The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1898-02-03
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Suggestions from County superintendent
Griffith.

Griffith.
The enterprise of the modern press
in collecting news, rejecting the light
of all kinds of human knowledge and
in sending such information to every
corner of the reading world, is fact
which excites admiration. The mod
ern newspaper is a force which moves
the world of art, literature, theology
and science 1t places the best
thought of the race before its readers.
The torchlight of discussion is turned
upon questions of law, education, fl
nance and eco4 omics. One great mod :
err newspaper manages an educational
department. The school exercises
presented make much Of what is found
in the usual textbooks seem out of
date.
| intend using the columns of our
county papers in discussing various
educational topics which | think Of
interest to the teachers and patrons of
the public schools. | hope such arti-
Giles will stimulate interest in the same.
With occasional exceptions, no tax is
so cheerfully paid as the school tax.
Wherever the American goes he takes
his school house along with him. AS a
rule, the taxpayers do not complain of
high wages paid the teacher, if they
think they are getting their moneys
worth. Men readily pay good prices
for improved machinery, for the simple
reason thai they thereby receive
greater returns. For the same reason,
they will pay we'll for an improved
grade Of schoolWork, if convinced that
modern methods are an improvement
on ancient ways. An experience of a
quarter of IL century convinces me
that there are many and great improve
ments in The methods of handing to
another the divine fame of learning.
At th5 same time it is we'll to bear in
mind that all which is new is not true
and all that is true is not new. There
must have been much in the old educa-
ton which was sound else how could
the modern superstructure have been
reared?
A few thoughtful and excellent peo-
pie are thinking and saying that our
public schools are not meeting the de-
mands of our modern industrial life
and are not rightly training the future
American citizen to successfully Crap
pie with the serious social and eco
nomic problems of the present time.
Many claim that our public schools do
not teach reverence for authority;
that fine manners are an unknown
quantity with the American schoolby
and schoolgirl and that the tendency
of the training received in the public
schools is to beget q distate for any
kind of manual labor. Now whether
these indictments are wholly or partly
true, it stands the teaching profession
in hand to constantly examine and
reexamine the basic principles Of train
ing and the methods resulting there
from. Doubtless the public school,
like anything else human, has its i'm
projections, but if | understand the
matter Alright, no class of professional
people pay out so large a percentage
of their annual salaries for the purpose
of self-improvement.
It is hoped the series of articles to
appear in the columns Of our county
papers will excite interest in school
matters and call out criticism and dis
cussion of existing educational condi-
lions. The contact of mind with mind,
like flint against steel, is sure to bring
out the fire of thought.
Let us hear all sides.
WILLIAM GRIFFITH,
County Superintendent.