Prescribed Mediocrity

Has the U.S. high school embarked on a retreat from solid learning? Absolutely, says Classicist John Francis Latimer of George Washington University. Latimer feels that he has evidence to prove his point. Among the results of a poll he took of 104 public-school systems in 44 states:

P: The number of secondary students studying languages has dropped from three out of four in 1900 to one out of four today. French has dropped from 8% to 5%, German from 14% to 1%, Latin from 50% to 7%.

P: In 1900 at least four out of five students took mathematics. Today fewer than half the students do, and of these, 13% are taking "general mathematics." which Latimer calls "a preparation for nothing, as far as college is concerned." Biggest slump: algebra, down from 56% to 20%.

P: Since 1948 the sciences have dropped 8%, and in spite of all the hoopla about atoms, physics has suffered the most. In 1900 four out of every 20 students took physics. Today's count: one out of 20.

What is taking the place of these traditional courses? Points out Latimer: "Group action subjects" which the student can often bull his way through without cracking a book. "We have gotten away from individual effort . . . By permitting the high schools to become the vocational bargain basements of education, we have insulted the student's intelligence and encouraged mediocrity by prescribing mediocre subject matter as an incentive for mediocre minds."

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