The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-12-01
morals In the schools

m Or0D0 IN the SCmOObo.
Sioux Falls Argus: The most In
.teresting question that will be dis
cussed by the South Dakota Educa.
tional association, when 1t assemblies
at Br0okings during the holidays will
be the need of some moral and relig.
ious instructions in the schools. The
whole case will be thoroughly dis.
cussed, andif the state superintendent
NJ. NJ. Ramer has his way q course of
moral and religious instruction will
be added TO the common school curri-
culum.
It is argued for the new plan that
it is tremendously needed for the de.
velopment of good citizenship. There
seems to be a most plentiful lack of
parental interest in the moral training
of the youth. The result is that
there prevails to an alarming extent
an epidemic among the young of ir-
reverence for elders, of lrreligion, of
little regard for the truth for it's
sake, and of really high purpose.
The present proposal is to supply in
the schools, and to adopt a text book
on morals from which the teacher
could each day instill in the minds of
her pupils the vital Importance of the
virtues of purity and truthfulness and
reverence and right living.
superintendent Ramer does not eX.
pect the plan to be carried through
without criticism. Still he is aIx-
ious that criticism shall be withheld
until the whole case is decided. 1t is
not proposed to make churches out of
the schools. 1t is not proposed to
take any part in the religious cOntrOv-
ersies which divide Christian people.
All points of doctrine and creed are
to be strictly eliminated from the
proposed course, and the teaching
would be confined to the development
of good morals and high character but
in no respect would be permitted to
be dragged into the dangerous field of
religious controversy.
II have tried to escape this con
clusion,'' said the state superinten-
dent to the editor of the Argus Lead
er, s'but | have been driven to the
conclusion that if the schools do not
do this work, much of it will never
be done. We are turning out hun
dreds of bright young pupils from the
schools each year with minds sharp
ened by study and discipline, but with
mighty little moral training to bal
ance their mental development / con.
slider that the public schools should
be a source of supply of good citizens.
and l do not believe that good citizens.
ship can be taught unless the relig.
ious and moral side of it are brought
in
The keynote will be struck on this
} question at the Brookings meeting
superintendent Ramer will discuss il
, at length in his annual address. Gov
!, ernor s. III Elrod will coyer the same
theme in an address on: "The Corner
! Stone of Our Government Bisho,
O'Gorman of Sioux Falls will also dis
cuss another feature of the same
question in his address on: 1.-The
Christianity of the Nation DR.
James Chalmers, president elect Of
the state university will talk on
: 1.-The Textbook of the Worlds Best
Civilization Prof. George w. Nasf
E president of the Aberdeen Norma
, will talk on the question from thu
! viewpoint of the schools which
! furnish teachers and Prof. George NJ
= ClIllll VI Xix { VII
make an address on: 1.-The Ethica
: Mission of the State University"
These prominent educators ant
: divines OF the state will give the
question ample discussion, and will
treat it from a broad and highminde(
. viewpoint. Manifestly there will b.
: many difficulties in the way. Marrow
, minded teachers are likely to breal
!. over the line of d~emarcation, ant
= offend parents by instilling their owl
particular doctrine. Other teacher!
, will fail to show in their lives tn
. lessons called for by the text book
!, and the eyes of children are sharp
, Parents will misunderstood. Faul
will be found by many who will sa.
that such work should be left to tn
t church and the home, it will b.
objected by others that church worl
: is being done at the public expense
and that church and state should b
, separated. We mention these thing
! not to endorse them but to point on
!, that the new plan has obstacles in it
way. Some years ago, at the instance
ofthe temperance people of the stat,
e textbooks were put in the schools t,
teach the h~armfulness of the use o
intoxicants. Much good has resulte'
from this movement, which is ever.
: year making for temperance. TIL
! Argus Leader hopes to see equal.
! good results come from the campaigl
2 for character in the schools, and i
pledges it's best efforts to assist it.
The Milwaukee r. II. Official