The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-22

ucated in them. My reason for this is. that
| there is "A tendency on the part OF some, who
| are opposed To them. TO get positions In them
| Just Tor the money they pay they are not IN sym
| ptthy with them and as a consequence they have
no incentive 10 do good thorough work. ID
| Tectors have no right to appoint teachers out oil
| sympathy or charity. even though they have
| graduated In the schools. 10 does not follow
/ that because "a boy or girl has managed 10 get
| marks enough to entitle them to d,pioma that
| th-y are qualified to teacn, and yet this is as
| sumed by some. II the directors ar. intelligent
| men, and do their duty IA tnfully they VIII in.
Veatlgdte personally the qualifications OF all APP
| Dllcations for positions as teachers.
After having provided he necessary money
| Tor the proper maintenance OF our schools, we
| should demand that the education given be
| thorough. lt is much better To teach boy or
| girl a lew things well than TO give them smat-
| terng OF many
Let the three "r's" be the basis, and under
| that OF reading let history find an important
place, let impartial history be taught no mat
| ter who IL may offend or hurt, We wan. our
children To learn lessons from the past 10 help
them in the future.
| Let the history OF these United states. made
| up from the records, and not in mems imagina-
tion or desires be "A prominent text book. do
no wish TO be misunderstood in this connection
as being opposed TO other branches Of study. |
believe it is better and more important that a
boy should be able TO spell correctly than that
he should know how to draw; make the fOunda-
ton strong, then erect the building.
While the schools such should not be
allowed 10 teach religion. yet think all classes
OF citizens will admit the necessity OF teaching
citizenship There are certain fundamental
principles that are recognized as belonging TO
all good citizens, such as tTuthfulneSs and hon
esty, these can be taught and advOcl cd. With
the right kind OF teachers men and women or
good habits. and we ought 10 have no others,
these can be lnculcatrd. besides every other
virtue that VIII enable them TO grow up into
noble manhood and wOmdnhoOd.
Another duty IS TO demand that all children
OF school age should be compelled To attend our
schools; this Is a duty that we owe to the schools
as well as to the individual lt Will be renec-
ton upon our schools in the future II we allow
Ignorance and vice TO be tolerated now FIJI
up the school houses. and II there IS not enough
build more; do IN this nineteenth century at
least rs much as the fathers OF the early seven
teenth: provide school accommodation for all
the children and then compel them 10 attend
TIL the, can pass an examination IN the studies
they have gone tnrough-Or in other words TIL
they are fairly well acquainted with all that Is
necessary TO make them Intelligent cltlZens.
Another advantage OF having all the children
in school is that lessons OF patriotism can be
taught there as in no other place. a certain
writer once said: "If can have tine making OF
the ballads OF the people, care not who rules
them" In our schools there is opportunity
offered by way OF recreation II you will, to teach
by song, lessons IN patriotism that VIII remain
forever.
Another duty we owe the schools is to give
them our moral support and cooperation. We
may find them the means OF maintaining them
We may have an educated honest board OF di-
rcctors. may have every class presided over
by a competent teacher but unless we coop
crate with them they will not accomplish what
moral support.
Let us stand by Them defending them against
all adyersaries, and a. the same time commend
them for faithful work. IL is an easy thing for
us especially in the presence of our children. to
speak well OF their teachers; IL is true they NAV
not all be ideal teachers. but their tasks Will
be made easier and peasanter II, instead Of
our continue ~ finding fault with them, we use
our personal influence in their behalf. Instead
of d"nOuncing them to the pupils. as some are
i'm the habit Of doing let us II there Is any hing
wrong either In their department or method of
teaching, privately MAKE the fact known TO the
proper parties, and the wrongs will be more
easily righted.
There are probably Fother duties that we owe
the public schools. hut If these that | have
briefly on lined be faithfully performed our
schools will continue to sustain the proud boast
that we have m ide of them, and our youth will
grow morally and Intellectually the peers of any
In the world
The paper was discussed by the other
members of the association and its senti-
ments generally approved.