The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-01-27
THE SCHOOL QUESTION.


every fair minded man will favor all
proper means that may be made use
Of to promote a sound healthy educa.
ton.
A moderately good education is al
most as essential to the healthy moral
development of the man, as whole
some food is to healthy physical de.
velopement. l said almost; | meant
just what said. We have all known
men of whom it could not be said,
they had moderately good education,
who were to use a modern phrase,
level headed men and from a moral
stand point were head and shoulders
above some who we're graduates of
our best institutions of learning. But
unwholesome food never does produce
healthy physical man.
Healthy food may be eaten to ex.
cess and thus become injurious. Edu-
cation may be carried to such an ex-
treme as to be injurious to the individ-
ual and to the body polite. People
are not all possessed of such mental ca
pacity as would enable them to make
good use of first class education
even if by examining process it could
be drilled into them.
A certain English king who had
been under the tutelage of the famous
George Buchanan, and was more
noted for his great learning mot wis
dom) than any of his predecessors had
been, was by his admirers called a
second Solomon but by those who
viewed him from a more impartial
standpoint, he was pronounced the
most learned fool in the kingdom. l
mention this to illustrate my theory,
that great learning is not at all times
beneficial to the individual nor will it
at all times enable him to command
the respect Of his fellow men.
The proposition is now being agi-
tated to have our common schools
kept open eight months in each year
l take the position that this is a longer
term than is good for the pupil, and
consequently an warranted expense
upon the tax payer. Eight months is
a longer time in my judgment than
young pupils should be confined to
their books at one time. A shorter
term with healthy and useful employ
ment between terms would give us
young men who did not need to spend
SO much time during their college
course at boat racing, foot ball or base
ball exercises to develope their physi-
cal powers.
Eight months each year for fifteen
years, the time that children are Of
legal school age, amounts to ten years
attendance at school. Time sufficient
to obtain a classical education, if the
pupil has the mental capacity and dis.
position to reach so high standard.
: But few of the men most eminent
for their learning have had the advan.
tage (or perhaps should say disad-
vantage) Of so long term of school,
, Amongst our educated men those who
;; have had to exercise both body and
mind in securing their education, have
proved most useful in their various
callings. Their early struggles have
taught them that difficulties may be
! overcome and that a determination
: tosucceed in their undertakings, usually
overcomes all obstacles.
Rev. R. H. Conwell told in his lee
ture Of hero in private life who had
to work his way to obtain an educa
, ton. He adds that students who have
/. to work usually excel in their studies
and the pupil who has to buy his owr
t books will know better how to take
4 care of them.
E Now such talk does not exactly Fl
t in with the theory, that children
= should be kept at school eight months
/, in the year and their books furnished
D at public expense. But it does agree
with what must be the result of every
n candid mans observation.
;. But suppose that am mistaken
: suppose that it it is right and prope,
! to keep our school open eight or nine
e months each year, and that parents te
e do justice to their children, must give
j them the Dement, OF this arrangement
, The question then arises, is il
S practicable ? Can our people al
4 afford it +?
To answer those questions l sug
:, gest, that those who favor this depart
4 ure, sit down and count up how wei
S they with an income of two or three
n hundred dollars year, could afforc
: to feed and cothe family of children
o buy the necessary books and pay the
t additional tax that would be required
n to keep the schools open SO long ;
time. If after solving this problem
n they still favor the proposed change
o | think, they ought to he willing tt
r have their salaries reduced to tn,
= above named figure.
But the advocates of this new de
parture tell us, that this increase il