“An entirely new course of study should be made out for this school.  Subjects which have been considered necessary in a high school, because they tend to develop the mind, should not for this reason only be placed in a commercial course.  Subjects should not be given because they strengthen the mind, but the subjects which are necessary in this course should be given in such a way as to strengthen the mind.  The mathematics in this school should consist of business arithmetic and mensuration.  We can see no reason for giving these students either algebra or geometry.  But they should be taught short and practical methods of working business problems.”

We find here a recommendation since carried out that indicates a clear recognition of the principle of adaptation of the course of study to actual needs.  Carried out to its logical conclusion, and applied to the entire city system, it raises questions as to the advisability of requiring algebra of girls in any of the high school courses; or of requiring it of that large number of boys looking forward to vocations that do not involve the generalized mathematics of algebra.  Now either the commercial students do need algebra or a large proportion of these others do not need it.  It seems advisable here to do nothing more than to present the question as one which the city needs to investigate.  The present practice, in Cleveland as elsewhere, reveals inconsistency.  In one or the other of the schools a wrong course is probably being followed.  The current tendency in public education is toward agreement with the principle enunciated by the Cleveland Educational Commission, and toward a growing and consistent application of it.

Differentiation in the mathematics of different classes of pupils is necessary.  The public schools ought to give the same mathematics to all up to that level where the need is common to all.  Beyond that point, mathematics needs to be adapted to the probable future activities of the individual.  There are those who will need to reach the higher levels of mathematical ability.  Others will have no such need.

There is a growing belief that even for those who are in need of algebra the subject is not at present organized in desirable ways.  It is thought that, on the one hand, it should be knit up in far larger measure with practical matters, and on the other, it should be developed in connection with geometry and trigonometry.  The technical high schools of Cleveland have adopted this form of organization.  Their mathematics is probably greatly in advance of that of the academic schools.

GEOMETRY