Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-11-14

minds OF our school children; flags fly
from every school building in many if
not all Of the states in the union and
III some localities the question of Civ
ing The pupils military drill is excit-
ing much interest. If there is now one
thing more to be desired than another
IN the training OF our public school
pupils it is the faculty for instant and
implicit obedience
1t is a we'll known fact that Ameri-
can children TO a greater extent than
those OF any other nationality lack
in obedience. This is a misfortune
rather than fault of the children ana
is leading to the grayest national con-
sequences. 1t would be vain to seek
tOr all the causes of this character
istic; it would be most discouraging to
trace its far reaching effects. Teachers
recognize that children of foreigners
are much more amenable to the re-
quirements and discipline than our
own American children, until the for
eigners become Americanized, when
their 5000 behavior in the fist place
intensifies results when they reverse
their actions. All children have an
erroneous idea of liberty or freedom,
and confuse the conceptions represent
ed by liberty and license"
TO protect children from their own
and their guardians ignorance and
IShOrtSIghtedneSS the various educa-
uonaI bodies have adopted courses Of
study which, although frequently un-
| satisfactory to the individual, include
and compel that which is The best Tor
the majority. The great difficulty in
our schools today is IN matters OF dis
clpnne. In the trsC place, 100 much
is required OF one teacher. NO teacher
can do justice to the course OF study,
TO herself, to the pupil or to his par
ents who has under her charge from
forty to sixty pupils during the school
day. Not the slightest opportunity
is given for individual work, for the
Strengthening of weak faculties or for
The Development of force. Much time
is necessarily used in the mere
machine work of distributing and col
Letting material and exercise books
and tasks. This time, though lost
from actual study of book work, is, or
may be, valuable to the pupil as a
slight bodily relaxation and as an ex-
ercise in rapid, silent, accurate move
ment.
After many years of thoughtful OBJ
serValOn and experimentation in THIS
feature OF school work, | have come
20 the conclusion that those children
learn the moSL rapidly 10 obey sig
nails Instantly and go through such
drill accurately who are descended
from races whose men are subjected
to strict military duty.
1t must be true, unless the doctrines
! OF ncredity are all false, that the child
whose ancestors for generations have
been trained to respect for authority,
secular, religious or military, will the
more easily give obedience 10 the nee
essary rules of school lite Ii our Pur-
parents OF this generation are TOO lax.
The discipline enforced at our army
and naval schools illustrates the old
saying that he who would command
must first learn to obey" This say
ing like all other proverbs and popu-
lar adages has grown out OF, not a
mere happy juxtaposition OF words,
but from solid substratum OF actions.
Its foundation, so to speak, is a wall
made Of solid blocks of cause and effect
with the plaster of reasc:. binding
them firmly. Obedience implies at
tention, self-control, which in turn i'm
plies self-respect and | might mention
many other qualities developed and
strengthened by the habit of obedi-
ence. That all of these qualities are
essential in a commander all will con-
cede. Are they less essential in a citi-
zen, in our future lawmakers. trainers
as we'll as voters, and far more import
ant in the parents of our future citi-
zens? All children, girls as well as
boys, are fascinated by whatever per-
tains to the army. Witness the growth
of the boys brigades and their sisters
similar organizations in our churches.
The popularity of Captain Kings adj
mlrable stories OF army and camp
life attests admiration really felt for
soldlerly qualities. Another thing
might be urged in FAY or of this plan.
1t is likely that if our army posts de-
tail q ''comrade'' to this important du-
ty Of drilling the school children flor
hope girls will be Included in all
possible drilD they will exercise great
care IN their selection of an army man
and the influence of the personal con-
tact OF our youth with O. manly man is
not to be estimated lightly. 1t is to be
feared that. we are not sufficiently
thoughtful Of the fact that masculine
influence is sadly lacking in the train
ing OF our girls and boys. Too many
fathers are engrossed in business that
they leave this all important duty to
the mother and the teacher; too many
more are unfit for this or any other re-
sponsibility; and, to the end that there
may be fewer such in tie future, I say
success to any measure that will tend
to the physical good of our children, 10
habits Of self-control and obedience.
to respect for our army, our institu-
tions, our country, and the flag which
reDresentS them