THE HALF-DAY HALF-DAY SCHOOL Editor Standard It seems to m; that yon indulge In some groundlcae lenrs You are not only "from Mis-pourl." Mis-pourl." but you "cros- the bridge be fore you get to It " I have had n little experience as umpire between tho home and the school, and from this experience 1 Judge that parent.? would like to enjoy a little more free I) that which they now avail them Belyes of with hesitation, viz., the hi?Ip of the child. Large numbpr? of our students now "are regularly excused from seenth period to work." Many others are permanent ly excused for a period or two In the morning These are excusei they miss no classes Their pro grams are so arranged that they can I work. A few now are taking full ! high school work by attending during the forenoon only. That possibility is open and the opportunity embraced oven under present arrangements ol program. Besides these, many are excused daily by request over the phone or in writing These latter are sometimes excused from classes when the neeo iB urgent. Many other students come to school several days or even week:-late week:-late in the fall with the excuse thai they could not be spared from their work any sooner Others again leave with the coming of good weather lr. thf spring because they are needed for work. These experiences seem to indicate (o one who "stands be tween the fires" that there is a de mand for some such arrangement as ihe proposed plan !f the plan Is carried out, will not parents, when they know that It Will not retard education, but improve He quality, avail themselves of the help bf H1- Child? Will not manv a mother whose daughter works In domestic science and domestic art. be clad lb let the girl practice some of it In the home if she sees that the girl will graduate as soon? Will not the girl who has practiced that under the su pen .slon of her mother be a better home maker when It comes her turn to take up the responsibilities ot practical life? Will not the fathei who Is a farmer or fruitgrower or plumber or carpenter look at It id the same light' He needs the help of the boy He sacrifices that help now to the present organization ol our schools If we adopt the pio p I plan, and If he sees that he can work with his son without jeopard lzing his 6on's educational standing will he not hall that with delight' Will not the boy who has learned to work and to bear responsibility be a better citizen of the community? Not the parents of an of the high S( hool pupils will be likely to ob ject If objection comes from par cuts, it will bo from the parent ot the child further down. And 1 do not think that en that parent will object W hen the plan has been pui into operation and the parent learns how to use the outside time of the cblld, and especially when the par SUl finds out that the child's ad vi'ncement Is as rapid and more sound, even the parent of the smaller child will fair the proposed half da system If any working man ever objects, it will be the single, perhaps transient "orking man the floating working man, who comes and stays for a short time and moves on. I have nofh Lng ij say against that class My worst wish for them is that thoy all had homes and were parents. Thon thoy would be even a better addition to our community, and then een thy would not object But if the city mult choose between Its prospective permanent, valuable citizen and tho3e who abide with us while work is BASlly found, which should It favor- The plan moreo er. as far as tne hieh schools are concerned, would o into effect so gradually that peo pie would not know students were looking for work. I have tailed to find many of our students idle dur ing summer vacations At the open lng of school In September it would be only a mutter of adjusting to le 31 time, not to more time. We like your appreciation ol man ual training. We are pleased thai you boost with us for that feature 01 education In that department wr can take good care of the lew wnc can not find work or whose parentt want them in school all day. In the office here I believe that I feel daily the pulse of the people on this matter It seems, so far as ) can Judge it, to be favorable to ilir plan Another point in relation to your valuable editorial It will not be possible, according to the new plan to cut the expenses In two as you suggest. We can ap proach that SI a limit, but never ao solntely reach It. Not all the stu dent9 will at any time attend tor the half day only. Some there Will al ways be who, for various reasons, will want to spend the whole day In school. 'I he proposed plan must pro side properly for them It would not iie just nor good to keep them at Intellectual or sedentary' work all day s must be better equipped for good physical and Industrial work In all the high schools than we are at the present time The econom would be groat to the family, to the sefcool and to the taxpayers, but wt can not quite reduce the expenses oy half. Sincerely yours. 1 Signed) HENRY PETERSON |