The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1895-01-10
NAY HELP THE HOME
SCHOOLS SHOULD TEACH US
HOW TO LIVE.
Three Chief Elements i'll American
Education The Children Must BE In
tcrcsted -Bricf Hints to Teachers
General Educational News.
Subject for Consideration.


Three chief elements may be dlstin-
gdishcd in American educatlon-1he
practical. the disciplinary. and the or
namcntal or conventional. The prac-
teal element is designed to equip the
pupil for gaining livelihood. lille
NEST rudimentary knowledge that
10y gets in school enables him To read
sueet-signs. er,iSements. written
directions and orders. etc. to write let
.ers. and to keep track of his earnings
and expenses. The practical studies OF
the grammar and secondary schools
make him capable of 4 higher grade OF
work. and the college and professional
school carry this process still further.
Girls are taught the same things as
boys in the lower schools. and their
higher education is initiating that of
lien as closely as circumstances viii
permit Now. with al this preparation
for getting a living. ':l"re is almost no
teaching how To live. The definition OF
education that calls it "a preparation
for life" is not fulfilled by American
schools; they give only Il preparation
for business life, leaving the home life
almost unproyidrd for.
Due credit should be given to tie
schools for teaching the care of the
health. which is the foundation OF the
art of living. 1t is not long, however.
that even physiology has had Il place
in general education. The teachlnG OF
literature and the language, too, pre-
DarcS young persons 10 enjoy their
leisure, and may be regarded as the
peaks and turrctS Of the cducatlonal
structure. But 4 house consisting only
Of foundation and the roof is not Il
comfortable one TO live in. The most
important element in the art of Twin:
that the school negltctS is conduct. or
morals. The discussion of this defect
now going on gives hope that it will b"
rcmedied before Ions. What is needed
is not the memoriZin- of lot of cola
philosophical laws nor of any cate
chiSm Of dOctrinal beliefs; but pupils
should be hahitIatrl to right conduct
in every act of their school life. They
should be brought to prefer right to
wrong through the exercise of their
reasoning faculties. rather than be put
under the restraint of Il set of autocrat
ic commands.
Another important matter in daily
lie is the Use of money. He who has
little and spends it wisely is as well off
as he who spends much carelesSly. How
often do We sec Il young man With Il
splendid faculty fer making money.
but quite unable to keep what he gets,
or to use it so as to obtain the worth of
it: \ sad amount of waste, leading
even to poverty in extreme cases, must
] be the result.
The choice of Il wife or husband is 4
/ 1nattcr that profoundly affects The
/ whole after life of the individual. Tn
! happy marriages are continually being
/ made solely through the Ignorance of
/ young persons as to what sort Of mates
are adapted to live happily with them.
! Of course many foolish matches are
prevented by the authority of parents.
ont on the other hand. some of the most
Vrctcheu marriages have resulted from
TIE paltry ambition of ScheminS mann
mas or to relieve the financial straits
OF Specializing fathers. | am aware that
! am here trcudny on delicate ground,
! but it is ut least conceivable that some
! instruction on this subject could be
gwen in Il digniiicd, instructive man
nrr. and yet avoid the reproach of max
in. the schools Irritation halls OF matri-
lnonial agencies.
Close after the selection of Il life part
ntr comes the selection of 4 dwellings
place. and here Il knowledge of slnita>
ton is demanded When :! young pair
50: oct house hunting. whether they
intend to buy or hire. they should know
how To Stl"c: Il dwelling with dry foun.
Gation. not too much screened from the
sun. and without defective waste pipes
poisonous wallpaper. or the faint OF
infectious disease left by former occu
Pants. This knowledge might readily
be included in tn" course OF physiology
ard hygiene now given.
Girls should he taught the scientific
principles relating to diet and cookery
. T he choice ana preparation of food is :
, matter that intimately concerns tn
: health and expenses of every family
Pad mana cement in the kitchen nftc,
81 nils Il man IL his club or :: saloon. t
-. sonnet hing for his sJnnachS sake.
, tl:r> leading to evils which the Womcl
temperance rtformerS like to char=
}, wholly u other causes than the incon
. ln:cnce of their own sex.
The c,-r Of children is another 81,
n.cnt of home life FOR which prepar,
, tinu should be made. II is notorio,l
that mUltitudeS enter upon the dutic
: u: parcnthooI wholly ignorant. or Wit
nn>itiycly c"rnNcniiS notions. as to hoy
! children should lee cared for the II
! salt being an enormous waste Of youn
I lives az, the imperfect physical an
' mental development Of each succeSSiy
generation 1t is not I new >llcge>tio