The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-04-20
MORALS IN THE SCHOOLS.


MORALS IN THE SCHOOLS.
Committee of Fifteen on Ethical Edu-
cation Recommends Concerted Ac-
tion.
The committee Of fifteen appointed
by the state superintendent of public
instruction, in accordance with res
olution adopted by the South Dakota
State Educational association to con-
slider the matter of ethical instruction
in the public schools, held a meeting at
the Cataract hotel at Sioux Falls. A
majority Of the members of the COM
mittee were present.
The committee was unanimously OF
the opinion that there should be con-
certed and earnest movement through
out South Dakota for the securing of
a better ethical condition in public ed
ucation. rhe members were con-
vinced that the ends contemplated in
article 6, paragraph 2,358 of the school
law, were not fully attained. The said
paragraph reads as follows:
There shall be moral instruction in
the public school, intended to impress
upon the mind of pupils the impor
tance of truthfulness, temperance,
purity public spirit, patriotism, re-
spect for honest labor, obedience to
parents and due Difference for old age,
and this shall be given by every
teacher in the public service of the
state"
The committee believes that for
N4rd movement looking toward secur-
ing these very desirable ends and the
carrying out of the letter and spirit OF
the law should be instituted. Among the
changes considered practicable by the
committee are the following:
Active work on the part Of the state
department of public instruction. The
committee will request the state super
intendent before gatherings Of teach
ers, county superintendent, school
officers and others to call attention to
the provisions of the law and the great
need of providing proper means for
vitalizing this element in our public
instruction.
The further discussion of the subject
by the State Educational association
and other teachers organizations.
The committee will further attempt
to secure lectures on this subject be-
fore each county normal institute and
in each of the normal schools. The
purpose OF these lectures will be to
emphasize the Importance of such in
struction and to suggest ways and
means by which the teachers can carry
out the intent OF the law.
The committee intends to bring out
as far as possible the ethical instruc-
tion upon points about which there can
be no controversy, and to confine the
work OF instruction to those principles
upon which American citizenship is
unanimous. It's members believe it is
imperative that the rising generation
should feel that without absolute truth,
honesty, faithfulness in public and
private life, purity, temperance, per-
sonal chastity, habits Of fidelity in
public and in private trusts, there can
be no permanency Of the republic
The question OF how to attain these
ends engaged the major part OF the
time of the committee.
A number of subcommittee were
, appointed as follows:
A committee to make thorough in
vestigation of what had been done in
other states and in other sections, and
to present carefully prepared synop-
sis Of this work for the use Of the gen.
eral committee; also to prepare list
showing what books, papers and other
mentioned.
committee to visit teachers gath
erings and other public organizations
for the purpose Of correcting misap-
prehensiOns and MISUNDERSTANDING
and of getting the real program OF
the general committee before the pub
lic
A committee on ways and means.
1t will be the work of this subcom-
mittee to suggest practicable methods
of instruction. Many grave questions
confront this committee, such as the
feasibility of the introduction of a
book of selections from the Bible as a
part of the instruction; what text
books are available anu what supple
mentary reading can be introduced
| into the school libraries; how to adopt
the instruction of the various grades
| of students, and how to raise a proper
sense Of the relative Importance OF
such moral instruction in the minds of
teachers, school officers, pupils and
! parents.
The committee was unanimously OF
the opinion that 1t was not feasible to
| introduce the Bible as a text book.