The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-03-09
One-sided Education.

Editor The Washington Herald;
The very interesting and important dis
cussions which were in progress az the
educational conference held by the De
partmeEt Of superintendent Of the n. L.
A.. in this city last week must necessarily
servo an excellent purpose.
However, the diverse and positive opiu-
ions held by these educational experts
upon the subject Of industrial education
could not fail to elicit the attention OF
persons who had been over the ground
before
/ Il is reported that one Of the speakers
said that he had noticed that rich people.
although advocating industrial education
for other peoples children. did not indorse
it for their own. Perhaps he had for
gotten that Queen Victoria. who was
considered a judicious mother. insisted
that each Of her sons should learn a
trade. II she had done the same by the
children OF her subjects there would not
be so many idlers hanging about London
parks. Is it not true that every thir-
tenth person in England is supported
by charity?
Does not the German Emperor insist
upon a training in mechanics for his
sons? At the same time. they are ex-
pected TO be familiar with several modern
languages. as well as to study different
branches of the arts and sciences.
The brains OF children are generally so
can easily guide a healthy child into
many branches OF culture. as well as
train 1t in some branch Of industry, with
out the child feeling undue pressure
We need more individual teaching. Our
teachers have too cramped a life; noble
men and women are loaded down with
drudgery that should be shared with
helpers. The teachers have but little OBJ
portunity for acknowledgment.
Ther, again, Is 1t not true that thou
sands Of our children have ignorant I'm
migrants for parents? Is II not also true
that thousands Of those same children.
at an early age. become the teachers in
our public schools2 Are not many OF
these young teachers lacking in general
cultured, and may not some of them be
deficient I'm morals2 Il is in outlying dis
tricts. particularly in crowded cities, where
such a large number of young persons
are rushed through the normal schools
to fill places as teachers, with poor re-
suits.
II is not to be denied that our best
teachers have so much to do that II is
impossible for them 10 give the normal
school all the time and attention that
they would like to give the pupils IN the
way of general culture The time has
passed for such crowding of duties upon
our experienced teachers.
Let the public schools have more and
abundant assistance from well-paid, cul-
tured university men and women. DIR.
Theodore Irving said that he desired that
the youngest as well rs the oldest of his
pupils should come in contact with the
older and most cultured Of his teachers.
The President is sending out experts
into every department of the government
to investigate, purify, and elevate the
various branches of the government Why
should not the State universities. the
normal school, and all schools supported
by State appropriations be looked after in
similar manner? Good material for this
purpose might be found in the newly
graduated men and women from our
i1rst-clasS universities. as many Of them
have acted as tutors all through their
course in the university; and, besides.
they are not always ready to adopt their
chosen professio, at once.
No department of the government has
always been so hampered in every way
as the Department of Education, until II
is almost limited TO becoming a bureaus
Of statistics
A revolution in educational matters is
bound TO come; Will IL come out of the
West? Did not Lincoln. Omaha, and nu-
merous Western cities have scores OF
one in the Capital OF the nation?
Why should not this very important de-