The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1905-08-31

In questioning whether the tend
ency Of the public school Is in the
right direction, the Tribune is moved
by no carping spirit. We are deeply
and directly interested We are as
much interested as the generality to
promote education. We hrmly be-
lieve In the public school. But we
are oppressed with a suspicion that a
good many things have been injected
into the public, or common school
that do not belong there. Not only
that, but those extraneous things are
tending to destroy the utility OF CON-
mon school education. That Is the
serious matter. The common schools
can be equipped to afford thorough
instruction in the elementary
branches. They can and should I'm
part a good working knowledge of
reading, writing, spelling, arith-
metic, English grammar, United
States history, including explanation
OF the machinery OF government, aud
general geography. This knowledge
could be acquired by the average boy
or girl In the years from six TO four
teen. And 1t need not be super
fetal smattering. 1t could be such
thorough grounding in fundamentals
as to enable any capable boy or girl
with means and inclination 10 ad-
vance indefinitely either by attend
ing private schools or by self-instruc-
tion. If, however, 1t be deemed wise
to extend common school instruction
beyond those elementary branches,
let 1T be along practical lines. What
is the use of preaching the nobility
Of labor and all the time systematic
ally teaching children that the ut
most degradation of man Is being
compelled to eat his bread in the
sweat OF his brow?
The writer Of this has casually inter-
viewed. from time to time, some 81
thigh school" pupils, and has failed
to find one who did not scornfully re
ject the idea of ever becoming q
farmer or a tradesman, cook or d
housekeeper. The notion Is that
those who are qualifying theInselve,
10 rhetoric, geometry and the deaC
languages are Of too fine a feather 4
handle plows and dishrags.
And another thing, and oh, ye par
ents bear this In mind. whenever 20,
permit the introduction Of scientific
courses, Of the higher mathematic
and the dead languages into common
school, you are paving the way 10
endless waste and imposition. HoV
many OF your pompous professors VIII
engage themselves as principals
and assume to teach those thing
at thousand or twelve hundred
year, know much about them? Loo
}. about, dear parents and tax-payeis
: where now are the learned professUv
who a year or two ago were expound
ing the beantitudes of the higher ed
ucation in the thigh schools?" W
do not say it in any sense disrespecl
I ID NAbS ~"
some of them are shre"dly manipu
lating real estate. some are stIugglin
between debt and starvation on littl
weekly newspapers, some are exhaust
ing their noblest energies holdin
down measley county Offices, SON
are chasing the ideals and thrt
,. meals day out on sagebrush ranch'
= among lizards and squirrels. Thes
things may not constitute a renectio
upon the professors but they do 90
prove that the "higher educatio
when it comes right down to the r.
alities of life is not what 1T Is cracke
" up to be. OF course, for those wi
are able to bear it, 1t is all right, bl
we doubt the wisdom OF loading
onto all classes and conditions throue
the instrumentality of the publ
schools. Caldwell Tribune.