Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-05-29

procurement of important legislation
of general interest requires the use
of money. BY it's use vicious legisla
tion is also obtained for purely pri.
vate ends, and in order to be sure that
it will be Upheld and enforced, it's pro-
motors seek to control the executive
and judicial officers of the government
by the same means. A spirit of law.
lessness is abroad in the land, not in
the ordinary sense of that term as
employed in criminal law, but in the
sense that the law is evaded and it's
validity questioned; so that the time
of the courts is taken up largely in
deciding test cases, instead of adjust.
ing honest disputes over substantial
rights. Men do not yield ready ODE
dience to the law because it is the
law and because of a patriotic devo-
ton to the public welfare. They habitu-
ally evade the payment of taxes, jury
service and other irksome public du-
ties, so far as they are able forget
ting that the highest form of patriot
ism is manifested in everyday life, BY
a Jealous discharge of these duties
Our young people avoid the farm and
the workshop, and crowd into the cit.
les hoping thus to grow to wealth and
influence by speculation or other
speedy methods, rather than by the
slow but sure means of frugal indus
try. There, disappointed by the sharp
ness of competition and the smallness
OF returns from honest efforts, they
drift into bad ways and go to swell the
criminal classes. Attachment to the
old homestead and the old-time family
reunion has almost become a tradition.
and the homely teaching of the deca-
logue, requiring reverence for parent.
al authority is behind the times
/ In Montana there are no private
schools, save a few devoted to very
young children or exclusively to girls,
such, for instance. as few parish
schools conducted under the auspices
of some church and those conducted
by the sisters of charity. The state
has almost exclusive charge of our
educational work. Are not the I'm.
satisfactory results of which complaint
is so frequently heard, due to funda-
mental defect in the school room work
and the methods employed? Would it
not be far better to abridge the cur.
ricula, raise the standard of the teach
er. and require the prescribed course
to be thoroughly and completely mas
tered? AS We now have it. teachers
are often employed not because of the
accomplishments they possess, but be.
cause Of their pull with the board of
directors. In more than one instance
have | seen an election for members
OF the board turn upon the question
whether a particular teacher, or the
principal, should be discharged. The
compensation paid in many cases is
not more than can be obtained bv a
good cook or farm hand. Those whom
" '''t' nv soiuuIS "clCOIIt lulO our
FAMILIES as social equals, are not the
persons to teach our children; and vet
this important duty is often entrusted
to strangers about whose private lives
and habits We know nothing. These
cases are not altogether as eXception-
al as they might at first impression
seem. Many parents never visit the
school, and in many instances have
not even a speaking acquaintance with
the teachers.
1t is only skilled mechanic that
can produce good work in metal, wood
or stone. How can any but a teacher
experienced in the art develop by ap-
propriate training the beautiful and
useful qualities of mind and heart
which make manly men and womanly
women? 1t is only such teachers who
can work out in the school the ulti
mate design of the system-that is,
the production of men and women fit
Tor the duties of enlightened citizen
ship. 1t is only these that can train
young men to be honest, and young
women to be virtuOus; who can lead
them to acquire such habits of thought
and action and entertain such aspira.
tons and purposes that they will be a
source of safety to them amid the
temptations Of active life. 1t requires
more to make teacher than the abil-
ity to pass an examination with cred
it. There must be qualities of mind
and heart, and character to impress
the young mind and acquaintance with
the avenues leading to the inner be.
ing. Ability to enter into and sympa.
thize with weaknesses and shortcom.
ings as well as the budding hopes and
aspirations of each pupil is indispen
sable. Yet in spite of the supreme
importance of these qualifications. i,
is not infrequently the case that we
find employed teachers who are moi
only destitute of them, but even of a
thorough acquaintance with the ele
mentary branches which they are hir
ed to teach.
1t is an open question. also, whether
We should not, except in the primary
grades, discard co-education altogeth.
h4c