Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-12-14
supT. GOULD ON SCHOOLS.

The Herald tried to secure the ad
dress of Prof Geo. w Gould. delivere,
at the teachers meeting several day
ago, at thar time, and since securinl
it later has found it necessary to della,
publication on account of the pressure
of news matters. but is pleased TO pre-
sent the mastery paper today.
MIR. Gould deals with economic cues
tions touching progressive education
SO interestingly that he must attract
the consideration of every member ol
the school boards of La Plata county
the teachers, parents and pupils Foi
the first time in the history of our
schools we have the intelligent discus
sion OF a subject vital to the life and
success of the schools, which should
have been presented and followed
from the beginning. The matters pre-
sented are so serious that they should
not pass without deep reflection and
earnest consideration. Following are
Mr.. Gould's words:
The presence of schools in all civ
ilized countries is an evidence that
the race is striving TO make itself bet
ter. Without the desire for improve
ment there would be but scant need
FOR public schools. BY its insistent
attention to the matter of education
the race is proving that quality is OF
more consequence than mere num-
bers. Nature has made many kinds
of life more numerous than man and
many kinds larger, but man still in
sists that he is of tine most conse-
quence.
In this stream of humanity 1t is the
individual that improves the race rath-
er than the reverse. Men are led to
higher things by the power of some
individual who has deeper vision thaN
they. Nature helps to inspire the man
OF genius, bur ii does not elevate the
lower ranks of humanity Nature Is
as beautiful in the countries where
the savages have lived through the
ages as where the most civilized peo-
pie live, yet she has not lifted them
from their degradation. Only the
power of human life has been able to
do that
We are coming more and more to
realize tnat we can not give that
which we do not possess any more
than nature can. Nature does not
possess thought or love or character.
and therefore can not give them. Just
so with the individual If he does not
possess the thinking power ne can not
make thinking boys and girls; if he
-
that feeling in his associates: if he
lacks sound character, no matter what
his scholastic attainments may be he
is unable to develop that sterling
worth and strength of character which
We profess to believe is the bulwark
OF our school system. 1t is realized.
therefore. by all real educators that
the first great work of all who would
be effective as teachers is to work to.
ward self-improvement. They must
be living examples of right character
development; they must be whole-soul-
ed, whole-hearted individuals, the
work must be for them the grandest
that God offers to the race
But good character is not enough
for the teacher His very life must
indicate tnat he is student. Only
those can inspire to real study who
nave vital. living. constant knowl-
edge of the thing itself 1t is the same
Old story; we can give only that which
We possess.
We have too often failed tn re.
member the fact that example is the
most powerful factor in life. Can we
conceive OF Jesus as teaching his doc.
trines apart from the daily. living
example? Could we even hope that
his teachings would take strong hold
Of humanity if they had been given
apart from such strong personality?
Everywhere men would say that his
doctrines are impossible of realiza-
tion; tnat they are beyond human en-.
deavor. But his own example is re
futation OF such notions. He proved
that 1t can be done, and man must
strive till he reaches such living
Could we expect to find a man having
the influence that Paul has had
through the ages if he had not embod
led to the fullest extent everything
that he taught? In fact, wherever we
find name great in history do we
not find the same characteristic?
Whether it De an Alfred struggling
with the half-civilized inhabitants OF
his realm; Comenius striving to
bring the treasures of ancient learn
ing to his countrymen; a Pestalozzi
endeayoring with all his powers to
shake off the shackles of a medieval
system of education; Froebel seem.
ingly the first great mind TO realize
the needs OF infant life; an Arnold OF
Mary Lyon who recognized as almost
no others before them had realized
the Importance of direct. personal
soul friendship, or contact, do we not
find the same thing-the power OF ex
ample?
What the teacher is, Is the vital
tll.hs in his life as teacher-not the
fund OF knowledge that he may pos
ses"- .ithout constant struggle
tward perfection ne can become onll
trainer, not an educator Ne SaH
tauft