The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-02-08
OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
Some of the Evils That Have
Grown Up With 1t.
These Are Discussed by the Social
Science Club.-Rev. Geo. II. Davis
Reads Paper on the Subject.


day evening. The question in hand was
1.-The Evils in Our High School Sys-
tenn, but it was broadened out some
what SO that 1t covered more or less
the grades as well. The club varied
the course of its meetings somewhat,
and made the occasion something of
a social gathering by inviting the
ladies to be present, and large num-
Der responded to the invitation. Re
freshments were served after the dis
cussion of the paper and pleasant
social time enjoyed.
Rev. Geo. Fl. Davis read the paper
of the evening. 1t was of a most inter
esting nature and took hold of some of
the crying evils of the schools of today
without gloves. In his introduction
he said: what l may say is not to
be construed in any sense as an attack
upon our public schools, or a condem-
nation of the leaders in educational
affairs. We all appreciate and are
grateful for the work that has been
done by the public schools of the
country in the past and must continue
to be done in the future for the up
building and perpetuity of our govern
ment. F." He then paid an eloquent
tribute to the work that education has
accomplished and placed it next to the
church of God as the choicest heritage
that has come to us, and continuing
said in part:
Free government is dependent upon
the continuance and progress of educa-
tion. The people are keenly alive to
these truths, and show their apprecia-
ton in most practical manner. No
other expenditure for public purposes
is SO cheerfully and generously made.
But there is widespread convic-
ton that serious defects exist which
must be remedied before the best re-
suits can be attained. Fathers and
mothers make bitter complaint that
their children are over worked, that
laws of physical health are disregard
ed. Sufficient time is not allowed for
recreation and physical exercise, and
the aim seems to be not to develop a
sound mind in sound body, but to
cram the mind with knowledge. Not
infrequently children are driven from
school because of overtaxed minds and
shattered nerves. Thoughtful and a BILE
school men are also dissatisfied and
admit that results from our school
system are not adequate to the time
and effort expended. Pupils leave high
school without seeming to have that
training that fits them for the battle
of life.
Mr.. Davis then quoted from late
report of the high school inspector of
this state to the effect that while con-
ditions under which instruction is
given are improving rapidly,
the quality of scholarship does not
seem to thus improve. The children
he said were spry, deft, alert atten
tive, attractive, etc. and will make
agreeable neighbors and conformable
citizens, but they seem to be losing
certain qualities of ruggedness that
should distinguish a people. AS body
they ask few questions, are not fond
of knotty problems. A sort of we'll
bred Indifference to striking or trou-
blesome facts, he said. is creeping over
our schools and tempering if not domi
mating our native eagerness to get hold
of the situation whatever it may be !;
but he thinks we will come out all
right in the end.
Continuing Mr.. Davis thought the
inpector's arraignment was terribly
severe and if justified by the facts it
is time to carefully and seriously ex
anime the situation and find the caus e
and apply the remedy. The statement
that the schools are making progress,
while he is not SO certain about the
progress of scholarship, is certainly
"daming with faint praise. - Con-
formable citizens are desirable under
an autocratic or despotic form of gov
eminent, but a source of weakness in
a republic. Politics would be purer,
social standards higher of our citizens
were not quite SO conformable. To
analyze the inspectors words, "they
charge our schools with producing
superficial, snowy, dependent hot
house sort OF culture which robs the
character of those elements of robust
ness and strength which should dis
tinguish people. I would hardly have
dared to make so sweeping and severe
a charge but I am convinced there
is at least some truth in the indict-
ment. I believe the evil has it's root in
a false conception of the proper educa-
tional work of the secondary school.
Our topic is the evil of the high
school, but the evils appear in the en-
tire system. We live in an age of edu-
cational fads and experiments, of
educational alterations, as a pro-
minent superintendent expresses it.
Theories, processes, devices and pre-
tensions innumerable are set forth for
the natural and scientific development
of the child mind by strictly up-to-
date methods, but we look in vain for
promised results and fond expectations
are not realized
He quoted from a former state super
intendent condemning our present