Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/766

 SHORTENING THE COLLEGE COURSE: THE SOCIAL POINT OF VIEW.

EVERYONE at all familiar with the history of modern educa- tion knows that during the past four or five centuries all pro- gressive peoples have been steadily strengthening and enriching their systems of public instruction. To provide a more extended and a better training for all children has been the aim constantly before enlightened statesmen and ruling bodies. One cannot fail to be impressed with the vigor of this movement, if he will compare what is being done today in America, or England, or France, or Germany with the best that was done anywhere in the world, even as late as in the time of John Locke, who has told us much of the ideals and practices of his age. Then a boy was thought to be well equipped for life if he received eight or ten years of tuition in the classics ; and only the favored few, the elite, who had leisure, were expected to have such an elaborate schooling as this. But now in most of the great nations every child is given the privilege of, and is even required to pursue, a long course of training at public expense. In our own country and in some others it is not only the common or elementary school that is free to all children ; but anyone who chooses and is qualified therefor may spend four years more in the high school as a ward of the public, and many in every community avail themselves of this opportunity. And this is not all ; among us nearly every commonwealth maintains its university, which is practically free to the youths of the state who have mastered what is presented in the schools below ; and here they may remain at least a half-dozen years, if they wish and have the ability to take advantage of the opportunities offered them.

The ambition everywhere, these later years, has been to lengthen the school period for all children. Public sentiment has approved every effort that has been made to achieve this end. The cry has come from all quarters: "Keep the boy at school." Parents have sacrificedtheir own comforts that they might

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