The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-21
No ROYAL Road.


From time to time the question Of
home study as part Of work In the
public school reappears as subject for
discussion. Parents and teachers both
are to some extent divided in opinion.
There are those who believe that a GER
tain amount of work upon lessons must
be done outside of school hours II edit
cation is to be at all complete within
the time limits of the public school
course. And there are those others who
cry that the physical development Of
the child is retarded and his mental
faculties are stimulated until they are
taxed injuriously by adding to the work
of the schoolroom a minimum of mental
application in the home. The contro-
versy itself is only another proof that
our system and theories OF education
are still far from the ideal; not because
Of wilful failure, but because the big
educational problem itself has not yet
been worked out
There are two obvious arguments
that tell on different sides OF the de-
bate; both based upon the establish
ment of the graded system. the sys-
tematization Of study and the accom-
panying extension Of courses. IT Is true
that a greater amount Of result can be
achieved by the child in less time than
formerly, because all educational ma
chinery has been improved. Textbooks
have been revolutionized and methods
of instruction regenerated in the last
thirty years. The child learner starts
with almost as much advantage over
one of thirty years ago as the modern
harvesting machine has over the old
"cradle'' and rake. To the contrary, 1t
is true that the addition of new topics
and matter into the school curriculum
has gone side by side with advance in
methods. The three RS of the old
fashioned country school are lost in the
bewiidering wealth Of the department
store system Of public education today.
Without entering the mazes of end
less controversies that rage about this
center, one may call attention to an old
adage that is as immutable as the ne
cess;ty of the three RS themselves. 1t
Is still true, and it will always be true,
that there ''is no royal road to learn
ing" Breadth of mind and wealth of
information call for years OF applica-
ton. The result will depend upon the
intellectual quality OF the individual to
some extent, and also to some extent
upon the excellence Of methods of i'm
parting instruction. But after all there
is a minimum of hard work to be DONE
No one else can do 1t and no education
al papacy can issue dispensation. To
remarkable degree, also. one OF the
great laws Of physics holds good of edu-
cation; what is gained in power is lost
in time" and vice versa.
There are many Of an older genera
ton who remember when the bulk OF
preparation for school work was done
outside of school hours. The children
of that day did not perish prematurely;
they were a sturdy lot, and home study
did not claim one victim then where
the cigarette habit has Its scores now.
Much of the steady application which
they gave to elementary work is made
unnecessary. Roads have been smooth
ed for them. and neat bridges cross the
streams where they had to plunge in
and swim for their lives But the habit
of holding, the mind steadily to topic,
Of winning something by working for 1t