Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-06-12
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! LITERATURE AND LIFE.
A.J. g.
i ssss.ssssss-sssssssss-ss-s-ss-s-ssss-ss-sssa.
The sweet ORR GRADUATE.

Il A. j. N. r
The sweet Girl Graduate.
A letter from my niece furnishes food
for reflection on our school gradua-
Stions.
What should be in itself a beautiful
occasion for Thanksgiving and rejoice
ing between parent and child has
grown into foolish and spectacular
display OF dress and pomp and cere-
mony out OF all proportion to the event
which 1t celebrates.
And yet there Is something 80 natural
and beautiful in the thought of the.
graduation of our boys and girls all
over the land, it fits in so largely with
the happy, joyous life Of spring. the
quickening pulse Of June life and
growth, that 1t seems captious to criti-
else or point out the harm in the too
great publicity given 1t.
Our June papers all over the land
will give columns of space to chronicle.
the names and addresses of all the.
graduates. together with all the details
OF the days observance. One sweet
young thing writes me that the school
provides the hack, but her beau fur
nishes her fan, flowers and ice cream.
Well. if these are necessary adjuncts,
perhaps it is better that the beau or
parent contribute them than to have
them provided by public money, espe-
cially when the school funds in many
sections are insufficient for the neces-s
sary buildings, equipment and sal-
aries.
So great is the extravaganza and so
many are the abuses that have crept
| into the observance Of graduation day
THAT strong reaction has set In
against them and public sentiment Is
growing in favor OF their total aboli-
ton.
While in favor Of looping off all the
|extravagent and artificial features that
conflict with the naturalness and sim-
plicity of youth. 1 should regret their
wholesale abolition in ali the grades.
But there is certainly good ground
for objection to the public graduations
in our grammar schools. Why should
the passage Of the pupil from the
grammar into the high school receive
any greater emphasis or publicity
than his passage into the primary from
4
and civic officialism mark the compile
ton of the grammar grade as a great
event wherein the pupil has achieved
great results, whereas his real attain
mentis but small fra gment of very
large whole, which IS never final, but
a continuous process covering the en-
tire life. The graduate of the grammar
school is too much Of child to proper-
ly weigh and estimate the real value Of
4 his attainment and the foolish pub
4 licity given it leads him to exaggerate
the Importance of the occasion,
4 OF course the pupil should have
recognition and encourage cement for the
progress made, but this could be shown
| by a diploma. The occasion might also
be celebrated in simple, private fash
lion. but confined to the child. parents,
teacher and Immediate friends anc
held eitherin the school room or on the
/ lawn. To most children the annual
| celebration of their natal day is sim
4 tply milestone to mark their physica.
4 growth. In the same manner then
periodical completion of the various
grades could be made happy, joyous
Ievent to stand as milestones in mental
growth.
Further objections may be urged
from another point of view: Our gram
mar school is the American limit to
4 compulsory education, and in so far as
Fit is obligatory. surely the child should
not be extolled for doing compulsory
A work. And since of necessity to one
half the children in our public schools,
the grammar grade is the boundary of
4 their education, all the more is the
A matter of its completion not an occa-
sion for public rejoicing so much as
matter for public regret.
Why, then, should we teach the
youth that his completion of the gram
mar course marks an event of so great
1 Importance to the world? 1t seems to
the writer that such publicity cheapens
education in the child's mind, leads
him to underestimate the real value
and necessity for further progress,
makes him content with small acquire
nlent and self satisfied with preten-
| tious showing.
Many children who are forced into
earning the family living are allowed
4 Ito pass quietly from the day into the
night school without any public com
mendation or ceremony. In the same
SluQGIllS
pass out from their school, il FOR no
Iother reason than that they are too
young and their attachments toe
meager to be made the occasion OF
public jubilee.
The same objections can not be urged
5lwith equal force against nigh school and
college cominence:ne.ts. for these are
mot only not compulsory but they fol-
illow at a maturer period when the youth
has completed a course requiring a high
degree of intelligence, close application
4 and a trained will. Besides. the youth
i lis better able to measure his work at its
true value. and grasp clear sense OF
A the proportion Of things.
i The requirement of a high school or
collegiate course is worthy of public
4 recognition and approval. AS most pu-
pills enter school al the age OF 6 years
i and pass thru all the various grades in
4 Guiding the grammar department in
from eight to ten Years. the additional
i four years Of high school and college
curriculum means from twelve to six
teen years of continuous study. and as
4 these are the years in which the youth
4 full ideals and ambitions are shaping
themselves toward some definite end. ii
l does seem as tho the climax of such a
course enabling the youth to enter upon
the fulfillment of his life's task is and
A justly should be made a red letter day