PAPERS ON PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION 437 



is applicable especially to the three-year junior cycle of 

 secondary education. Out of the score of arguments 

 which have been made in defense of the junior high school 

 idea or spirit, the reorganization of subject matter is 

 one that is of relatively large importance. The growth 

 in the number of junior high schools has been so phe- 

 nomenal that in many, if not in most instances, real cur- 

 riculum reconstruction has not yet been accomplished. 

 On. the other hand, there are several large cities, and a 

 number of individual schools, that have modified the na- 

 ture of the content very materially. 



Such modification is inevitable if once it be granted 

 that the subject matter should be related to the objec- 

 tives outlined. Furthermore, it means the elimination 

 of certain non-functioning materials from certain sub- 

 jects, as well as the addition of other phases than the 

 mere traditional subjects. Dismissing for the moment 

 the debatable issue as to whether the secondary school 

 should have an inflexible curriculum or differentiated 

 curricula, there is large agreement to the effect that at 

 least the first two years of the junior high school should 

 offer a common body of knowledge ivhich serves as a time 

 of exploration and adjustment for the pupil. 



To determine upon the proportionate amount of time, 

 if any, to be given during each week to English, general 

 mathematics, general science, introductory social studies, 

 health, or physical education, industrial arts, home econ- 

 omics, music, art, guidance, occupational studies, and 

 school activities, is one phase of the curriculum making 

 problem. To determine upon the nature of the larger 

 units of subject matter and their sequence to be offered 

 under the above named subjects in the light of a half 

 dozen or more accepted common objectives is another 

 important phase of curriculum construction. 



The above enumerated subjects represent a composite 

 list taken from several typical junior high school pro- 

 grams of studies. One city suggests a percentage dis- 



