Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-02-15

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SO far, the great majority of big
school pupils from the country a
girls, while most of the boys most res
lutely and emphatically refuse to a,
cept this great boon-this panacea fl
all the ills of hard work. no honor. an
poor pay. And 1t Is to this class ths
l want especially to call attention.
Many of these boys are considere
dull, or lazy, Or Indifferent, and al
usually given up as hopeless cases.
Teachers contrast them with the brigh
pupils, aid try to shame them into a
effort to be somebody. They feel bur
resolve to do better, fail, try again
become utterly discouraged, and Civ
up just when they have reached tn
age of most effectual mental activity
And, too often, the teacher feels
sense of relief when they withdraw.
Others are very bright, do all thei
work thoroughly while in the grades
but firmly oppose parents and teach
ers when they are urged to attend bigl
school.
Occasionally farmer, feeling hii
own great need of better education
persuades his boys to go to high school,
but, alas, he is doomed to disappoint-
ment, for they never come back to the
farm. You ask why they do not come
back D.? Prof. r. 7. Clark recently
made the following statement at q
Farmers Institute: ''The lawyer. the
doctor, the minister, the teacher, the
merchant, the successful business man,
are the ideals for which courses of
study are prepared. Farmers pay their
taxes. send their children to these
schools, and then wonder why the grad
yates of our high schools never stay On
the farm. The wonder would be if they
did. because their educational train
ing Is OF charact er intended to take
them away from the farm
Is this statement true? If not, will
some one explain why there are SO few
high school graduates engaged in
arming? Can you find dozen to the
county throughout the State.
But the high school phase Of this
ubject is by no means the most seri-
'us, but the fact that much the larger
'er cent. of our country boys do not
complete the elementary course, be-
ause as soon as little material bene- |
it can be gained by their work they |
ire taken out of school. Most of the |
'arly Withdrawals in towns and cities |
Lre from this cause. How much more |
hen would it be true in the country.
where we teach ''about banking, brok- |
rage. stocks and bonds, foreign ex-
hange, obsolete compound numbers
nd compound proportion. grsatest
ommon divisor, four.story complex
ractiOn monstrosities, but never a i
7ord about the soil; the growth of |
rops, which makes all life possible; or
trees, shrubs and flowers. which
1ake the farm home SO beautiful"
We ought to begin to understand
bat 1t ls easier to develop the mind of
child by means of the things which
ONE in direct contact with it's life,
han to take 1t away from it's enviro-
lent. We ought to know also that
ne mental powers can be developed by
leans of the very common. every day,
things which we think are of
DO little Significance to notice. Prof.
ally, of Cornell, says: The study of
reek is no more means of education
IAN the study of Indian corn is
lasslcs aud Calculus are no more di-
ine than machines and potatoes are"
The great trouble Is that we have
srtain educational standards" wh jch
e have set up. and our whole concern
GEMS to be TO work every boy and girl
up to- our standard. Is there only
ne standard of excellence Why not.
lstead OF so much talk about ''raising
le Standard discuss the more ra-
onal idea of multiplying the number
standards until every boy and girl
/ town and country may, without
avlng his or her natural sphere, gain
little praise for useful work well done.
7hy should John be ridiculed because
: likes the farm, but fails to become
lterested in many of our pet school
otions, and Frank be praised because.
,rso0th, he agrees with us
But it is not fact that we are con
ating those who attracted by the same
eals which We possess 10 the neglect
others who may have ideals OF as
reat usefulness to the world
How many of us are taking If for
,anted that the larger portion of the
uman family are incapable of high
evelopment simply because we fail to
} much with them by dragging them
ong the same road we are going !? II
n inclined to be more optimistic. L
elieve that there ale very few chill
ZEN born but are capable OF high at
sinments if trained along lines of ,
reatest natural adaptability.
l am not pleading for the cause of
le country boy because be is weak
linded, bnt because he is misiudged
nd mistreated. He is misjudged be
ause he is thought dull when he fails
} understand what we want him to.
nd he is misGreated in that he is not
lven fair chance to show whether he
ould understand anything else or not.
le is also mistreated because he does
OF get bis share of the tax .he works
hard to pay. There is not enough
honey spent for the special training of