CAPE UPDATE: MIDDLE SCHOOL DEBATE CONTINUES TO BE ISSUE

The records of our school district indicate the dialogue on middle school and/or junior high school structure dates back to the mid 1980's and beyond. Over the next few weeks this column will be dedicated to a series on the evolution of middle level education - the what, when and whither of this phenomenon called middle school. The debate in our community is much like debates in other communities throughout the country' it is a discussion involving semantics junior high school versus middle school. Currently what is at issue in our community's dialogue and/or debate is not whether there shall be a junior high school or a middle school, but rather which grades are functionally appropriate for this level of instruction in the Cape Girardeau public schools.

Perhaps it would be helpful to understand the history of the junior high school/middle school movement. Without taking the readers through the impact on public education during the change from an agricultural to an industrial nation, let us begin our historical review around the turn of the century. By 1900 American schools had become decisively committed to an organizational structure of eight years of elementary education and four years of secondary education, (commonly referred to as 8-4). This commitment had hardly been received before questions were being raised and criticism being leveled against the 8-4 organizational structure. Out of this on-going debate and the European influence came an 1896 educational experiment in Richmond, Ind. in which grades seven and eight were housed in a separate building and given a new kind of educational program. Thus, what we know as the junior high school, institutionally and conceptually was born in America.

Throughout the past 93 years and even today educators, school districts, parents, taxpayers, textbook writers, and students continue to grapple with this problem of organizational structure. Regardless of whether any change is made in the organizational structure of the Cape Girardeau public schools the educational programs of the school district will profit from the community's concern and the district's study. And boys and girls will be the winners.

In reference to accreditation, one research study described it this way: "By setting these standards the North Central Association is endeavoring to pull all junior high schools up to the standards which are described in the literature for the middle schools. In a real sense then, future accreditation of junior schools become contingent upon the extent to which they adhere to middle school specifications. This is a highly realistic approach, since what really matters is not the label on the bottle, but what the bottle contains." Thus what we must strive for in reality are "middle level schools."

Next week's column will focus on the definition of a "middle school."

This column, Cape Update, is made available through the cooperation of the Southeast Missourian staff and is being presented in an attempt to provide accurate information to the community on issues related to education. Initially, the Cape Update will focus primarily on actual events occurring within the local schools; however, parents, grandparents or others wishing answers to specific educational questions are encouraged to submit questions to Cape Update, in care of Cape Girardeau public schools, 61 N. Clark, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701.