35 



Before the four year course was established at the Milwaukee 

 County school, arrangements were occasionally made for pupils to take 

 desired academic work in the Wauwatosa high school. Would not a 

 plan whereby pupils could take all their academic work in the regular 

 high schools be feasible? Arrangements could be made for Wauwa- 

 tosa pupils to take such work for one year in the Wauwatosa High 

 School, for Milwaukee pupils in the Milwaukee High Schools, etc. 

 Or pupils might spend a small part of their regular time in the Wau- 

 watosa High School. This would absolve the requirements for a 

 high school diploma admitting to the university. The cost of instruc- 

 tion in high schools is less than that in the county agricultural school 

 and a saving would be effected. Such a plan would require an under- 

 standing and a method of co-ordination between the county school 

 and the other schools concerned. 



A common criticism of the agricultural schools is that their courses 

 lack in content, that there is insufficient material to fill the large number 

 of courses and make them "meaty." If this is true of the Milwaukee 

 County School there could have been no excuse for a three year 

 course, to say nothing of a four. The truth of this matter, however, 

 can only be determined by months of careful classroom observation 

 and a thoro study of the content of each course. It is recommended 

 that the board of administration take steps to learn if this emptiness 

 exists in the subjects offered. If it does it should be eliminated by 

 combination of subjects, by shortening the course, or by more in- 

 tensive work. 



The argument against the four year course briefly is: 



The effort to make a high school out of the county agricultural 

 school is a perversion of its function. High schools should teach 

 agriculture and should prepare for the university. For the boy who 

 intends to continue agricultural work at the university the high school 

 work is sufficient, or can be made so without cutting too much into other 

 subjects. The county agricultural school is for the boy who wants ag- 

 riculture but does not want to go, or cannot afford to go, to the univer- 

 sity, or to take the previous work required for university entrance. He 

 wants to substitute the county agricultural school for the university. 

 To make him substitute it for high school instead is to defeat his ends 

 and the ends of the school. If suitable and sufficient work can be 

 given in two years there should be a two year course. If four years 

 are necessary there should be a four year course, but it should be a four 

 year course in agriculture. 



This argument applies equally to domestic science. 



The argument in favor of the four year course is that it offers the 

 same work as is offered in the three year course with the addition of a few 



