Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-07-20
The Observer.

W
the Franklin Institute, one defect of
our system of public education is that
school government and discipline rest
upon monarchical, rather than dem
ocratic basis; in consequence of which
condition the training of the pupils fits
them rather for subjects of an auto
cracy than for citizenship of a free re-
public.
1mbued with this conviction, Mr.. Gill
looked about for some practical plan
by which the school might be made to
fulfill its chief function in a republic,
that of developing in the child a fine
civic conscience and making him famil
lar with political duties. The plan
which he evolved is the School City.
Every school that adopts this method
receives charter from the board of
education, and thenceforth the chill
dren govern, aided from time to time
by the sympathetic suggestions of the
teacher. Under this charter they form
a complete city government, each
room corresponding to a ward, the
government of the whole being admin
istered by mayor, board of council
men, judges, policemen and other off,
cials, all elected for a term of ten
weeks by the free and full franchise
of all the pupils Of the School City,"
A manuel recently issued by the
Board of Public Education of Philadel-
phia says:
''The duties of citizenship are so
simple, easy, few and far between
where citizens in general are faithful,
that statesmen and scholars have failed
to recognize that the habit of perform
ing the few duties of fcitizenship is an art,
and must be learned as other practical
arts, by long apprenticeship under
competent instruction. Conducted
with the right spirit, this is both sim
pie and easy and JOY to all concerned,
but the right habits of life cannot be
formed except by long practice" "
The first School City was authorized
by the Philadelphia Board of Educa-
tion in 1898, and so successful did the
experiment prove that in 1903 the
Board authorized its introduction into
all schools applying for the privilege,
and thirty schools availed themselves
of it before June, 1903 The expert
ment has also been successfully tried
in other parts of the country. General
Wood employed Mr.. Gill to introduce
his method into the public school sys-
TEN of Cuba. The success there is said
to be pronounced, proving that the
child mind, even when it has had no
educational advantages, is quick to
catch the high, fine enthusiasm of the
teacher and soon takes pride in the
government and discipline of the
school in which it is part of the re.
sponsible government"
president Roosevelt, in letter to
Mr.. Justice of Germantown, heartily
commends the School City plan.
Nothing" he says, "could offer higher
promise for the future of our country
than an intelligent interest in the best
ideals of citizenship, its privileges and
duties among the students of our COM
mon schools"
American rule in the Philippine Is
lands is really the School City plan on
large scale The Filipinos as yet are
but children, untaught in the arts of
self government. Left to themselves
they would speedily fall prey to anar-
chy and despotism. The policy of our
government is so to protect and guide
them that in course of time they will
have become habituated to self.govern-
ment and able to administer their local
affairs without external guidance or
intervention.
Yet why should we take such pains
with the political training of the Fill
pinos, while we take no thought for the
development Of the civic spirit and the
civic habit in Dur future citizens at
home?