Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-30
THE pEDaG0GuEs.
Continued from page ~

their industrial training of home. they
became men able to efficiently fill the
highest place in state and nation. and
women to bcautify and adorn the walks
OF domestic and social life. To have
been thus reared and educated in a
thrifty New England home was an I'M
questionable recommendation to young
man when seeking employment. and such
became the substantial men in whatever
enterprise they engaged.
l fancy, that today. any sagacious bust
ness firm would consider such a training
of more business value than "A modern
high school or college diploma.
There came a time when this home
training began to decline The age of
machinery came: everything which had
been previously constructed through the
mental and manual efforts of home came
ready made from the jaws of Il machine
The young then began to lose the use of
their hands in producing, and their heads
in planning.
There was nothing left for them but to
become the victims of our one sided
school system. which fosters. feeds and
even SurfeitS their receptive faculties and
leaves the perceptive and creative powers
to dwindle ana ,iIe for want of timely
and suitable nouriShment.
Perhaps someone will think that I'm
talking educational treason when | say
that our schools. colleges and universe
ties fall far short of what they ought to
accomplish. They do not give the youth
of America that complete all around de-
Velopment of character and power which
for their own welfare. ana the future
prosperity and safety of our nation they
ought to receive. prove it you say,
Time will not permit. Take Il few facts
and reason at your leisure. Not long ago
an active and intellectual young man
WIS sent to Il New York penitentiary for
forgery. After his name and offence had
been registered by. the warden. he was
tcl.al in the garb of the prison and ordered
to fall in with the other prisoners. and go
to work. go to work?' said he with Il
look of disgust and indignation. Go to
werk?" Il can't work. I'm an educated
manu- never did any work in my life .
Poor fellow. he. like thousands of others.
had received all the training which the
school and college had offered. and yet
had not received a knowledge of how to
get an honest living by work Like him
there are thousands of Others who leave
school with that idea that they are edu-
Gated. and that education is to give them
everything necessary without effort. and
when it does not come. they dishonesty
take it. Our city streets are filled with
lazy loafers, our country thoroughfares
with troublesome tramps. our poor houses
with paupers and our jails and prisons
with criminals. nine-tenthS OF whom nave
been pupils in public schools. have re-
ceived mental training enough to fit them
for positions of usefulness and honor. but
they have no practical knowledge they
cant work and hence fall into vice ana
crime. Those who are to I'LL their places
are now in our schools. If they go on UNI
der t..t same systems We can but expect
that they will fall into the same condi-
tons.
. There are three great factors which en-
ter into character building. the home the
school and the church; and if it be true.