The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-02-23
Judge Of Circuit Court Tells
Something in Regard to Mod
ernSystems Of Education
ACCUSESPUPILSOFSkIM MING
In Speaking Before the Woman's Club
at Racine, Judge Be1den Makes
Statements Which Stir
the Entire State.

Judge E. B. Be1den Of the first
district embodied his views on "The
Education Of Children" in paper
which he read Wednesday afternoon
before the Woman's club of Racine.
While he did not attack teachers and
school boards, he did assai1 the
educational methods of the day which
made the child fit the system rather
than the system fit the child.
Among the defects of the modern
school system is lack of that thor
oughness which gives the pupils a
firm grip on what has been gone over.
Too much is required of children in
the primary grades, and too much
time is devoted to embellishments to
the neglect of fundamentals.
Private schools are superior to
public schools for the reason that in
these institutions the rule is "a little
OF many things and much of few"
Children in the public schools are
handicapped for life because by the
very nature Of their training they are
of necessity mere swimmers. The
embellishments that are taking the
place of the three RS form a very
snowy superstructure, which, how
ever, has no solid foundation. Pres
ent day methods of education may be
summed up in the words of Poor Rich
ard, Jr., "The Matter with education
is natter
In no branch of activity so vital to
the welfare of the nation as education
should any one profession or class of
people be permitted TO arrogate unto
itself the right of exclusive control or
dictation of the methods to be employ
ed. The combined wisdom and expert
ence of all the best minds of the coun-
try should be directed to devising the
best means for educating the young.
Teachers and school boards are
making a fetch Of psychology.
Though they worship the theory, they
in reality do not practice this science
in any marked degree. In order that
the youth of the country be thorough
1y educated there must be return to
simplicity. Present day methods are
frenzied.
Book publishing concerns have too
much voice in the formation of cours-
es of study, and their policy is to con-
stantly add to the curriculum, whereas
courses should be shortened in order
to prevent mental indigestion. The
amount of work required of young
children should be moderate and
should necessitate no home study.
Under existing conditions children
are bewi1dered, and a certificate or
diploma alone are necessary to prove
that they are educated. The ambition
of parents is largely responsible for
the superficial character of modern
education, as they are so DESTROYS of
the enrichments of the mind that they
do not want their offspring to take
sufficient time to become grounded in
the rudiments.
The forcing system is responsible
for many of the nervous ma1adies
that are menacing the health of the
nation. Suicides and commitments
~ AiOSPAldAS oA = I'LL CtAy lAdCSdO1S III
many cases to overstudy. Four hours
a day is as long as any child under 10
years of age should be compelled to be
in school doing exhaustive original
research. Children are now required
to do an amount of work that would
tax the strength of mature intel1ects.
The remedy to existing evils will be
applied only when parents realize
where the trouble lies and demand
that the system be simp1ifed.