The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-09-08
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRICULUM,

With September comes the opening Of the
again are brought To the minds Of the
patrons the questions as to what should be
taught in the schools, and whether the re-
suits heretofore obtained have been worth
the expenditures made. That there are
grave doubts as to whether the schools are -
successful IS they should be, any one who
reads the newspapers Of the country must
admit. The public school graduates seem
to know 50 little, are 80 little prepared to
meet the practical questions Of life, have SO
little Of the quality that people understand
Is common sense, that wonder is constantly
expressed As to what they have been taught
In the years they have attended school.
The trouble lies, In our opinion, In the
course of studies That prevail in the major
lily Of the schools of the country. The great
objects of teaching are to train the mind to
think and to cultivate the powers Of observs-
ton 90 that the mind may have something
about which TO think, to reason. II time
were an unimportant question In course Of
study, II all children who began 10 learn
alphabet could continue their studies until
graduation from the university, the present
curriculum might possibly be the best that
could be made for the thorough cultivation
Of the intellect. But therein exists the
error that hurts the schools. The present
curriculum of the public school Is put pre-
paration for the high school and the college,
whereas 1t should be preparation for active
life. or those who enter school In the
primary grades, hardly one In ten ever reach
the high school, aud a much smaller proper
ton 60 to the college and the university.
But the schools are maintained for the bene-
nt of the many who must 60 into the work
of active life before they can reach the high
school, and not for those who can complete
the full course. 1t is evident, then, that
unless the present curriculum Is one that
will most thoroughly prepare the great
majority for the active duties Of life, the
schools are wrongly conducted.
Does the limited study Of the abstruse
sciences, such IS mathematics and Ian
grage, 10 which greater part Of the school
time ID devoted, arouse the powers Of
observation and stimulate the mind to sctionp
The relief with which students reach the
end Of their school days, the almost invari-
able neglect Of oil study thereafter, are
proofs positive that something else IL needed
that the cultivation alone Of tho reason
ing power In the youthful mind ID beginning
a. the wrong end ofthe work--that the mind
thus trained Is more likely To be enerated
and weakened than TO be made strong and
active. To render the public school train
ing efficient and valuable to the greatest
number, IL must cultivate the powers Of
observation, and from this will follow the
growth Of the reasoning powers.
III half the time now given to Mathematics
and language were devoted to the study Of
the physical sciences, the growth In the
powers Of observation would be very great
perhaps even sstonish the most sanguine.
From the infant class TO the highest grade Of
the grammar school, the physical sciences
should stand on 1t least an equal footing
with those that may be called the mental
sciences. The comparison Of thetwo classes
should show every one that the former are
the most suitable for the youthful mind.
The child then has something to grssp, TO
zee, feel and from which ideas can be formed,
while the teaching of the mental sciences 10
IN attempt 70 evolve ideas from m utter
void. The boy who can learn the facts and
principles Of the science Of numbers can -
easily learn the simple facts and principles
Of natural philosophy, Of chemistry, Of phys
ioiogy, and Of other physical sciences. In
deed, but few things In the latter studies, -
far - they could be carried In the public
schools, would be more difficult 10 UNDER
stand than the 6rst principles OF arithmetic.
Then, - student gradually acquirsd these
studies, every zephyr that famed the cheek,
every bud or blossom whose beauty caught
the eye, every tremble of leaf or culver Of
. birds wing, ever star whose brillisuce
pierced the evenings shades, every feet or
fancy In nature would bring thought, would
causs investigation, would arouss n earnest
desire for more knowledge. And then, in.
stead Of nation Of men and women whose
only desire IL TO sskill time," Who ars snx-
ious TO hurry forward to an end which still
thsy drsad, We would hare people whose
svsry nomsnt VS. one Of value, whose ear
net study you'd b the laws Of being and
The mysteries Oflifa.
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several slaughter housas o. In onletists -
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