The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-18
NEWSPAPERS IN THE SCHOOLS.
Kansas City superintendent Will In
troduce Their study as Feature.

trOduce Ine1r study as a tcu LuFes
Kansas City Journal.
Among some of the new features to be
introduced this year is the study of the
daily newspapers in the schoolrooms. On
this subject Professor Greenwood said:
1.-THE schools should avail themselves of
every force that will enlarge the pupil S
knowledge of persons, places and things,
and particularly should they give special
attention to the commercial relations be-
tween countries. The exchange of product
among the nations of the earth is never
constant. although it may be predicted with
q considerable degree of certainty. 50 nuc-
tuating is trade from year TO year, the
very keenest insight and the widest expert
ence in business furnish positive clew
that will enable one to forecast through
what channels trade will continue to flow.
New conditions continually force them
selves forward at unexpected times whose
presence disturb commerce and render 1t
necessary for men to look for new markets
or turn their attention to other fields for
profitable investments. The alert MIND
Graves the freshest and most reliable in
formation in every field of activity. To
keep in touch with all lines of thought and
action, the gathering, transforming and
publishing of news as soon as the events
happen is the function of the daily news
paper, the great reflector of public opinion,
giving color and tone to the daily history
of all nations In one sense it is the pub
lication and distribution of 800 books a year,
containing the most varied information. IT
would be difficult to set a limit to such an
educative influence on the family and ma
ton at large.
II submit the following suggestions of
the utility of newspapers in the school:
In the upper grades two pupils may be cho-
sen to serve for one or two weeks as ed
itors. They can clip from the papers such
items as are suitable for the school to hear
read. Let few minutes be set aside daily
for the reading of the selections. The fea-
sibility of such a scheme requires no eX-
perimental stage. Such reading would give
pupils a better view OF foreign and domes-
tic affairs in general than could be obtained
in any other way. Ali selections should be
carefully made. The art of making suita-
BILE selections is no mean acquisition. Prop
erly directed, it will cultivate taste in vari-
Gus directions. The responsibility involved
is better preparation for actual apprecia-
ton of the best in literature than reading
in a perfunctory manner classical extracts,
however well chosen. Judgment is exer-
cised at every step, and from the decisions
made by the editors the teacher gets the
trend of their minds. In the columns of
the newspaper distant countries are
brought near and their alliance with other
nations and the reasons therefor both past
and present discussed.
1.-The interdependence of nations is In
itself q strong lesson for the young To
know what older nations achieved and what
they transmitted TO the world and what
part of it is now. preserved in our institu-
lions are valuable contributions accom-
plShed through the fundamentally of the
modern newspaper Cities have always
been centers of public opinion, radiant
spots. so to speak. The newspaper invests
the great cities and their commercial rela-
tons with a human interest, and the read
ing of a telegram or a. letter from a place
adds a much deeper interest than is possi-
Bile under the dull light of Textbook
There is all the difference imaginable
live and think and work In this way the
newspapers enhance the study of geogra-
ply and history. Getting very close to a
subject, instead of viewing it at long range,
makes a vast difference in the knowledge
one obtains, and of the application that can
be made of It. Kro-.' re becomes geo
gets cosmopolitan views OF things as OPP
posed to provincial glimpses. With the aid
of good maps and some reference manuals
containing important data of each nation
as supplementary to the textbook and the
newspaper, the best and most satisfactory
results would certainly be obtained. I'm
der whatever conditions the subject is con-
sidered it is evident that freshness and vi
tality can be secured through appropriate
matter from the newspaper. How to use
it judiciously is the question.
Supplementary to the regular textbook,
current history may be advantageously APP
preached through the columns of the news
paper, whose multiplied details, crowding
themselves upon ones observation from
day to day, may be arranged into a logical
sequence. Whenever one reads an account
of a historical incident, or an incident like
~ to become historical the reader can turn
to map of that part of the world in which
the act occurred and associate the nara
ton with the locality and thus may ac-
quire in time fair knowledge of any coun-
try Interest fcstered under such condi-
tions never dies out.
"A class in history should be organized
on the plan Of a regular debating society or
a literary club, and the preparation should
be made from a geographical and chrome
logical basis as foundation. The pre-
requisite is that every pupil be, willing to
follow out each line of thought or sug-
geston far it can be traced
Let the pupil early in life acquire the
hebit of clipping interesting facts from the
papers and putting those that pertain to
the same subject together in a scrapbook
Much very useful Information may be pre-
served in this way Historical clippings are
most serviceable when labeled ready for
use as needed. Magazine articles are gen.
orally more pretentious than those that APP
pear in newspapers and should be collated
If possible. In the selection of matter geo
graphical, statistical, industrial. CONNER
cial political and educational should all be
included. Statistics, to be exhaustive
should comprise the commerce of the coun-
try, the kind and extent of the industries
the chief productions, vegetable and min
eral; the methods of transportation by land
or water; the tariff and custom laws, postal
and telegraphic facilities the trademark
and copyright regulations: system of coin
age, banking and weights and measures
and, lastly. the intelligent level of the peo-
pie. The primary object is TO train chill
dren to give a clear, distinct and succlnct
account of what they have read Discrim-
ination as to matter is equally important,
and. as has been said before, the teacher
must be the intelligent guide"