, 1879-12-01
The Question Of the Schools.


When q man of sense prepares to
take journey he does not I'LL his trunk
with little shabby linen aud great
many cheap scarf pins and sleasy en-
broidered slippers. On the contrary,
he packs in reasonable compass q
goodly number of serviceable garments
in excellent repair, and goes forth neat,
wholesome, and of an equal mind, ap-
propriately fitted for his journey and
his work.
This man goes on his journey and his
children stay behind, for the famous
public school of their ward or district
demands their presence. and the absent
fathers orders are strict; they must be
prepared for the greater journey of
life a6d its business. Week after week
their young heads are stuffed with q
little information on q great number of
subjects astronomy. physiology. draw
ing, vocal music, German, natural
philosophy, grammar, etymology-in
short, plenty Of cheap scarf-pins and
slippers. The sturdy, everyday needs
of serviceable arithmetic (uot glib
memorized sets of fgures), OF accurate
and brightly intelligenS reading, of
easy writing and correct speech, fare
badly among such host of studies. They
are brushed over hastily and by rote,
like all the others, and shabby enough
they are as they are packed away
among the scarf-pins for that long and
busy journey. The precise and init
mate knowledge of common branches
without which no man can be decently
equipped for work of any sort. is dis.
carded for what Mr.. Charles Francis
Adams aptly calls "veneer and sham. :"
The experiment of smatter" has
been sufficiently tried in the American
public schools. 1t is sort of decora.
tive art Of which we have had a great
deal too much. There is in most of
our cities a vast school expenditure to
little purpose. While the Tribune has
no mind to preach economy in this di-
rection, it has reasonable desire to see
all this money used with common
sense and honest discretion. There is
something too much of drawing and
vocal music. of 'ology, about the
school course. The frantic enthusiasm
about drawing which animated school
boards and superintendents several
years ago is getting cooler and cooler; /;
in many places the number of drawing
teachers has been reduced, and pitiful
Efforts made to train the regular teach
ers to the work. This enthusiasm un-
fortunately has cost a great deal of
money, and the chief practical result
has been that number of stiff draw
ings were exhibited at the Centennial
celebration in Philadelphia. Whatever
good in the way of handiwork this
study in our schools has accomplished,
could have been brought about in q
wiser way. The training of the
eye" and cultivation of the tastes :"
SO much talked about by some of the
people who make their living by teach
ing drawing in these schools. have, in
all truth and sadness, never yet been
discerned. To use the language of
common sense, this is trash. The
training to read with intelligence and
appreciative understanding one famous
masterpiece of the English language
would be worth in the way of cultiva-
ton thousand of these drawing les
sons.
Possibly one pupil in five hundred
has some impulse given to his hand in
drawing which may make him in after
life better mechanic. The other 400
have meanwhile acquired no deftness
which will assist them on the farm, in
the counting-room, or in the kitchen.
Why should ali these be wrongly busted
for the sake of one? It is not unlikely
that the solution of the much discussed
problem of industrial education lies in
the establishment of well-equipped and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS technical schools
in every city and large town. The cut
ting off of the superauities which now
only lead to "veneer and sham "
would save large sums which could be
put to no better use. To these schools
could be sent those children who by
natural bent would belong therein.
There is no danger but that sufficient
time could be found both for an i'm,
proved public-school course and a tech
nical school course. That changes are
on the way to be made in nearly every
State. As our readers are aware, the
door is ajar in the Boston primary
schools-in that Boston which, having
tried all the "new ideas" In education,
is now settling upon that most excel
lent one, the "Quincy plan." Here
after the little people of that great
city are to be taught" instead of
being made to memorize and gabble
by platoons. They are to acquire, not
glittering varnish, but nimble in
telligence which will take them out into
the world in good case, and give to
their minds the same comfort and read
mess which stout and well-itting
clothes give to their bodies.-N. Y.
Tribune.
1t was very wet summer the rain
had poured down necessarily for some
weeks ; and the hope of the husband