Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-11-14
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The Newspaper as Text Book.

There are text books which all pu-
pills lay on the shelf as soon as they
have "passed grade" in the schools,
but there is text book which is never
laid aside, because it is every day re-
Dewed, the text of current events
the newspaper. 1t knows no particu
lar subject, but deals with all subjects.
1t records all effective sensations and
thoughts of the age as they flow
through the brain and heart Of the
entire race. He who reads it Alright
and ne alone learns how to read all
history as it should be read and stud
led, for he pereicves how history and
geography are made. A well-edited
newspaper furnishes a commentary
and appendix to every text book in
school. No course of study is CON-
plete without it. The youth who goes
from the school-room into the world
without the preparation supplied by
newspapers, goes forth in painful ig-
norance, subject to deception and to
modification OF spirit at every step.
Among toe "reforms" called for in
public school instruction, let the free
use of the newspaper be insisted up
on. 1t is not enough that many
youths read newspapers at home
thousands of those who pass out Of
the public schools every year have
read them little, if any, and most of
the others have read them 10 much
less purpose than if they had been
guided by their teachers.
1t would be far better if more of
the examples for classes in arithmetic
were taken from the money, stock,
and market reports of our newspa-
pers-a practice now common in
some of the best public schools and
commercial colleges. Surely, there is
no stimulus to the study of geogra-
ply like the notes Of travel, the az
counts of exploring expeditions, and
the record of political and CONNER
cial events furnished by a good daily
or weekly newspaper.
1t is a pity it is fact, but fact it
ls-as we have asserted in these col
umns more than once before, and as
yet without contradiction-that many
OF our college Seniors know far less
about the prominent characters who
are shaping the destinies of the age
we live in than they do of Themisto-
Giles and Cimon, Cassius and Mark
Antony. Whose fault is it? Does
apv opa ouoct;op xuh,oh ,rooll -
should interest the student more,
dead Richelieu or live Bismarck
TO incite vigorous love of scien-
tlhc inquiry and quicken the students
observing and inventive faculties
surely no influence could be more DO.
tent than the reports Of the brilliant
discoveries made during the past
twelve months such as the soldifica-
ton of all the hitherto incoercible
gases the invention OF the phono-
graph, auriphone, and microphone
the discovery of vulcan, of new aste-
roids, new chemical elements and
compounds. Indeed, so rapid is the
march of scientific discovery that no
textbooks in natural science can keep
pace with it. The newspaper becomes
necessary appendix to every one of
these books.
Then let us have the peoples text.
book in our schools. Let it have its
assigned hour or halt hour and its
teacher or let 1t alternate with read
ingbooks in the advanced reading
classes. Let two or more scholars be
directed to select suitable matter from
the telegraphic columns let others
select agricultural news, or educa.
tional notes, and so on Let the
teacher glance at the selections and
reject everything Of partisan or i'm
moral nature. Extracts may be read,
also, in the geography, history, and
science classes, etc. So shall our
young people learn to enjoy the SUBJ
stance of good newspapers, and, grow
ing familiar with both past and pres.
ent history in their school days, come
forth prepared to become the history
makers of the future. - Chicago Epe.
ming Journal.