The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-01-31

the minds Of both the educators ana
textbook writers. Textbooks are rare
" changed abroad, and a student Is
taught rather to grasp and retain de
tailed information than look for 1t In
himself. Binders, as 1t were, are
placed on his eyes, so that he is unable
to look sidewise. Certainly these schools
are more advanced in theory than ours
bue we surely excel them from practl-
cal side. We aim to impart theoreti-
cal and practical education combined
and more nearly to procure the acme OF
usefulness in after years. Then, too, the
natural tendency of the American
youth to apply knowledge as soon as
acquired is a superiority that greatly
aids the teacher to attain results. Prob
ably, and most likely, the lack or the
foreign student of this essential Is on
account of the system of supervision
and restriction that obtain abroad. 1t Is
almost crime for junior clerk to sug-
gest an improvement to the manager
of corporation and likewise 1t is con-
sidered very bad for student to ad-
vance any ideas in class,
ANY one of the foreign schools is bet
ter equipped, more expensive to main
tain and better fitted to exert an infu-
ence in the student body than ours, but
the medieval practice of restrictions
places them beyond the pale of our
work. Omitting the English schools,
any one of the others has distinct ad-
vantage over our schools from the fact
that reading and spelling are mastered
in three years. because words are
spelled as spoken. Many of our pupils
are unable to read English after ten
years steady application. Arithmetic is
much easier abroad, because the tables
are founded on the decimal system. like
our money, and require very little men,
orlzing 1t is conceded that boy COM
ing out of the preparatory school on
the continent is about two years ahead
of our boy Of the same age who is grad
uating from our high school While
this is true. our boy has done at least
three years more work In mastering the
reading. spelling and grammar Of our
difficult language with its barbarous
spelling and numerous irregularities Of
grammar
Then, too, our high schools take in all
classes of boys who can afford to re-
main In school. because we are an edu-
Gated people. while In Europe no com.
mon boys attend the secondary schools
Only those who are In training for pro
fesslonal careers and who are supposed
to be specially well endowed mentally
enter those schools at ALL Again. the
matter OF fitting a pupil SO that be is
able to step into an office as soon as he
is out Of the high school is not consider
ed abroad as It Is here. Little or no at
tention Is devoted to what we call com
merclal training, such as shorthand.
typewrltlng and commercial law. This
instruction is only obtained by a Euro
pean student In a college course.
! The same openness Of mind so notice
! able In the American youth Is totally
I lacking in the foreign student. and be Is
held to'the facts In his books until be
has no breadth Of range. He spends
much less time in the open air and
takes less exhllarating exercise than
our boys. Add to this the scientific ven
! tilation Of our classrooms. the dash Of
our methods. shorter hours Of instruc.
tiOn. more cheerful methods. periods OF
relaxation more frequent. and il Is no
wonder our boys grow two inches taller
than the foreign boys when taken age
for age.
The American does not work a colt
before be has grown. and il Is on this