The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-09

good education and be quick and ac-
curate in their calculations. This is
| only right, for to any one living at this
| time IN country where free public
schools are accessible to every village,
| town and city, there seems to be no
excuse left for not having a good ed
| ucatlon. What is the reason SO few
embrace the opportunities afforded by
| these monuments of civilization and
| progress? On examining the schools
| we ma that the lower grades are
crowded to overflowing but as wes adj
vance TO the higher grades the classes
gradually grow smaller, until during
the last two or three years of the
nigh school they are very small COM
pared with those few years back.
| Often a child has natural dislike
for school, and instead of his trying
to cultivate taste for it, as soon as
he is old enough to be useful in some
| employment he is allowed to leave
school and go to work. In some cases
| this is an absolute necessity and
| should be pftied rather than condemn
! ed, Tor in accordance with human ma
tufe those who are compelled to leave
school would be glad to continue and
finish their education There has been
a good deal of adverse opinion in re-
gard to the study of the classics. So
many object to them without knowing
their real purpose or value. To Latin
and Greek the principal objection
seems to be that they are dead Ian
guages and cannot be used in CONVEX
satlon, as French, German or the other
modern languages can. This is true,
and, therefore, the question naturally
arises, what is the aim in studying
Latin or Greek?
Latin is no longer studied in our
schools in order to learn to read it
as the ancients did, but to study the
tl1r
| and arts of people who We're world
rulers 1000 years ago. We think our
own language is simple and correct,
| yet we find that the Romans were far
in advance of us. Their language is
very exact and has a force and beauty
which cannot be expressed in ours.
These languages aid the student in ac
curing a good style in English.
Why are not algebra, geometry and
the sciences objected to on the basis
that we will find little or no use for
them after we leave school? If the
classical course becomes separated
from the other studies we will soon
have two distinct forms of education.
One class well versed in all that per-
tains to our ancestors, will know moth
ing whatever of the sciences and cam
not fully appreciate the important dis
coveries being made all the time; OPP
posed to these will be those who know
ing of the past.
From study of the literature of
Greece and Rome we find that many of
our laws, manners and ethics are bas-
| ed on theirs.
| And yet. in the desire to acquire a
| knowledge of the classics. the impor-
| lance of a thorough mastery of En-
| glish is very often overlooked. Many
| suppose that English means only to be
| able to express ones self in order to
| communicate every day wants, yet the
! smallest child knows how to do this
| before he enters the kindergarten. We
| all know how often a debate has been
| won by the manner in which the sub
| ject was treated. a case in the court
| room by the lawyers plea. A business
| letter poorly expressed in English does
| not highly recommend the writer, who
| perhaps. has a good education, but
| who, like many another, did not care
| much for English while in school, and
| having neglected it. sees his mistake
! too late.
Like mathematfts, English is mind
| training, a study only made perfect
| by observation and use. AS the many
industries of Montana. mining, smelt-
| ing, stock raising. wool growing and
farming, are capable of much Develop
ment, it seems easy for a boy who is
| willing to work to find employment
| and for this fact many boys. when
| they reach the age of IA, Is or 16, leave
| school to go to work thinking that
! no matter how small the wages, they
| are making money, which to SO
! many seems to be the primary object
| in life. M
We have many special schools in
the nation and state, but, while these
are all right in their place they should
| not take the place of the public schools.
The children should first have good
| general education, which will help
them in any and all branches of life
work, and then receive "a special ed
| ucation for the vocations which they
| may choose.
| Young people should remember that
| the great men and women are grow
| ing old and passing away every day
| and this necessarily calls for some one
| to take up their work, and it is not
| the old or middle aged that are prefer
| red, but the young and energetic. Some
boy must fit himself to fill the place
| of president some must be ready to
respond to the call for governors, some
| senators, some representatives, some
generals, some foreign ministers. some
ministers of the gospel, some mission
| sit.ons in the body polite, the firm
foundation and bulwark Of the nation,
the great mass of the people; of whom
| Goldsmith SO aptly says:
"Ill fares the land, to fastening ills a
prey,
| Where wealth accumulates and men
decay;
A breath can make them, as breath
| has made;
But a bold peasantry, their country's
pride,
When once destroyed, can never be
supplied"
"The Cars Peace Proposals U1rica
Trisberger.
When the chief of one of the greatest
| powers in the world makes a PROPOSE
| ton for universal disarmament, this
proposition is worthy of our most earn
est consideration. The car of Russia
has suggested that all nations lay down
| their arms and settle their disputes in
some other manner. Some doubt the
earnestness of the cars intentions, but
| nevertheless the idea is a good one and
| Demands more than momentary notice.
! The motives of the czar's proposal may
| be suspected with prOprietry vet the