The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-01-29
THE PRESS AS AN EDUCATOR.
Argument as to the Advisibility of In
PRODUCING the Modern Newspaper
Into the SchooIs-Objections Dis.
cussed.

Into the Standardization DIS.
cussed.
G. T. johnson in St Joseph (Mo) News.
From ten to fifteen minutes should be de-
voted i'll each common school in Kansas each
day to the reading OF current news from some
good daily paper. Frank Nelson, State Super
intendent of Kansas.
Why not read the newspaper in the
school? The daily papers contain
the history OF the present. Shall the
ward school pupil study the history
OF the past of his own country until
dates and events fall glibly from his
lips, and fail to know what important
event occurred recently on the 9th of
September?
The idea that the child that is old
enough to learn the events of the
past should be required to live in the
past instead of in the present is pre-
posterous. The past and the present
are so closely allied, interviewer, that
the study of theevents ofeither alone
is of little Importance.
No event of history should be dis
cussed as a factor in a child's educa-
tion without it's relative Importance
as a historical fact being discussed
from the point of view
First-Was the effect of the event
upon human races good or bad?
SecOnd-Was the effect of limited
duration, or was it continuous?
Third-In what do we discover the
effect today?
Fourth-If the effect was good, how
may we emphasize that good?
Fifth-If the effect was bad, how
may we diminish it?
Again, when child reads of an i'm
pOrtant current event he should be
taught to recall or review his history
until he learns of a similar occurrence
and to reason upon the causes OF
each.
Why not read the newspaper in the
public school? At the present day,
when the daily paper is so cheap,
there are few families that are with
out one. Unless prohibited the child
reads the daily paper at home; but,
again, if allowed to read without di-
rection he naturally reads the head
lines, chooses the sensational articles
and soon forms habit that leads to
the selection of what is classed us
"yelIow" literature. If prohibited
from reading the daily paper, there
is nothing that he wishes to do SO
much as to read that very daily and
all others that he can get, and again
the sensational is chosen, and the
same evil result follows.
Is it not better, then, to form in
the child the taste for the healthful
and pure in literature by having the
daily paper taken to the school and
read in the class where the teacher
directs the selection and the general
discussion creates an interest in the
subject and in kindred subjects; where
the teacher, supported by the mass
of the class, can develop a strong
sentiment against the sensational
and teach the child not only to know
right from wrong in selection, but tC
know the right and the wrong in So
cial, public and political life and
to choose the one and avoid the
other?
Against reading the daily papers
in the public schools there are three
principal objections-first, the teacher
will attempt to bias opinions, re-
ligious and political; second, the
work will take too much of the child s
time and attention; third, the Eng
lish of the newspapers is not up to
the required standard.
In answer to the first, at the pres
ent day all teachers of the public
schools are required to teach morals
and manners.
If any teacher is so inclined, he car
use this plea to bias any child's
opinion on any subject that he
chooses. Few ever do this. If it i:
attempted, the parents or the Boart
of Education soon call Il halt in sucl
methods.
In answer to the second objection
the work as component part OF his
tory-the history of the present
NAV be carried on as introductOr.
to history and then in connection
with history after that subject i
taken up. 1t may also be carried a
a part Of the regular reading lesson
and it can be made to play an i'm
portant part in the work OF learning
to spell.
In answer to the third objection
while the rapidity with which all tn
work of producing great daily
done renders it impossible to insur
perfect English at all points, yet tn
English at its poorest is far abov
that spoken or written by the avel
age speaker or writer, while at it
best it is a model for those who woul
use good English, and, again. in TIN
connection the work OF reading tn
daily paper in the school may be
most nrofitah1e lesson in SyntaN