The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-01-26

ana hearts the OuTQcuS OI tue IepuO-
lie, and they should be well grounded
in the first principles of education.
In all of the grades of our public
schools the teachers are required, will
ingly or otherwise, to make excursions
into the hills and woods surrounding
this city, taking the children with them
with the alleged purpose of studying
botany and geology. The days thus
spent are picnic days, and they come
quite often. The children are obliged
to pay their own ear fare, no matter
how poor their parents may be. This
is as unfair as it is unwise. The chill
dren do not need botany or geology, nor
will they ever have need of knowledge
of those branches in after life. But all
of them will have need of knowledge Of
reading, writing, spelling and arith
metic. And those studies are not
taught them.
Business men need not less than 1000
words with which to express their
ideas fuently and freely. The average
high school graduate in this city does
not know more than 1000 words, and
does not know how to spell more than
half of those words accurately. And
when they come to work for men in
journalism, or other literary pursuits,
these high school graduates are help
less, because they do not understand
the words spoken to them. any more
than they would understand the words
of foreign language. These extreme
statements are made as result of per-
sonal experience in dealing with the
graduates of these schools.
Inasmuch as the boys and girls are
not taught to be accurate in their spell
ing, they carry through life with them
tlovenly intellectual habits. Some of
them study law and medicine, but they
do not know how to spell the technical
terms used in their professions. One of
them, now a practicing physician, re-
Gently gave receipt to patient, for
'fourty-nin dolls" Another, young
LAWYER. wrote to a client: "Pleas cal
son as possible"
Young men so educated cannot rise.
Scholarly men know exactly where to
place half-educated men. But the men
of limited or slovenly education never
can understand the completely educat-
ed men about them. Hence the high
school graduates of this city seldom
know how to choose a profession, or
how to succeed in one. It is an uncon-
| troverted truth that no man ever made
an ill figure who understood his own
talents, nor a good one who mistook
| them.
The highways and byways of history
are strewn with the wrecks of the lives
of mon who miSfOoE their callinQS. or
who were not well equipped educa-
tionally for any calling. Many youth
who would have been a frst-rate me-
chanic is forced into a learned profess
sion, and with ali his blushing hon
ors thick upon his vacant head" set
ties down to kill people scientifically
| pouring drugs, of which he knows little,
into bodies of which he knows less.
"Tompkins forsakes his last and awl
For literary sQuabbles;
| Styles himself poet: but his trade
Remains the same-he cobbles."
Thus it appears that scores, if not
hundreds, of men and women become
teachers in the public schools, who
| might better be in trade of some kind.
Thus it appears that there are superin-
tendents or members of school boards
who know little about teaching, but
have power to employ teachers who
know less. Consequently our public
schools are in need of competent SUI
pervision, which will result in com
plete reformation of method and OF
means for giving practical education to
our young people. SMITH d. FRx.