Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-04-11
Newspapers in Schools.

newspapers III SCilOOiS.
There comes from Pittsburg story
which is, we trust, Il malicious inven-
ton. 1t is said that one Of the school
mistresses of that city has undertaken
to teach her scholars the news Of the
day. She takes the headlines OF the
morning paper, writes them on the
black board and then enters into a dis
Cussion Of the various topics with the
pupils. 1t is supposed that useful III
formation IN regard to the affairs OF
the city, the transaction Of national
business and the course OF events III
foreign lands may be spread among
the children in this way; and perhaps
something Of the kind might be ac-
complished il the teacher possessed
the abilities Of good editor and
knew what was actually news and how
to comment on it. Ore serious CT.
lection to such scheme, however, even
where it is carried out under the most
favorable auspices, would be the lIa
bilily Of the instructor to become pat
tisan and raise revolution III the
school district by inculcating unsound
political doctrines. Not single
event from the criticism on Il lecture
to u theory Oh a sensational murder
could be explained without warpIng
in some way the youthful minds OF the
listeners, and the sehoolroom editorials
would become excessively dangerous.
Besides, the daily events treated IL
newspapers are hardly Of the kind
that children should occupy themselves
with. Tue scandals in social llte, the
fluctuations in business, the rumors Ill
politics, and all the mass CT surmlse
information and discussion which
make up modern journalism is OF Vita
interest to men aud women who have
to grasp into the thlck Of life and deal
with it as it Is but why should cnlI
dren be compelled to trouble them
selves about such things In the
family they are not taken into consul.
tation about the household troubles Il
neighborhood gossip, and there is still
less reason for calling their attention
to the troubles OF society. Many ot
the events chronicled in the newspa.
pers are ephemeral, many OF the re
ports are false, many Of the theories
advanced are unsound; and boys aud
girls should not be encouraged to load
their minds with too much OF such
stuff, which must afterwards be un'
learned or for gotten. They should
spend their time in school with learn
ing the immutablc rules OF grammar,
.he Interchangeable principles Of arlth-
melie, the settled facts Of geography,
While their powels OF acquisition a'e
strong they should be employed in
gathering facts and precepts that will
be lt use to them all their lives. The
most brilliant newspaper head lines il
the counlry-and some of taem are
admirable examples Of brevlty and
wit-are not as good to store away in
the memory as some OF ;he tine passa-
pes of the Bible or Shakespeare.
J urDals are guides to action for men
aui women, not treasure hous s OF
precepts for boys and girl., who have
no concern with the "chron Gle aud
brief abstract Of the tine More
over, the taste Tor newspapers is not =
propensity that needs to be encouraged
in children, They have it by nature
in all due strength, and even in schools
it Is common to see little boys with
undesirable partisan prejudlces and a
stock OF political misiuiormation on
hand that will make lob sided men Of
them These things need no black
board Or preceptress. They seem to
be lmbibed with the mothers milk,
and one of the most curious sights Of
the canvass last summer was to see
children who could hardly speak dis
tinctly cheering Justify lor Tilden or
Hayes. Full-grown Americans get
enough Of the turmoil Of politics,
business and criminal stories tor
heavens sake let the boys and girls
enjoy as much of the sweetness and
light of childhood as would naturally
fall to their share. "A. Y. World.
Two ways for Sunday-The way