Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-29
CRANE ON EDUCATION
Does Modern Education Fit for
Life?" Subject OF First Insti-
tute Lecture.
New Superintendent Formally
introduced to People Mon.
day Afternoon.
Address Makes Favorable Im-
preston to Large Audience
1.-The Student Body.

Superintendent William l. Crane, OF
the Marshaltown schools, was formally
presented to the public for the first
time Monday afternoon, when, at ga
O'Clock, he opened his series of lee
lures before the Marshall county teach
ers normal institute. 1t must indeed
have been gratifying to the new super
intendent to see the interest manifested
in his lecture. for besides the large
number of teachers and students pres
ent there We're great many people
from the city who have been awaiting
an opportunity TO hear MIR. Cranes
ideas along certain lines pertaining to
the schools and public school system.
County Superintendent Hostettler in
troduced Mr.. Crane and announced as
his subject, Does Modern Education
Fit for Life" Mr.. Crane takes the neg
ative view of the question and pointed
out where it does not. He held the I'M
divided attention of his audience for
over an hour, and while not posing as a
public orator he carries n graceful
presence on the platform and speaks
With ease and clearness. His logic was
forceful. his reasoning concise. and his
arguments We're couched in short, crisp
sentences that went straight to the
mark. That he is Well yerSed in the
method that he advocates, and that his
ideas on the subpject are correct, no
one who listened to him can deny. At
fa,. !, lo1 E,,ic \, &c ~ Ia
the recipient of many compliments on
the able manner in which he had pre-
sented the subject.
Mr. Crane said in part that 1T was the
purpose of the school to fit child to
meet the conditions of life in this world.
1t is necessary for the teacher to turn
to life around him and find out what
these conditions are that the child must
meet. Such a study shows that is not
knowledge that one needs so much as
qualities, or characteristics. These
qualities are such as, taking the init
iative, willing ones self to do things,
learning to reflect, to concentrate, to be
loyal to a trust, to be reliable, etc. 1t
is found, however, that but few of these
are definite purposes of school life. He
tHell Stu llldl lIle oillS NsS w SCI
characteristics is by going thru pro-
cesses in them. They cannot be ac-
quired by reading a book about them.
We have too much learning, to little
training. Mr.. Cranes definition of ed
ucation is: Education is the gumption
one has after he has forgotten.
Mr. Crane places especial emphasis
on the fact, that the course of study.
like a doctors pharmacy, is not an end
but a means. That the teachers bust
ness is not to get the child thru the
course of study, but to work a righteous
change in the child by a course of
study. He showed that life is largely a
of difficulties, and that the way
TO learn to meet difficulties is to meet
difficulties, and that we prevent the
child from training by removing the
difficulties on which he should practice.
He said that in our over sympathy for
the child, we rob him by doing for him
the things that nature has provided for
his training. We carry the baby be-
cause we pity the little thing as it
crawls, when by that crawling he can
only develop his muscles. His general
was that schools should be
q place where children are trained in
the qualities which will help them to
met the conditions in the struggle for
existence.
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