The high school is the result of a slow growth and its continued
existence is due perhaps as much to indifference as to any very active
sentiment in its favor. It started as an advanced grade of the public
school when for financial reasons it was desired to keep as many
pupils as possible in attendance. The presence of the large pupils and
the quality of the work done gave the school a standing in outside
districts and created a feeling of pride in the citizens of the town.
The higher classes were disbanded in 1863 or 1864. The _Marine
Gazette_ thus comments: "During the past week we have noticed
considerable discussion in doors and out about the village district
school. * * It was generally admitted that the school of eighteen
months ago, I think it was--at any rate the one that contained all the
larger boys and girls of the village with several others from Clatsop
Plains, Oysterville, etc.,--was the best school we had had for three
years or even a longer period. * * About the time named the teacher
was restricted as to the amount or kind of instruction to be given in
the school to the so-called advanced pupils. This restriction caused
the disbanding or dismissal of several classes of the largest and
oldest pupils. They quit the school, dispersed, went home, or to other
schools distant to our town."[33] Advanced studies were restored later
and became a recognized part of the course of study. The high school
sentiment, stimulated no doubt by the record of the public for
excellence in the past and to some extent by the desire to keep pace
with the standard of scholarship set by the private schools, increased
and resulted in the establishment of the present efficient high school
in 1890 and 1891.
The grammar schools are loyally supported in spite of the high rate of
taxation[34] necessary to maintain them; but there is still a well
defined sentiment against the maintenance of the high school at public
expense, though this sentiment seems to be decreasing.