The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-26
EDUCATIONAL REFORM.

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in no more practical or beneficial way than
by an intelligent interest in the education
Of youth and the effort to improve the
workings of the schools where improve
ment is needed. There is no more direct
way Of advancing the standard of good
citizenship in it's moral, educational, and
even political, phases than through the
medium Of the public schools. The ten
dency with any educational system, es-
pecially one so elaborate as ours, is to fall
into fixed grooves and to fail to adapt itself
to the changing requirements of the commu-
nifty. Especially is this the case where the
schools are left entirely to pedagogic con-
troll. The professional teacher may have
the most correct ideas as to the best method
mind, and may yet fall short of under
standing the greatest needs of the child
or the character of the information likely
to be of greatest service. 1t was a slow
process. for instance, that led to the adop-
ton in certain quarters OF manual train
ing as a part of the school system, and
the plan did not originate in the profess
sional mind, but was the result Of outside
pressure and a public demand. 1t is al
ways an encouraging sign when men Of in
telligence and leisure. with no selfish object
to serve, take an active interest in the we'll
being of the schools. 1t does not necessarily
follow that their ideas are always the most
judicious or practical. but, at least, they
have the effect of producing a healthy agi-
tation of a subject in which everybody is
concerned.
John Schuyler Crosby, of New York, is
one of these public-spirited citizens. He
was placed on the Board of Education Of
interest in school matters. He found this
board in a decidedly fossilized condition,
and by personal investigation satisfied him.
self of the existence of many educational
abuses. Unfortunately, he found it impos-
sible to bring his associates into accord
with himself in n line of reform, and
his dissatisfaction with educational meth
DDS in vogue, : and with the inertia and
indifference of the board. led to his resig-
nation. In his letter of withdrawal he
urges a simplification of the school system,
and says the idea of giving the children
who are sent to the public schools an
academic education is fallacious. because
eight out Of ten pupils must leave school
before the course is half finished. He says
further:
Parents who wish their children to &C
Quire foreign languages, music, bellies let
tres, etc. should send them to private insti-
tutions of learning. Neither the obligations
of the state nor the circumstances OIL tne
pursued in our public schools. The proper
function of free education is to make good
should not be enfeebled and dissipated in
chimerical experiments.
Mr.. Theodore Roosevelt, in a recent ad-
dress before a Boston audience, advances
similar ideas, but the burden of his re-
marks was the value Of the schools in in
culcating the principles of good citizenship.
which includes freedom from sectarian bias.
The tenor of his speech is shown in its
closing sentences:
Exactly as in our public schools the les
sons should be conducted in no language
but English, neither in German, French,
Spanish, nor any other, exactly. as the
children should be taught to speak United
States. and to think United States. and to
do United States, so We have a right to de-
mand that the voters in settling about the
public schools should vote as Americans
merely, and should realize that 1T is utterly
abhorrent to and unworthy of real Amer
icanism to discriminate for or against any
American because of his birthplace or be-
cause of his creed.
These gentlemen formulate the belief Of
many others who have considered the SUBJ
iect, but there will be many also to dissent
from the views. Such discussions, however,
can only lead to further thought in rela-
ton to the question, and the best thought
of the people will eventually crystalline into
the actual educational reforms and improve
ments most needed.