The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-18
THE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.

THE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.
The poor we have always with US. So
have we the public schools. With tie re-
turn of each September the public schools
become the object of much solicitude.
1t is then that the faddists and the anti
faddists buckle on their armor for their
annual joust. The faddist is usually an
enthusiast and the anti-faddist a sflurian
fossil. While the faddist would turn out
from the public schools, children with
minds attuned to- all the harmonies of
the universe, the anti-faddist would
make of the public schools mill with but
one hopper, that for the grinding out of
the three Rs. To the anti-faddist all is
useless that is not practical. The power to
earn a IVing-to accumulate money is
the only goal worth striving for We
must admit that this is the spirit of the
age and we do not wonder that it asserts
itself in attempts to mould the public
schools along it's own particular lines
The faddists have perhaps gone too far
toward the other extreme. They may
give too much attention to what we may
call, acknowledgment = to character
building They. claim, and with much
show of reason, that a good name is
rather to be chosen than great riches
that character in man or woman is of
greater value than the ability to spell the
English language or to keep a set of
books. They claim that the first duty
of the public schools to the country is to
inculcate in the mind of the child those
principles of truth and duty which are
ever the base of a sterling character.
On honesty, truthfulness, integrity and
industry as g. base, all success can be
builded
Success in life is not measured by the
amount of money or property one may
accumulate, nor by the notoriety one may
gain, but upon the amount of happiness
obtained and the amount of pleasure
given.
The never-ending contest over our pub
lie schools then becomes a question of
pure ethics. We need not expect the
contending factions to agree, because
they view the shield from totally differ
ent standpoints.
AS in most contentious, middle course
cuts somewhere near the right; at least
like the resultant of opposing forces, it
is necessary. The teaching of the essen
tials OF the anti-faddist need not wholly
displace the character-building process
And the soul-culture need not do away
with the three RS and correct spelling.
So much for the essentials of the gem
difficult to handle. One of the sore trials
of the public school teacher is the in
sistent criticism of ignorance. Men and
women whose education is limited or
whose ideas have been crystallized for
years, proffer their advice, not only
on subjects of educational theory but on
the details of practice. They belong to
the class of people who always instruct
the lawyer in the conduct of his case,
they know just what the physician or
surgeon should have done to avoid GER
tain complications; they are authority ON
religion and it would be strange if thew
were not equally infallible on matters of
education.
Having confidence in the ability and the
| good Intentions of those 1.-hc oo,,4,.., -.
public schools; and not wishing to offer
any criticisms on theories or methods.
| we yet desire to record belief that the
| public high school is an expensive lux
ury. The system in this respect is top
| heavy. Agreeing with both faddists and
anti-faddists on the necessity for char
| acter-buileing and the incubation of
| practical ideas of life, we maintain that
the state owes it to itself to place all its
energy upon the ten years of the child
| between four and fourteen. Let the base
! be broadened. Give all children the ad-
vantage of the best possible kindergarten
| training. Surround the early years of
| the child with all the refining influences
| of art, music and kindly sympathy In
the grades ground them well in the es-
sentials of practical knowledge without
forgetting the subtle soul-infuences
which make or mar the future life of
the child.
Our high schools in their attempts to
serve as feeders to universities, have
missed their purpose. The course of
study should not be that of univer-