Excerpt from State Manual of the Courses of Study for the High Schools of Oregon a. In the preparation of the high school courses, consideration has been given for the different aptitudes of pupils and for the different preparations which a high school must give to fit all of its pupils for larger spheres of usefulness. b. Much freedom in the choice of electives should be given with the hope that a pupil will not be forced to take a subject in which he is not interested and for which he has no aptitude; but he should not be permitted to select subjects here and there, purely for the purpose of securing credits for graduation. Competent high school teachers will wisely direct his work, and through the cooperation of the parents, the pupil and his teachers, he will pursue a course that will give him not only a symmetrical mental development, but will prepare him for some particular work, when he has completed his high school course. A pupil may change his course whenever the high school principal grants the permission, upon the written request of the pupils parent or guardian. c. A pupil who elects the English and mathematics course will take English and algebra the first year and elect two more studies from all of the others in the first year of the various courses. Should he elect the course in English and languages, he will take English and Latin, and any two of the studies of the other courses given in the first year. d. Fifteen full credits are required for the completion of a course. Pupils should, however, if possible, complete the full course of four subjects each year, thereby earning sixteen credits. e.While the courses are planned for four years work, a pupil with good preparation for the work, and strong, both mentally and physically, may complete a course in three years by taking five subjects, the maximum number each year. No standard high school will permit a pupil to carry more than five subjects, and the teacher should permit none to undertake five, unless the pupil be one of more than average ability. In the best high schools of the state, not more than five percent of the pupils complete a standard four-year course in three years. f. A pupil may earn but three credits in the English and industrial course, when majoring in any other than that course. g. A pupil may earn from one to three credits for graduation, in either vocal or instrumental music, where the instruction is given by a teacher not connected with the school; provided, that the teacher holds a certificate granted by the superintendent of public instruction upon the recommendation of a committee of music teachers appointed by him, authorizing a high school principal to give credit to her pupils for music outside of school; provided, that the teacher must certify in writing that the pupil has spent at least eighty minutes in practice or instruction each day and has made the progress in music required under the course of study for this work as prepared by the committee on recommendation for music teachers. h. All subjects requiring no preparation on the part of the pupil, before coming to the class, such as stenography, typewriting, etc., shall be given two of the regular recitation periods. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com