Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-04-19
IS THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SIS.
tenn A EAlLUR RET

| One of the most prominent educa
tors in Chicago, a man who is the
pr ncira' OF the English High and
Manuel Training School of that city
has made a plea for more pract;e al
work in the public schools. This
gentleman, Mr.. A. X. Robinson, al
a meeting of the educators of his
city declared that "ninety -sevsn and
one half per cent. Of the pupils Of the
Chicago public schools are unable to
earn an ad. quate living from the
training which they receive from the
public schools" Minus the tauto-
legy, this is an astounding state.
meDt. Coming from q man who is
supposed to be training large body
of boys in manual arts and trades, it
means much more than it would if
it came from an outsider.
1t has been suppe sed that the
public school was the great all of
the masses, yet the statistics show
that only two and one-half per cent
are practically benefited by it. The
rest get smatteripg of knowledge
here and there and are compelled to
learn how to make a living after
they have left school. This is q
serious loss of time and energy 10
the boy. In the old days he would
have been apprenticed as soon as he
was Old enough. and at twenty one
he would he master of his trade or
business and prepared to enter seri-
ously on the race for livelihood.
The Ststes- have pFscticslly abolished
the apprentice system and have sub
stituted nothing in its place. Boys
now go to tine public schools and at
twenty or twenty-five begin to look
around for an opportunity to learn q
business.
Granted that as class they are
more intelligent than the old prem
tice iads, still there remains the
question, Could net the public schools
adapt their courses to mere practical
ends2 If pupil is not aided in
earning q living by th= studi wi icb
he pursues, then the prese ent system
is fiat failure. 1t is not what the
boy learns that is of value, but it is
what be learns that will be of use to
him in practical daily struggle for
bread and butter. There is many
good merchant who knows iothipg
of physiology, botany or astronomy.
all IF which are useful and volaahle
sciences in their proper places.
The ninety. seven and one-half Fer
cent. who are not aided by the pub
lie schools probably represent the
percentage of men " ho will have to
plod and plod to make a living, and
it is in the inter SITS of those that tie
system should be changed, if it Is
faulty. in order to make their plod
ding and toll less tedious.-Philadel
phia Inquirer.
All this week, up to this We'd
nesday morning, the political at
mOsphere among the members of
the Legislature at Harrisburg has
has been in a state of agitation.
On Tuesday, Senator Magee and
thirteen others who have been vOt-
ing with the caucus majority can
didate,5 for United States Senator.
Colonel Quay deserted him, aud
voted for BE-. Jones, of Pittsburg.
All of the Allegheny delegation,
Clark and McLarn, of Washington
county, Lark Of Schuylkill county,
and Scott of Luzern, were the bolt
tiers. Quay is still the leading
candidate.
"A RBllA0K x8LE WAR.
Our war with Spain seems to be
the most remarkable of any we
have ever read of in history. The
Spanish fleet at Manila was de
strOyed without the loss of a single
American-and the great Spanish
fleet at Santiago was destroyed
with the loss of only one American
and according to accounts re-
ceived daily it would appear that
some hundreds of FilipinOs are
killed for every American soldier.
One of our western soldiers has
given his Impressions of the war
by saying that it appeared to him
like Colorado rabbit drive
From Geo. Z. Augell's Dumb Ami
mails
A Frlghtfal Blander
Win often cause Q horrible BIrn, Scald I,
Cut or Bruise. Bucklen's Arnica Salve,