The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-10
DISCUSSES CHILD STUDY
PROF. SMITHS FRIENDLY CRITI-
CISM OF SOME RECENT STATE
MENTS OF COL. PARKER
THE PARENT AND THE CHILD
Cruest and Rest Study of the Little
One Is by the Heart
and Not the
Head.

and Not the
Head.
Special Correspondence st. Paul Globe.
CHICAGO, Feb. S.-Just now the educa-
Eonal committee of 100 is attracting some
attention in Chicago, and occasionally
some of its work is noticed in the pa-
pers OF other cities. So far as I hava
been able to judge, its object is to get
some legislation affecting Chicago schools
curing the present session of the gen
eraI assembly, and its meetings are more
frequently held and more fully reported
imam heretofore. 1t is most improbab BILE
mat any law prepared by this commits
sion VIII be seriously considered by the
members of the legislature There is
ample power vested in the school board
Under the present city charter and a gen
eral law having for its principal object
the enforcement of the provisions OF the
charter would be no more effective than
the provisions of the city's organic law.
Aside from this the members do no. at
all agree, and, so far, their principal
work has been to repeal at one meeting
the recommendations of the former meet
lngs.
CHARGE OF DRUNKENNESS
AT a meeting held a few days ago
u.
I mean to talk right out here. [ think
there are plenty of people who know that
few principals are addicted to habits
OF drunkenness" Several teachers mem
bers of the commission, said IT'S 50 -
This was brought to the attention OF
the president of the board of education,
who most courteously asked Mr.. White
for the name Of any principal charged
With drunkenness and stated that any
one so charged would be Immediately
suspended, while a thorough investigation
would be undertaken to rid the schools
of unworthy men or women. Mr. White
declined TO give any names nor have any
other persons come forward with
charges, so the matter has been DIS
missed. Here is an example of the
weakness of reformers. Some times they
are unduly agitated over mere rumors
that are utterly without foundation.
Sometimes they are wholly without the
courage of their convic ion, and some
times they are simply seeking notoriety.
Unless Mr.. White intended following up
his charge against "a few principals" ne
should not have said one word about it.
Every superintendent, and many princi-
pals have had persons coming to them
for he purpose Of 1mparting something
in confidence against teacher. The al
fair is quite dreadful, but the informant
must not be known; he will bring others
to substantiate the statement, also in
confidence, at some private place, but
the superintendent must act on his own
account, and never mention names. If
any superintendent or principal has
acted upon this he has paid dearly for
his weakness. 1t is a wise determination
on the part of a superintendent to receive
nothing in confidence that alone must In
Huence his public action. His ability to
give a reason for what he has done
makes his position utterly untenable.
President Harris did right in demanding
the names of immoral teachers, and in
dismissing the matter when public
charges were refused.
CHILDREN GAMBLING.
Another matter that has attracted
much attention is the proximity of policy
shops to many school buildings. Much
alarm among parents has been occasionod
by the charge that gambling among Chi
dren is largely on the increase, and the
police have been vigorously assai- ed for
allowing these shops to flourish under the
shadow of the school building Both the
danger and the injury doubtless have ba>n
greatly exaggerated, but the usual re-
suit has foliowed-the shops have been
closed, and no doubt opened In a place
possibly yet more dangerous to the chi
dren. Our good theorists, however haYe
rot allowed the occasion to pass without
announcing that gambling is an instinct
of the primitive mind, and that it is fol-
lowing the natural order that the child
savage should gamble This is IN accord
with the views expressed here two years
ago, much to the surprise of many and
the disgust of some by a distinguished
talker-that there should be more blood
and thunder in kindergarten instruction,
and that children should be allowed Ito
battle each other otherwise there was
unnatural repression that was hurtfu!.
These views were so distasteful to the
Chicago board of education that 1t
promptly revoked an order allowing
teachers who wished to attend 1.-The lee
lures to dismiss school before the usual
hour for that purpose, and the primitive
instinct for gambling IS not mere favor
ably regarded by parents. Such is the
stupidity of human beings!
FREE TEXT BOOKS.
The commission cannot agree upon TIE
manner of school book purchases. Some
are in favor of free text books; some in
favor of selling to the children at cost,
and some in favor Of furnishing free
books to the children of the grade schools
only. So great is the diversity of opinion
that it is very doubtful indeed if any
recommendation will be made. If this
body is an index to public sentiment,
then there has been a decided decline Of
The daily papers also seem to be mu,h
opposed to the scheme From the paint
ed reports of the meetings of the ccm-
mission II seems that 1t is made up
largely of ministers and of teachers. and
that the former do great deal of talk
ing and the latter a great deal of object
ing, and that the honcrs are usually with
the latter.
SUPPOSEDLY NEW.
Many statements directed straight al
the keynote thing, it has beer
struck so hard and so viciously that it is
quite out of tune, and simply makes E
noisy jangle now-are made by the mem
bers, and one of the most distinguished
among the ministers announced the start
lingly new proposition, that 1t was the
first duty of the teacher Ito reach an(
to teach the parents" 1t may be an echo
or a dream, or a vain imagining but
am sure that 1 have heard that express
sion before, and you, readers, also have
heard it, and some enthusiasts going far.
Their than this minister, have urged the
necessity of a vast amount of parenta
study. But experience has shown thai
this advice is without value, and Will
listeners may flatter the vanity of tn;
speaker by applauding the sentiment, nc
one attaches much importance 4o N.