The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-30
IN THE PEOPLES HANDS.

| L II u D mas received from d
multitude of sources during the past
week the heartiest commentator
| upon the ideas and principles set forth
! in recent articles in it's columns relat
| ing to the basis and methods Of public
| and teachers and parents alike have
come these words Of grateful praise.
| Acknowledging these courtesies and
welcome encouragement in the work
of a great newspaper, lwe wish to re-
mind the community that the future
| conduct Of its educational system is
entirely in it's own hands
The marvel of it, indeed, is that
| with so great a unanimity of opinion
| there should be any departure from
the right rule in practice. 1t seems to
us there is only one idea to be found
anywhere among Intelligent people in
discussing educational methods. Raise
the question, and you have from
dozen sources an enunciation Of the
right idea. This is no more or less
than return entirely to the old ma
terial or to the old method of educa-
ton
Parents everywhere complain of lack
| of thoroughness. Too much attention
has been paid to constructing enter
tanning and ambitious courses of
study and too little to the development
| of the mental power of the pupil. We
need there, as we need everywhere
else, return to simplicity. We want
fewer and less pfetentious studies, with
an increase in mental discipline and in
unceasing drill. On these points prac-
tically everybody is agreed.
What, therefore, is needed to put
expression Of opinion and concert Of
action on the part of those who hold
them. The wishes of the people in
this respect are certainly supreme.
Parents have only to get together, to
cast aside their terrible Indifference to
the educational methods by which the
minds of their children are to be di-'
rected, and to formulate and press
their demands for school reform. 1T
has been shown that school authori-
ties, superintendent, teachers and
boards of education are not averse to-
the right thing. They have all gone
astray mostly, we believe, out of the
prevailing American idea that you
must attract attention by doing some
thing novel constantly in order to win
applause.
Nine-tenths of the ornamentation
and foolishness introduced in our edu-
cational systems come from this feel
ing on the part of school boards and
school officials, that they must make a
reputation by becoming sponsors for
more or less startling alterations and
innovations. Make them feel that the
public wants education to deal with
few things and to do them well, to
train the young mind into the vigor-
Gus growth of the sapling instead of
decking it all over with pretty gew-
gaws like Christmas tree, and they
will comply readily enough.
An expression of the practically
unanimous opinion that already exists
in the minds of the public would start
comprehensive reform AS voicine
this, T h e G 10 b e believes it is doing
a good work. The people can do that
work infinitely better and more rapid
iy if they will express themselves as
freely and frankly through TIL
G 10 e, through other newspapers
and in all suitable and proper places.
on the subject so near to their inter-
ests and so dear to their hearts.
OUR EMBATTLED ARRAv