The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-19
NEWSPAPERS AS TEXTBOOKS.

Professor Lynch of Mountain Grove, Mo-. believes
that newspapers should be used as textbooks for in
PRODUCING into the schoolroom knowledge Of the
actual practical up-to-date world and he has
structed aphorism which possesses both snap and
sense: Newspapers and public schools are the uni
versities Of the people,
1t is Professor Lynch's suggestion that the news
papers impart valuable instruction in many depart
ments of knowledge to which the latest textbooks
the merest blanks. Take, for example," he says
'the experiments of Marcon in wireless telegraphy
infinitely recorded and illustrated in the papers
Take another current subject with the dis
cussion of which the newspapers have been filled in
the most luminous and instructive way-that Of Vene
zuela. What might not competent teacher with the
aid Of the press have accomplished in the treatment
of this question toward instng in the minds of his
pupils correct understanding of the Monroe Doc
trine let say, knowledge of the Spanisf-Amer
can Republics generally and relations to them?
Then there was coal strike. In the schoolbooks
n few meager facts and data with respect to that
basic factor in the industrial world forgotten almost
learned. With the universal interest then
centered IN the subject and the assistance of news
papers, the skiful teacher could have done to
expand and inform the minds Of all those ntrrsted
to his care than all the textbook writer's combined"
His is by no means plea for abandonment of the
regular scheme of instruction, but rather for expan
sion and adaptation of that scheme to the active
needs of the average American mind. 1t merits con-
sideration.
Ordinarily the public school Is preparatory, not to
the university higher education" but to the UNIVERSE
ty Of the newspaper. The average education-which
is the important education for Amerca-embraces but
the public school and the school of worldly wisdom
From the public school only nconsderable proper
ton Of and pursue the logical course to-
wards which their preparation has led The great
majority graduate into the broad field life and ex-
perience, into that school with its Infinitely various
curriculum, Of which the newspaper is the COM
mentary.
Higher education of right should be the aim of
academic preparation, but practical useful training
should be remembered, is the object of higher educa
ton, and there is nothing ncongruous between the
scheme of topical instruction proposed by Professor
the latter ought to be made to suit the life needs Of
the vast majority well of the few.
Adapting the countrys educational facilities to the
countrys conditions requires constant change and adj
justment- When higher education shall have become
possible for all doubtless 1t will wise to conne
preparatory instruction the rudiments. 1t cannot
be said, however that the tendency is towards uni
versal higher education, of the sort to which
apply the term, but is towards practical fitting in the
in sphere largely Industrial and mechanical. This
is, so to speak, an empirical age, age in which
practical knowledge and familiarity with contempt
raneous facts experience is essential success
A plea for the Introduction of the newspaper into