The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-01
TOPICS OF EDUCATORS
DEAN BRIGGS, or HARVARD, ON
PUBLIC SCHOOL TRAINING.
How the Football Player Gets His
Culture md Observation-Disclosures
Not N Food, but Injurious.

t-tlCAtD, feD. fOCtDdll player
gets little culture from his studies; he
gets his education from his football" said
Dean L. u. r.. Briggs. of Harvard College,
In discussing to-day before the superin-
tendents of the National Educational AS
ISOLATION Some Aspects of Public School
Training" by which," he continued, II
mean that work is education. The whole
drift OF the present time Is to turn work
into play and to turn play into work. The
modern educator thinks that the child's
work must be amusing. and the athletic
trainer knows that the athletes play must
be work. From which arises the kinder
garten on the one hand and the football
game on the other"
Mr.. Briggs said futher: "The first lesson
OF education in it's truest sense Is TO get
down to hard work and TO do Il well. This
lesson is education, though II be learned
In mill. Application. concentration, abil-
ity to do-these are the results of educa-
tlon. For this reason the business man
often prefers the college athlete TO the
man OF college honors because the athlete
has done something and the business man
knows that the doing OF things Is a
necessity I'm actual life / hold that the
common school should do as much for the
boy In the way or education as does the
game OF football. The business of the
grammar school is not 10 follow the mind.
but TO lead IL. u should not allow the
childish mind to go whittier ~ listeth; IL
should point "a definite path. Drill. drill and
absolute accuracy should be the function
OF the grammar school. IL should lay the
foundations on which may be erected the
substance as well as the frills of life. TO
this end L believe that the teaching OF the
English language Is the chief function OF
the grammar school Let there be much
reading writing and speaking OF the En-
NI iEh la al "A
OF mathematics and n little geography, Will
form, i believe, a suitable foundation FOR
later work IL may be a narrow founda-
ton, but II Is better than one so incumbered
with the diversions OF education that the
child can crawl over but not stand upon IL.
ITO the objection that drill is deaden-
ing, | answer that the child enjoys repe-
tition and can stand much more OF IL than
can the adult. | prefer 10 have boy OF
mine use the English language decently.
even IL he does not have an opportunity TO
| study German In the grammar school.
/ believe I'm the early and earnest study
| of the grammar of our language. l would,
| have the child store his mind with the
maxims OF our language. l do not believe
| that the modern sighting OF the study OF
| grammar is producing writer's of the same
perfection as we had in the early days OF
| our country. Sewing for the girls and
manual training for the boys are admir-
| able but they must not take the place of
| the hard intellectual work which educate
as nothing else can. Frills I'm education
may well be compared TO the frills In
dress A frill won't take the place OF
warm petticoat."
DIR. William L. Harris, national COM
missioner OF education, took issue with
Professor Briggs. He said: II am thor
oughly tired of all the talk about mental
discipline 1 left Yale College in my junior
year because / was Disguised with that
sort OF thing. 1t was Latin and Greek
the embryo of all learning. 1t was so much
embryo that nothing was ever Matched.
/ thought ii wrong then and | know it is
wrong now. The best education for the
child as for the college man, is that which
links the school work with the childs life.
That is the education that teaches. do not
believe that the kindergarten amuses at
the expense of developing habits OF orderly
work. The kindergarten arouses the child
to a perception OF the lie or which he Is
a part
Alcohol as a food was condemned by
the educators to-day. On this subject
and the report submitted by committee
of seven appointed year ago to investi-
gate the value of alcohol as food lively
debate was anticipated. The report of the
committee, however, which simply stated
mo authority has been found who main
tanned that alcohol Is a 1000, and recon-
mending literature discussing the subject
was adopted, with but little discussion,
this action being regarded as victory for
the conservative element among the educa-
tors School children will accordingly be
simply told that alcohol is injurious. and
no special course or instruction on it's eff
fects or the human system will be given
The report of the committee on teaching
of physiology as bearing on the effect OF
alcohol was as follows: I'VE recommend
that a body of educational doctrine be for
mulated which may guide temperance in
instruction in the schools throughout the
country and we further recommend that
the scope of investigation be so enlarged
as 10 cover not only the topics suggested,
but also the field of personal hygiene so far
as this is practical matter for school in
struction. We also. recommend that this
investigation be conducted under the direc-
ton of the National Educational Associa-
ton"
The following officers were reported elect
ed by the secretary: President, T. r. Glenn.
Atlanta. Ga; first vice president, H. T.
Emerson Buffalo n. Y; second vice presi-
dent F. w. Cooley. Calumet. Mich. secre-
tarv' John w. Deitricht Colorado Springs.
Col Chicago was chosen as the meeting
place for the next annual session. The con-
vention closed tonight.