The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-02-21
ArTENUATED SCATTERING.

The Wichita Eagle recently criticised
an attempt sought to be made TO con-
troll the location of new school build
ing to SUIT the teachers instead Of the
schools. A reply was made, and the
Eagle takes occasion TO make some fur
Their comments on the school system in
general.
"The very point we have been en-
deavorlng TO make against the public
school sy stem OF Kansas IL that 1t is the
embodiment OF the ideas, ease ami con-
venIence of grade teachers and so-called
professors. II was gotten up to subserve
the notion OF teachers rather than Tor
the development and discipline of tue
average public school scholar, as were
all its subsequent amendments and
notifications We were talking for
the children not only, but for the par
ents and tor those who pay the bills and
not for the teachers. And we are not
crank upon this subject. Our faultfind
ing was of such vitality as appealed 10
the experience of u large number
in this city, and to the judgment
OF scholars as we'll as parents.
And we are not alone in this matter.
The ARTICLES we wrote a year ago were
widely copied and commented upon
Our "tardy bell" was rung from one end
of this state TO the other-rung into the
ears of superintendents and teachers,
and not for the little ones whose lives il
had made burlhensome. Mothers wrote
to MS from away of thanking US for de-
denouncing that abuse. We are not
alone In another respect; in that of non
sensical classifications and attenuated
neutrality-suspicious. glimmering be-
II fnfn which callRH
high schools have been run. The Eng
llsh commissioner. sent TO the United
States TO enquire into our edu "a
tIonal system, reports that our
schools tend rather TO unit pupils
for the active duties of American life
Aud his report is sound, and the accur-
acy OF that conclusion cannot be success
fully disputed. The New York TrIb-
une only a short time since, said that q
general and well grounded complaint Is
that too much is attempted in our pub
lie schools" II Is q skim and an exam
inatiOn, a dip and an examination, and q
skim-dip and another examination,
when at the end the scholar Is told that
he will, maybe, be ready for adYaAce
ment To another grade in few years.
And Wichita Is not alone in this
matter. These abuses are heard from
in other towns 10 this and 9TH
er states. Old and experienced
"schoolmasIers" are concurTing
with the people and against the later
styled professors" There Is a great
demand, yearly becoming stronger, that
the government boards shall be cOmpos-
ed OF experie-ced men in educational
matters-of men who have trained
youth In schools, and who will adapt the
courses OF our schools to the needs ofthe
present 80 far as q sound English educa.
ton Is concerned. Classical learning
90 far as the average scholar Is concern.
ed. Is a humbug and q waste OF precious
time, as are 9 half dozen other purely
ornamental branches which are
sought to be taught. Nick Smith, q
formerly OF Kansas man, aud who at one
time owned clam down here on the
Cowskin. In an address before his alum.
nj, at Dartmouth. last week, In which he
vas scoring the classics, truthfully
Said that the men most Distinguished
in the three great divisions of English
literature knew little Latin and less
Greek. namely. Shakespeare, the poet
Cobbett. the historian, and Erkskine,
the orator; and on this side of the water,
Whittier, Greeley and Plnkney.