Fergus County Democrat., 1906-05-29
HIGH SCHOOL
YEAR CLOSES
Continued from page one.)

ance and independence which make
tutions are in no sense founded upon
the paternal idea. The government
owes no citizen any duty other than
the protection of his life and liberty
and the right to pursue his happiness
in his own way. The spirit of the
times however, is opposed to this view
The notion of the present day is to
have all education done at the expense
of the public Hence the inclination
to enlarge the curricula and introduce
classical and other higher studies
through the mediums of high schools.
In some branches, mainly the mechan-
ical and purely scientific, technical and
professional training is given. In my
opinion this is of questionable propri-
ETY.. 1t proceeds upon the theory that
our government. is paternal institu-
tion and owes the individual citizen
the means of livelihood. Again, in
providing free instruction in these
branches, it discriminates against the
class of citizens who do not care to
pursue the study of them. If there be
schools in which engineers, mechanics
and chemists are fitted for profitable
employment, then the law should pro-
vide for schools of law, medicine, den
tistry and all other professions.
Better practical results would be OBJ
tanned, in my opinion, if the attention
of our state government was devoted
none earnestly and intelligently to
increasing the efficiency of the COM
mon schools within their legitimate
province This could be done in many
ways: First, eliminate all the classics
except English, and let the effort be
directed to a more thorough and rigid
training in the history and theory of
our American government, and the
traditions and literature Of our own
people. The average person scarcely
ever has use for Latin or Greek, or
any other language but his own,-if he
has. he will acquire it when the ne
cessity arises. In the second place,
the standard Of qualification in teach
ers employed is too low. Such COM
renSa,,n shr uld be provi'.cr, ,iIat mcn
and women will b encouraged to fit
themselves thoroughly for the work
and pursue it as a profession, instead
of resorting to it as a temporary eX-
pedent and a steppingstone to some
lLlliS IIDIt Z. ANOIG SIloulli
be employed but professional teach
ers, trained as experts, who, by r4ason
Of their requirements and experience
can meet the varied demands made
upon them by the incongruous ele-
ments of our mixed population. The
purpose is to make citizens. I'm the
United States the sovereignty is vest
ed, not in the few but in the many.
The masses are called upon to consid-
er every kind of social and political
question affecting the welfare Of the
country. Principles Of human liberty
schemes Of internal Improvement
questions of finance and education, ou,
relations with othar countries,-the
are some of the weighty matters
brought before the public mind. Al
the polls. where every man has ar
equal voice, the decisions are made
and the policy of the government de-
termined.' Much more is required OF
a teacher than the faculty of COM
municating knowledge. The homely
lessons Of honesty, obedience and in
dustry are as essential as the COM
munication of knowledge.
The tendency of the times is toe
much towards commercialsm. AL
most every other public interest is
made subordinate to this. What is
there in it?" is the question we meet
a every turn. 1t prevades every de-
partment in life. 1t has gone so far
that we meet it at the polls and in
our law making bodies. 1t is well
known that election to public Office OF
the procurement of important legisla-
ton of general interest requires the
use of money. BY it's use vicious leg
islation is also obtained for purely
private ends, it's promoters seeking tc
control the executive and judicial Of
ficers of the government by the same
means. A spirit of lawlessness is
abroad in the land. not in the ordi.
nary sense of that term as applied ir
criminal law, but in the sense that the
law is evaded and its validity question
ed; so that the time of the courts is
taken up largely in deciding test cases
instead of adjusting honest disputes