Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-06-09
EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES.

commencement exercises of the High
school yesterday could not fail to
impress upon the thinking mind a
realization of the fact that the ris-
ing generation of this country en-
joys advantages which properly
availed of, should result in the pro-
ductiOn of race of men and women
as far superior to the present gen
GRAFTON as this generation is super
ior to the one which preceded.
Perhaps the fact is more wildly
impressed upon those whose expert
ence and knowledge of educational
methods extends to the methods in
vogue in other countries. When
the comparison of the advantages
in this country is made with those,
say in England 80 years ago, the
comparison becomes a contrast.
At this time free education under
the British flag was an almost un-
tried experiment, and in its higher
branches free education is not vet
nearly so marked characteristic of
English life as of American. There
are hundreds of thousands of quite
worthy men and women fighting
the battle of life, and, all credit to
them for it, fighting the battle
brayely and with measure of
success, whose educational ad-
vantages were confined to the
board schools, +" ard even in those
establishments, supported mainly
by the taxes, or rates" to use the
English term, the pupils, except
their parents were will to plead
pauperism, were expected to com
tribute a weekly sum. Though
small, that weekly contribution
TODD in the way, incredible though
it may seem, of many ch1ldreL's
attendance at school.
The education given, at least at
that time, quarter of century
ago, compared with that given in
the public schools of this country.
was rudimentary. ''The Rs" was
for years the ideal to which educa-
tiOnalists were confined. The mem
bers Of the school boards, mostly
men in whose youth there was no
free education, and who had grown
up without any better teaching
than enabled them to successfully
conduct businesses in competition
with others equally ignorant, could
not perceive the need for more
than reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic.
When the pupils passed through all
the grades in which those funda-
mentals were taught, they were
turned out into the world, told that
they had been provided with an
education far superior to that which
their parents had been able to OF
tain, and High schools, with uni
uersity possibilities, if they existed
at all, existed merely in the dream s
of the poet, the enthusiast and the
philanthropist."
The school ended at IA. When
boy reached that period it was
time that he should be apprenticed
to trade, and this applies to the
children of the middle class. not
only to those of the poor. To pro-
long attendance at school bevond
the age when boys mucles were
firm enough to allow of him doing
the minor duties IN the factory.
was looked upon as woeful waste
OF time The serious business of
life VS. IN the workshop, and the
sooner the boy entered upon it, the
better for himself, his family and
his future. What education he had
been able to obtain would, it was
charitably considered, do him no
harm" but that 1t was necessary in
the work he was expected to do in
the world, was scarcely seriously
believed. And leaving school, be-
ing put to work in shop or factory,
the boys education, except in the
manual training of his trade was
finished.
Can it be wondered at in view Ct
these facts that the average Briton
compares so unfayorably with the
average American of the same age?
To see the young men and woman
on the stage yesterday who had