Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-01-09
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF AMERlcus.
What They Have Done and What
They Can Ee Made


They Can 5e Made
Tines Resorder:-We have. put our
hands to the pillow, let's not look back.
The suggestion made in your editorial
Of Dec. 81 met with moet hearty re-
Spouse. One citizen, by no means a
capitalist, voluntarily said to the writ
er, ''ThA TImes-Recorder in It's man.
nal training suggestion for our schools
proposes the best thing yet for Americas
and [ am now ready TO give you one
hundred dollars for your new build
ing" That's the spirit that moves the
world.
Time used to be when the larger
part of the country regarded the COM
mon school as an institution for the
education Of the poor. Parents who
could possibly afford it sent their
children TO private school.
Both as cause and as result the
schools were of an inferior kind. The
change came when the public mind
was converted to the idea that only
the best education was good enough
/ for the poor There was a selfish
thought at the bottom Of It, Society
wanted to be relieved of the burden of
the iIliserate, and higher demands
were made upon the schools.
What wonderful progress the COM
mon school, for that is it's rightful
name, has made since it's democratic
missI has asserted itself. In sew
eraI sections it has completely done
away with private instruction. AL
most everywhere 1t sets s andard OF
efficiency; to it all classes go and we
must keep 1t up to the demand of the
times. We must aim at system that
will prepare our children for an hon.
orable and helpful citizenship, we
must haYe such a system. This sys-
tenn will ennoble labor, not only be-
cause the curriculum will involve
manual culture, but because the whole
spirit and inspiration of study Will be
industrial.
We need asystem, as was suggested
In your editorial referred to, that will
adjust each pupil to his individual
needs, or rather to that field in which
he shall be able, not only to acquire
most, but in which he shall be able to
digest most, use most and apply most
for the benefit of himself and Of society.
With this broadening of public opin.
ion concerning education will come
the specific question s'Do our schools
educate the whole child? "What is a
practical educatlon?" is answered by
very few now, as it was once answered
by many
The old answer had little in mind
beyond the idea of Figuring
Today the number is growing who
believe that the schools ought to serve
to develop not only skill in Figuring, .
but also all that goes to make useful
member of the community When we
come to understand the folly of staff
ing the brain with facts we will reeog-
nize the awful waste of time in our
present school course and see where an
hour devoted each day to industrial
work will add TO the power of the pupil
and detract nothing from the store OF
useful knowledge.
The public schools of Ameeicus have
made tenfold return for the amount
already invested in it, and vindicated
alike the wisdom of its founders and
confidence of the city government.
Today it stands here and proves its
right to live.
By it's work, its present condition OF
activity, prosperity and promise, 1t
Claims right to grow. The Survival
of the fttest" is transferred from a
dogma of science to fact of life; and
We realize literally the principle that
''the battle is not to the strong, nor the
race to the swift, but to the intelligent,
| the alert, the skilIfu. To trained and
applied mind belongs henceforth the
dominion Of the world. Is the best too
good for our children