Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-30
CIVIC VIRTUE IGNORED.
Children Should Be Taught More About Amer
can Citizenship.

| The child ana state was the SUD-
ject of an interesting address delivered
| recently before the School Principals
| Club of Chicago, by Frank r. Brown
of the First National Bank of that
| city Mr.. Brown spoke in part, as fol-
lows:
II do not wish to enter into any
| argument with you upon the compare
tive value of specific studies now a
| part of the elementary school curricu-
| lum. | do not mean to hint that the
curriculum is of no consequence. |
| mean to declare at the outset my in
| competence to judge of the compare
| tive merit Of the present different
studies. 1t would be foolish for me to
| suggest such values to you. It is your
business to know them. ana have no
| doubt you are perfectly we'll informed
| through your own experiences. | take
| it for granted. however, that each of
you desires and is willing to work for
the best no matter into what new
path ii may lead You. | take it for
granted that each Of you realizes that
perfection in anything has never Or
ever will be reached: that you believe
| that methods Of teaching. ana that
which is taught, have neither of them
Yet reached the highest possible limit
Il want to start on common ground
with YOU, ana to make my plea for
that which | believe is Of the highest
Importance to the whole community.
Upon the present welfare of the
child depends the future of the state
This l take to be automatic. As the
| children Of this city are today nour-
ished. sheltered and taught. 50 will this
city have risen or fallen in so far as
the average intelligence and morality
Of its people arc concerned when these
children come to mature age.
In fifteen or twenty years the chill
dren Of this city will direct our NUM-
cipal affairs. What is being done in
your schools to fit our boys for the
principal duties Of men. their duties
as husbands, as fathers and as citi-
Zens? What is being done in your
schools to fit our girls for their duties
as wives. mothers, and, ! hope some
day, citizens? If it is true that in the
not distant future the children now
attending the public schools are to
select the managers of the municipal
affairs of Chicago. is there enough
being done to make them fit to vote,
| or if elected to serve the interests of
| that enormous corporation of which
they are to be stockholders, officers
and board Of directors?
81 know that there is sort of vague
| illusion. a general Uniformed notion
| that what you now teach them will
somehow or other in some providential
Il 81,
Of their duties and rights as men and
women and citizens. / do not want
any better proof that this theory is
based on the grossest error than the
political status Of our municipality to-
day
Your teaching never. so far, has
made men good citizens. Good citizens.
| repeat for a good citizen from my
point of view. is something more than
man who does not beat his wife. and
who is willing to loan his lawn mower.
Our political situation is deplorable.
We have, it is true, periodical spasms
of agonized entreaty to attend the
primary elections. There are good
men who believe that to vote at the
primaries is the hallmark of the high
est expression of citizenship.
ANY one of these men would be of
inestimably greater benefit to the COM
munity if he were to put what effort
he could into the enforcement Of the
law against the adulteration of food in
this state-or into the compulsory at
tendance of children upon school. This
good citizenship which carries a man
to the primaries at stated times is too
much like religion on Sunday only.
What do your boys and girls know of
the ordinances that have been passed
by our common council this year?
What do the men and women of this
community know about them, except
those seltishly interested? Nothing.
The men and women of today We're the
school children Of a few years ago. If
they had been properly taught they
would not today willingly naas nor
allow TO be PASSED any ordinances
nimical to the general welfare.
Il do not believe that knowledge nee
essarily goes hand in hand with virtue.