The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-09-13


Our Messenger what Is wanted to be
done in regerd to the Home for Col
ored in North LeavenwOrth before the
State convention, so that women may
vote intelligently upon the subject at
the coming State convention.
CONCERNING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
l avail myself of the opportunity
afforded me through the courtesy of
the REGISTER to say few words to
the patrons Of the lola Schools. AL.
though a comparative stranger to
nearly all Of you, yet the kindly greet
ing l have received from all the peo-
pie l have met since coming to lola
leads me to believe, that the Principal
of your schools will receive a cordial
and substantial support in .all reason.
able.and well directed efforts to make
the,work of our schools a success in the
hig hest possible degree.
1t is not my purpose to trouble you
with lengthy and detailed descriptive
Of what, to my mind, constitutes a
successful school, but simply to indi-
cate in general way some of the direc
tons in which the work tot the Public
Schools will tend, rather than to lay
down any particular line, or method Of
procedure. The aim of the State, as /
understand the matter, in maintaining
a public school system, is to make as
far as possible by means of intellectual
training, FOR development, intelligent
and law abiding citizens. While the
general opinion seems TO be that the
ultimate aim Of the Public School
should be intellectual development,
yet think We must acknowledge that
in aiming to give our sons and daugh.
tiers symmetrical intellectual develop
ment We are to remember that we
are training not merely future
citizens in the abstract, but
future men and women, who are to
think, feel and act for themselves. and
not lose sight of the fact that they
have a moral and physical nature
which also rightly demand our atten-
ton.
Any system of education which
ignores morality, or physical develop
ment, or sacrifices either for in tellect-
ual training is certainly one sided, if
not absolutely inimical. Though our
Public Schools are held responsible in
many cases uniustly for the neglect of
parents, and are not designed to lessen
or support parental authority, or home
training; or give religious instruction
in any sectarian sense, or to take the
place of technical schools and appren-
tice shops, yet 1 believe in aiming to
give its pupils the best possible in tel.
lectual training the Public Schools
should not develop the brain at the ex-
pense Of the body, and should lend all
OF its influence to inculcate in its pu-
pills those eternal principles of health
and morality which are at the very
foundation of good society and civil
lied government.
Intellectual education cannot be sue
cessfully carried on the boom method,
and if the pupil is TO receive any real
benefit from the school he must be
m ade to realize that if he would reap
an intellectual harvest, he must cult.
vate by hard personal work the facul.
/ ,os, tnh of haa vtx, h
school which can do the most for the
pupil is not the one which on certain
periodic occasions can make the great.
est public display, but the one where
every pupil and every teacher fulfils
each day faithfully and promptly and
to the best of his ability, every duty
Diligence in the end outstrips bril-
liancy and patient continuance in
well doing" accomplishes more even
tually than spasmodic or irregular eff
forts however brilliant. Too great
emphasis cannot he given to punctual-
ity and regular attendance; and cult.
waiting spirit of respectful obedience
to properly constituted authority is by
no means an unimportant feature in
training future citizens.
1t is hardly reasonable to suppose
that in a school as large as ours no
friction will ever occur, and if you will
allow me the suggestion 1 should like
to stale that in my opinion the IN
pleasant and oftentimes disastrous fe-
suits which sometimes occur in many
of our schools are very often the re-
suit of misunderstanding, or rectifiable
mistakes, which might be satisfactorily
adjusted by a better knowledge on
the part of both parents and teachers
of the purposes and motives of the oth-
er. Ifduring the present school year
any of the patrons of the school should
find that any mistakes are being made
in any department of the school ! am
sure that personal interview with
the teacher most interested, will
obviate many Misunderstanding and
greatly promote the interest aud sue.
cess of the school as a whole. And /
believe speak for every member OF
your corps Of teachers, when / say
that it will be our purpose to perform
faithfully our part in helping to make
the pupils of our Public Schools
strong, vigorous, intelligent and moral
men and women, and for this end we
invite your personal advice and sup
port. Respectfully Yours,