The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1905-11-05
BY MAReAREr b. sA*osrnfll

BY MARGARET IN. BAfsGSTEK
1 {Copyright, 1905, bysJoseph II, Bow1es)
One in awhile the older ones in the
house are not only very much Impress
| ed with the amount and quality OF the
| knowledge which is the birthright OF
| the juniors, but also they are a bit dis
| couraged because they cannot keep
pace with them.
We often hear middle aged men and
women comparing their school days un-
favorably with those OF their boys and
girls - IT. appears to be taken for
grantedT that everything In the~present
Is necessarily very much better than
anything in the past. About this. I
am not 50 sure am of the opinion
that far too much Is attempted in the
ordinary school curriculum now, that
too much strain Is put upon growing
children. and that teachers. as rule.
are compelled by fierce competition to
work beyond their strength, and at a
fearful expenditure OF nervous force.
There are too many, studies UNDER
taken at one time. The hours devoted
\ In week to mathematicss literature,
science. music and art, spread over too
many subjects and are. therefore, like
gold leaf, rolled out thinly, rather than
like gold nuggets. which may be trans
muted Into useful coin. We attempted
less in Older days. The children and
the teachers of the period are alike
caught in the tolls of vast educa-
tfonal System, before which we all bow
down, and at hetaitar of which we all
pay costly tribute
Sometimes this payment is. wrung
out Of the lives and health and future
careers of our children. Sometimes 1t
is paid at a liberal rate by their teach
ers. When. as frequently happens.
teachers are compelled to spend their
entire vacation in arduous study that
they may be ready for another years
work, 1t Is from them the system
claims its tribute However, this may
be, of one thing we may be reasonably
certain, and that is the fact that before
very long the juniors win think, as
juniors always do, they know more
than their parents, guardians and the
rest OF the community. Youth Is sea-
son of ferment. During its earliest
years docility and receptiveness distin-
guish 1t. and in consequence childhood
Is lovely, and In all the world there
Is nothing so sweet as the heart OF the
child. But somewhere between IA and
20, when the currents of the worlds
activities begin to attract a young soul.
there come an aggressiveness, and an
assertiveness, that are rather confusing.
to- easy going fathers and mothers
Is this lad, so confident, SO conceited, 30
aware of his own powers, our modest
Tom, who, the other day, was air re-
spect for our Judgment and Differences
to our views? lisa this positive and
opinionated Emily She amiabie little
girl VINO only a year ago was like wax
in maternal hands? Sometimes parents
resent the change, sometimes 1t pug
zles them, sometimes they meekly bow
their heads before it. and are willing,
in the slang OF the day, to be turned
down. to be effaced by the Junofrs. to
take back seat. and stay there.
The mood of discouragement Is the
worst of moods. 1t has not the slight
est excuse for itself. Whatever other
advantage your children may have,
you, being older, are their superiors in
several absolutely Indispensable things
to those who travel the road of human
life. You have knowledge which the
school does not teach and cannot im-
part Your angles have been rubbed
OF In tina conflicts and the fricttons
which come socially and in business to
grown-up men and women. You have
had experience. She is a hard teacher.
hut her lessons are immensely valuable.
You know instinctively what line OF
conduct to take in emergencies which
baffie those who are unskilled in meet
ing new situations. A knowledge or
men is often worth much more than
mere technical discipline, and this Is
why we must always discount the Drill
liant graduate, who has only academic
'honors and has not yet been tried in
the school Of practical life.
There are ways of keeping pace with
the JUNIORS, that are well worth trying.