Evening journal., 1901-07-26
FRIDAY. July 20. 1901.
PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRICULUM

PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRICULUM
A writer in an evening paper makes
some spirited comments on ,he conduct
OF our public schools. and. perhaps, does
some injustice to the Board of sduca-
ton The editor in commenting on thel
communication raises the question:
whether art subjects such as music and
drawing should be in the curriculum
and upon this question little discus
sion may not be out of place
Those having IN charge public edu,a-l
tion in the last decade have been con
fronted with many problems; they are
constantly urged to introduce new
branches by those who by intellectual
bent or training happen to regard pc
culiar line Of human knowledge as all
important On the other hand there isl
n conservative element which deplores
any change from the curriculum Of theI
fathers, and deprecates the tendency tol
grant any time to subjects once held
as unimportant or special But our ageI
IL llRl1 ANilIAtA NAAttM Aii IINHAf anu q
knowledge OF some subjects which were
only vaguely understood by the masters
Of another period, is now imperative TO,
all Il is a most perplexing question,
since to cover all that is important orI
may be important, is an impossibillly
The object Of public education is good
citizenship, and all that enter into
this must receive serious consideration.
in following out this theory some have
reached the conclusion that only those
subjects which directly iit the young
for the practical affairs OF life, are inn
portant. This is a great mistake, The
State owes its welfare and permanency
TO an educated people, to industry, but
no less to morality. Life does not con-
sist altogether in the ability to possess
earthly goods; the happiness OF the
individual and OF the mass depends
upon their ability 10 get somethong out
Of life that money cannot buy. No one
is educated until he can draw upon his
own resources for much of the real
happiness OF existence There is cry
ing need in our schools for develop
mont Of the aesthetic side OF childhood,
that the average citizen may love that
which is chaste and elevating There is
no exercise which is more valuable
from this standpoint than music. And
when we remember that 10 most stu
dents it is a mere pleasurable exer-
else, which does not detract from
other studies, there will appear no rea-
son against its retention.
But Il has another side; there is no
accomplishment greater than The ability
10 speak with ease and precision Pres
ident Eliot, Of Harvard, says that the
best test OF a mans education is his
ability to use his own language Spe-
cialists have discovered that voca
music is q valuable means Of develop
ing and purifying the speaking voice
and many incipient cases Of stammer
ing have been broken up by the rhyth
mic use of the voice in song.
While drawing is in a sense an ar
study it is also emincntly practical
In the old days the boy who drew
horse or a tree on his slate was punish
ed. Now he produces the work unde
the direction Of a competent instructor
In our modern life a rudimentar
knowledge Of this work is exceeding
ly valuable to any one. 1t may be &C
quired as easily as writing. or cOurs
ell may not become artists, but since 4
its first stages it is largely mechanl
cal, anyone may acquire some prof
cheney. To say that It takes peculiar al
titude 10 understand any one branch,
an observation which applies to al
since some persons never learn
spell well while there are COLES
graduates who can compute simple il
terest only with difficulty 1t is the a
erage students needs which must
regarded