The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-11-27
lege. and that . small percentage OF


and nine that were safe within the
| fold could not furnish an excuse for
| the neglect OF the one that was away.
With these things in mind should we
rest content with that system which
saves the one 10 the neglect OF the
ninety and nine?
To produce such result. no one
cause is adequate. II has been fre-
Quently said, and with truth. that the
course OF study does not have suf-
ficient vital contact with the life and
interest OF the pupil. and consequent
ly. because OF its lack OF interest for
him, fails 90 hold him. Rapid pro-
gress. however, is being made In our
own city toward the correction OF
such undesirable conditions. Anoth-
er cause. more deep-seated and more
serious, is the growing commercial
spirit OF the day. The dollar Is the
circle OF life. Men sell Their own
souls and put under tribute their
children's for dollars. There is great
need for resolute struggle against
the allurements OF dollars. Too many
affairs are being builded TO the god OF
gold: too many souls are being sacri-
| feed upon these affairs. It is hard,
| yes. we'll nigh impossible. TO trans
mute commercial ideals, dollars and
cents into more abundant life.
Our course OF study may well need
revision. may require a radical change
In content. But our greatest need is
larger and truer ideals established
| firmly In the hearts and minds OF our
| boys and girls. A greater emphasis
must be placed upon moral and ideal
than upon material and commercial
values. The voice I'm defense OF the
child's inalienable rights, his heritage
OF moral and religious ideals, should
ring deep into the hearts OF parents.
| Parents need TO learn that the dollar
Is not the goal of life, that the child
is more than the victim OF n parents
base ideals; that he is more than n
money-making machine. They need
| to learn that the child has a self-hood
to be developed, a soul TO be cultured.
and a destiny 20 be achieved. To
take a child out of school and compel
| him TO earn money Is TO deny him his
rights, Is TO degrade him. For
parents To do so is selfish. brutal, i'm
moral. | repeat that one of the great
est evils that threaten our nation is
our too complete allegiance 60 COM
mercial ideals. Our mad rush for
| gold makes us nation of individuals
rather than "A democracy Christ
says, "No man liveth unto himself"
In New York it sometimes seems as
though every man reversed that prin-
ciple. Individualism is menace to
| the life of the republic. There is, as
never before, crying need for
! parents and teachers to exalt moral
and spiritual values; need to de-
Ia. oil ..T Il
enthrone the God of old: need to
engrave upon the very physical and
spiritual fiber OF the child's nature
| the exceeding, the incompatible
worth OF moral charaesar. Parents
themselves need TO possess and prop
erly estimate these ideals and then to
instill them and give them first place
In the hearts OF their children Such
ideals of truth and righteousness, i'm
plying as they do a profounder sense
OF social obligation, Will contribute In
the highest degree TO the enrichment
OF human life, TO more abundant
! life.
Mighty possibilities are resident In
| the teachers vocation because OF the
material with which he works. Eter-
nal consequences follow therefrom.
1
waiting for pay day to come. His In
worthier work than that OF a mere
wage Garner. lie Is maker for
social betterment. not a mere hire
ling. AS with the preacher, right
eousness is his concern; with God he
is a co-worker. That our teachers
might feel that they are called of God
and are doing Gods work, there was
a Man sent from Cod who was named
| Teacher. He Himself says His mis-
sion was TO give more abundant
| life. That was His mission, that was
His religion, that was His life. The
religious aspect of the teachers work.
| the religion OF education, IL you Will,
| is a subject worthy OF more thought
| than II has received
While there Is an imperative need
for teachers with ideals, we must not
| forget that the ideals must be OF pos
slble attainment. We need, then,
sane teachers, teachers balanced by
| perspective. False ideals, ideals be-
| yOnd the realm OF the possible, held
up before the young, defeat the
teachers purpose. Hold up before a
boy an impossible ideal, making him
struggle toward its realization until
one day It's utter absurdity dawns
upon him, and with what result? His
cherished idol falls and with IL there
come tumbllng down all his ideal con-
structs. I'm this day when our college
presidents are little more than money
gatherers. when our school principals
are little more than clerical workers.
there is positive need for teachers
with lofty ideals, but ideals within
the realm OF possible achievement.
impossible ideals made for lawless-
ness rather than for righteousness
and the betterment Of life.
We need, Gnxlly, TO rediscover the
meaning Of life, 10 learn that a mans
life consisteth not Ia the abundance
OF the things that he possesses. We
need TO rediscoyer the fact OF Cod.
and that In Him We live and move
and have our being. He Is the source
of our life and 90 find Him is to- find
fuller life. There Is need TO re-em-
phasize the fact Of Christ as the Re-
vealcr OF the true life which Is the
life Of service. The life OF the world
Iaa VnpafunH "a pnU frnun1ag m Him