The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-11-30
GONE TO SEED.

III had 1orty boys Il never SEM
another to a public school They have
gone to seed.
This remark was made to the writer
by IN intelligent, successful business
man. who was himself educated in the
public schools, and from which his two
boys had graduated many years ago,
with medals. In the fifteen minutes
car ride that followed, there was only
opportunity for him to outline his OBJ
jections, rs he was certainly invited to
do. He had carefully watched his boys
course through school. giving ample
evidence of this in the intelligent criti-
cism of their text books, and had seen
the gradual change from the old school
regime that had sent out stanch men
and women with character and bust
ness qualities. His observation of the
influence of politics in the selection of
inefficient school committees gave ugly
facts not TO be denied or condOned
His quotation of similar opinions held
by some of the best known and wealth.
est business men of the community,
whose schools he had just declared to
be beyond the fruit-hcaring period, was
easily believed after n months vaca-
ton with these representative families.
No matter how or where schools were
mentioned, the opinion that the public
schools of to-day sent out less worthy
material for the successful dealing with
the practical in life than those OF earlier
times was always SO. unanimous as to
be startling. A teachers opinion on
other topics was dcferentially listened to,
but in defence of the schools il was ig-
nored or smiled over as q part OF his
loyal duty.
1t is an unpleasant thing to face this
adverse decision concerning school
methods that engage the best thought
Of experienced and conscientious edu-
Gators. In q Journey one never fails to
read guide boards, even ii secure of the
right direction. In this untravelcd
tourney of the now education, shall not
the general condemnation of the pro-
ducts of our schools by the business
bone and sincw of large city be re-
garded as n gnidepost with an index
finger of warning? Would il not be
wise to stop and discuss its possible
meaningp II one answers, "But this
portion of the community is in full sup
port of public schools, and give their
cd reduction of teachers salaries OF
loss of school facilities, even though it
involves an increased taxation" most
certainly they are in favor OF public
schools as % system. The schOolhouse
and the church were built side by side
in the old colonial days, and thcrogard
for both will be the last thing TO die out
of the true American heart. The very
criticisms made against the results of
the schools show u jealous regard for
their continued worth and increasing
power that only confirms the statement
that they are in full support of public
schools. When man of broad culture,
deep insight and earnest purpose. hon
ored by an important, official position ut
Washington, and with the presidency
of the POLYTECHNIC" school in Boston,
sends his children to public school in
that city, winning the admiration of its
teachers by his sympathetic intercourse
with them, and expressing high re-
gard for that school as n anit,--when
this man reads n paper of fifty pages
before the Massachusetts State Teach
ers' Association, filled with suggestions
which would remodel the whole school
system II carried out, and make every
day one of practical benefit to the
child, one can sec how father can as
sist in the support of public school by
educating his children in It, and yet
earnestly desire that tho public schools
as a whole might be very different.
A single quotation from the manu-
script in question will illustrate ''Why
should not the elements of science be
taught as early as the clements of lit
eraturep Because the pupil is now ut
the age to read Bacon and Shakespeare,
is he not, taught Bacon's and Shak-
speare's alphabet asked pupil of
one of our best public schools in Bos-
ton, the other day, an excellent schol-
ar in the highest class. why it is that
water rises in the pump, and this young
person of fifteen wears had not the YES
tige of an idea. on the subject | hold
that II ebo,,ld mo made far more dis