The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-08
CURRENT TOPICS in THE SCHOOLS,

To-day much ID being snid about ths
practical In education, and justly, too, ~
believe. Tho education nov reauired BY
the masses should DO much more thar
merely literary. much more than merely
technical. II must become q duo combina.
tion Of both these elements.
The work, too, Of inpnrtiuR this educa-
ton must be unified all along the line oi
secondary education. In the higher public
school. We believe II should keep the same
breadth, leaving spccialties Of all kinds fol
special schools; yet there should be an u
largement here, reduction there, oil along
the common school curriculum. until We
secure the popular education demanded by
the masses, who are to furnish the bone
and sinew Of tho state and face increasing
competition .,amid surroundings much
| changed since fifty years ago.
And to this end nothing could be more
prac.iea. and helpful han the effort being
made in we'll ordered high schools to keep
study in touch with the common affairs of
life.
The teaching Of current events Ii an i'm
portant factor in education, and should
form a part OF the work of the school. The
school is the place for preparing boys and
girls for the real life in which they are to
engage. Children must get ready for life il
they are to live we'll. 10 live helpfully and
wisely they must have q clever comprehen-
sion Of the events that transpire about
them. While we are too near the scene Of
current events to properly interpret their
force upon history, yet the student may
learn how history 10 made by observing
what is daily happening.
But in this the student needs direction
in order that his efforts be wisely and safely
exerted. Pupils should be taught to sift
the chat from the wheat, and care must be
taken that the chaf-and the worse than
chat, does not too much claim his attention,
and detail and circumstance must not be
impressed while the important lesson 10
overlooked. Much Of the newspaper reading
that 10 lone 10 worse than useless. Whole
columns are eagerly devoured and scarcely
IN item remembered. Surely there Ia need
of discrimination in newspaper and all
periodical reading, and for the great ma
jority Of our boys and girls the school at
fords the available means n opportunity
to give this guidance inc direction. in de-
fault Of which they must grope along in a
haphazard way, dangerous TO say the least.
Much Of the work of the school can be
planned, having this and other ends in view
as regards the study of current events. The
study Of civics very properly includes the
study of the local governments OF town,
county, and city, and much attention
should be given to this part Of the subject
to fit the student to perform we'll his part
oo n:A:vo,x ru nEsoov rs ithaca n,OvapUu ~ ouka
unheedful, if need be, Of the assertion,
found in the preface of some popular text
books, that, to teach the duties Of county
and city officers has nothing to do with the
noble subject of civil government. For
this purpose nothing can be more helpful
than a study of current topics, as they ex-
plain and furnish illustrations of local
governments. Whenever anything happens
connected with civil government it should
be discussed in class, aud the principles
laid down in the text applied to actual
events.
Not only do current topics explain the
duties and relations of local officers, but as
cleaned from periodicals and reviews they
of the connection and differences between
local, state, and federal government. In
short, current events are the legitimate
supplementary matter Of text book princi-
pies, and to this end, and for other pur-
poses they should have their proper place in
the school room.
Perhaps it is not more than just to say
that the study of current events has, for
the past ten years. received much attention
in many schools Of this country, and in
Europe, more attention is being paid to
this matter than in our own country. In
the high school Of this city current topics
selected from the daily papers, periodicals,
and reviews have furnished material for
ing rhetorical exercises.
But what about the newspaper in the
school room, which shows us the world in
its deformity as we'll as in its beauty?
Since newspapers must fill columns with
the record of cases of murder, suicide,
theft, robbery, drunkenness, I'M even the
sins of lust and the record Of divorce cases,
we confess there is cause for the apprehen-
sion sometimes expressed, in allowing boys
and girls to read the daily papers. Would
that we had reached that degree of ~ciyiliza-
ton that would make it unnecessary and
improbable for the newspapers to publish
much that is TO be found in their columns.
Yet we do not think the newspapers the
greatest source of danger. The iIluring
book with uncertain purpose is more to be
feared.
The daily newspaper is interested to re-
cord the apprehension and punishment Of
crime, rather than the bare fact of its com
mission. 1t arouses public opinion against
the wrongdoer, and even when the statutes
have allowed the criminal to escape, it ia
the newspaper that pursues him with TIL e
edict Of Punishment. On the other hand,
immoral literature does not show tbs result
Of wrong doing, but rather the sweets of
sin without it's consequences. The partial
account of sin that omits its natural re-
suits is immoral.
That temptation must be met cannot be
questioned. 1t is not the flower pot species
of education that is to develop character in
our bows and girls. They must needs come
i'll contact with the world, and hence should
be gradually Injured to it. They should be
taught to hate sin and made strong against
temptation.
We believe under no circumstances can
the boy or girl learn to see the world as il
is. in a safer way than through the o
paper. where they see the evil doer pursued
by the ayenging forces of public opinion;
but they should be guided by parent and
teacher, and hence the value of the studyo OF
current topics. some of which are selected