The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-09-27
Some observations of tee Public School.


Eighteen million children of this country at
tending the public schools five days of every week Read
it again. EIGTIEEN MILLION In the city the pu
pimutudes go to the great brick buildings where the
latest furniture apparatus libraries and free books are
supplied Out in the country the children throng the rural
highways They go to little wooden buildings, topped by
the starry flag where the desks crude and where apart
from the school there is little vestbule where the
children hand their hats and coats. In city country
these buildings brain factores-Bless emgo the big
selfconscous boy and the giggng girl and all the little
tykes.
The public school is your true democracy. There is
institution distinctly American When You de-
spar of the republic visit the nearest public school There
the red headed trOuSer patched of the waShwOman
beats the bankers his lessons and afterwards beats
and discretion into the bankers boy the
playground You do need to read the declaration of
independence from the front steps of the school house
That all men and women equal is DEMONSTRATED
THERE Life, liberty and the pursuit Of happiness is
the heritage of ALL and woe be to him who denies it,
WORD TO PAREINTS-Your dream by day and
night is that your boy girl shall occupy better and
more useful position in life than you hold You giving
your children better chance than you had perhaps See
that children get everything the school has for them
They cannot know too much Of all the school teaches And
above all do not grow discouraged because your children
do not make good grades of the others Grades
are artificial Standards less silly substitutes
information as to how the pupil is progressng-good
guesses. The truth of this is shown when the scholar goes
from school life into LIES school Be patient with the
children. Answer their questions if you If you
not that they get somewhere One of the
important teachings is that your child should GET A
THlRST FOR KNOWLEDGE. And stand by the teacher
who is doing his best When the booy comes home COM
planning OF the teacher do not forget that the boy is human
He is your
TO THE TEACHERS-Ofc course if you are compe-
tent and sensible teacher and not hopeessy in ru
you know what the word education implies You know
that 1t comes from "Educaeto draw out. It is your
business to DRAW OUT OF THE CHILD what is in it
not to stuff it and then by exam attempt to guage
the amount of sung And you know that you ought not
to squeeze the individuality out of your pupils by cast iron
methods. DON'T BE A TYRANT. And remember that
boy boy Do not try to make sissy boy out of him.
girl is girl DO mott ry to make her into sedate
matron Ii you cant lead your pupils resign You GER
tainy will fail if you try to drive them to the trough of
knowledge.
AND TO THE BOYS AND GIRI4S-You are in school
to DEVELOP YOUR BRAINS You can have a lot of fun
but remember-your chance will come to you again
And what you are to be will depend upon whether you
have more workable brain than the average Develop
your muscles and your Digestion You will need them
later on But be sure to SHARPEN YOUR BRAIN IF
somebody gets ahead Of you keep at it lust the same
Some OF the greatest slow in school Make M
your mind to DO YOUR BEST. Whatever others do Won
will certainly win Do your best. No one can do more
than that.