The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-12-15
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.



Al the request Of our worthy super
intendent of schools in Prince Edward
am permitted TO contribute some
thoughts on the subject Of our public
schools in this issue Of the Herald. In
this age of increased interest in the
enlargement Of educational facilities
and their benefcient influence upon
the destiny Of every community, It
occurs to me that educators and think
ing citizens generally, are emitting to
instill into theminds Of the public two
distinct and important ideas, which
occur TO me to be essential before we
fully comprehend the mission and
import Of the public school.
The best results are never accomp-
lished toward elevating and enlarging
the usefulness Of any institution until
the leaders thereof fully appreciate
the prime object Of its conception, and
work harmonously for its betterment
I'm offering the suggestions that fol-
low in this communication, ! do not
mean TO say that our people in Vir-
gnia have been in any way map
preciative Of the value and necessity
for education and culture, because,
as every one conyersant with our re-
cent past knows full well that such is
not true, however it cannot be denied
that our people have been slow in
grasping and admitting the import
ance Of the public schoo' as distinct
means Of educating the children Of our
commonwealth.
As the basic institution Of Virginia,
for the education Of our children its
establishment is now fully assured,
and as the years pass by its better
ment and Development to much
higher degree Of organization and ef-
icency is as certain as is the contin-
uauce Of our commonwealth itself. 1t
is the peoples school, and its workers
are today the leaders Of educational
thought i'm our state. I'm every edu-
catonal gathering their enthusiasm
and wisdom aailord material forces
i'm shaping the policies Of all eduea-
tional progress and legislation.
These facts are inconvertible, and
while it is inspiring to observe on all
sides the commendable striving for
increased taxation for our public
schools and the strenuous efforts for
closer cooperation, higher degree Of
perfection i'm curricula, and in short |
all things that are essential to speed |
ON the upbuilding Of the great system
of public education in our midst, yet
rarely do we notice a definite attempt |
10 present the more fundamental re-
lations that should exist in public |
school life between the teacher, the
pupil and the community or State. |
No phase Of the great system deserves
more constant treatment at the hands |
of educators, nor is there any funda-
mental aspect more frequently forgot
ten than that public schools exist and |
are maintained primarily for the bene-
iii Of the pupil and not the teacher nor
indeed the patrons themselves.
I'm all that pertain to the school, its
location, its equipment, its appear
anoe. its government and its ideals
the pupil is the objective element Of
its organization. Teacher, patron,
equipment, funds and procedure |
should ever be the subservient forces |
that generate life and light for the |
growing organism Of childhood.
Too often do we observe that school |
regulation, courses Of study and rituals |
Of school work are planned and con-
sistently developed TO suit the conven-
fence Of the teacher without due re-
gard for the convenience Of the young |
ones under her control and guidance.
And then too, the State i'm fostering |
public education is primarily interest
ed i'm the normal growth Of the whole |
child. Too often do we see special tai
ents abn0mally developed, Orpeculiar
propensities catered TO in the train
ing Of children in the public schools,
while less prominent ones are neglect |
ed and allowed to become inactive and
finally fade and die, as it were, be-
cause Of such neglect But not alone
is the child's intellectual training mar
rowed and distorted, for frequently
we notice that both patron and teacher
seem TO forget that the child is pre-
senting its undeveloped and potent
ial individuality, for nurture and
growth demands intellectual, moral
and physical training -neither phase
of which training could be considered
Of less importance than the other two.
The first thought then to be well
grounded i'm the minds Of the leaders
OF the public school, and to be thor
oughly comprehended by patrons and
teacher alike, is that the child as the
ward Of the Commonwealth presents
itself at the threshold Of the school to
be nurtured in the lessons Of intellect
ual achievement moral injunction
and normal physical growth-not any
one Of more importance than the other,
and all to receive the tenderest care
and consideration during the impress
sionable and formative years Of child
hood Nor indeed is the public school
an institution OF special training or
culture. Such is rightly the object OF
school work i'm later years, but the
public school primarily is an organi-
zation wherein the State, the CONF
munity, the patron, the school official
Al s-.....t.r "a. ..t ,.t,fT o,r, Ifua fhair