Evening journal., 1903-08-26
EDUCATIONAL IDEALS.


In another week August viii have
passed and for most persons vacation
viii be over-although for that matter
vacation TO most persons is merely a
dream OF good time TO be had-well,
next year. With the coming OF Sep
tember tho business year begins. The
merchants brighten up and replenish
their stocks, branch out little bit, take
or their coats and plunge In, deter
mined 10 reach shore some way. Then
Tor the young comes the problem OF ed
ucation. Il is the same old problem and
we dare not evade It, since for our chill
dren TO drop behind in the race for
knowledge puts upon them fearful
handicap which they may in after years
charge up TO us. II is this problem Of
education that we wish TO talk about.
or course the great majority OF the
children OF any community never go to
college. and there is no use wasting
time IN bewaillng that fact IL may
also be said for the edfication of those
who are denied a college education,
notwithstanding anything that may be
said to the contrary that many n man
is educated in the truest sense who has
never gone beyond the high school. We
know that this win be denied by the
college aristocracy. for there is such an
aristocracy. but we have examples in
every community. fortunately, TO prove
the rule. AS matter of fact, we may
say OF few men that they are educated
under the age OF thirty. for the work
OF the schools must be supplemented
by pretty wide reading and acute OBJ
servation.
And we doubt, too whether we may
call any amount Of information which
one may cram into his brain "educa-
ton" until IL has lowered into action.
Knowledge isn't useful until II accom-
plishes some purpose. II is this objec.
tive view which has transformed the
educational field during the last quar-
ter Of a century. BY this Il is not
meant that education must be utilita-
rlan in the narrow sense. but in the
broader sense that every worthy
thought or emotion is utiitarian.
But we have come to realize the Inn
portance and the dignity OF labor
whether it be that OF the hand or Of
the brain, and part OF education is tC
teach us the JOY Of some worthy ac-
complishment In this age we mus
specialize. and success and consequent
happiness come as the result OF being
able to do some one thing well. that al
people cannot do. The graduate OF col
lege may be able 10 translate Latil
verse. while perhaps he can't post
ledger or make out proper bill Thi
leads us to insist that our education a
far as Il goes, and whatever line It ma.
take shall be thorough and practical
by this we do not mean that it shal
be sordid. No; nothing can give s
much pleasure as a difiicuit task mas
tered, or a knotty problem solved. ]
is from this thoroughness that a pleas
ure in study is derived and whic
makes future problems attractive an
easy
Indirectly, a great deal Of dishonest
is taught in the schools-an intellectu'
dishonesty that is very prevalent I
many who put their school books ava
many years ago. A student is allowe
TO pass over a problem he does not vi
derstand OF to leave one he has ha
mastered. BY cramming at the end
term he is able to answer question
parrot-like and pass in a subject TIL
he win loathe ever afterwards. He
laying up trouble for himself in the Il
ture, for years after he may meet
similar problem like an undesirable a
quaintance whom ne cannot shake
nor avoid. II is not so much q
preaching in the schools nor the pret
stories that are contained in the rea
ers that tend to make strong chara
ter as it is the intellectual habits n
are contracted in those years VIII
children spend more OF their waki
hours in the school than in the hor
A problem evaded is a lesson In co
ardice. and to allow false prefer
for real understanding is TO enforce
immoral lesson. Our teachers need
instruction in Character building
they win enforce strict honesty che
fulness. courage and tenacity. TIL
are the qualities that win everywh
and at all times. and they are develol
OF dHarfed IN the schools.