The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-09-26
Uphold Authority.
To the Palladium:


titled Whisper Not; that sort OF
thing encourages the very spirit which
the school board and other authorities
are trying to eradicate from our high
school.
The paragraph went out into the
homes of Richmond and would certain,
ly call out such comments as one can
readily imagine from many of the boys
and girls interested, and many I'M
thinking parents will in consequence
come to the belief that their sons and
daughters, instead of being treated
with consideration as young people
approaching their majority, are being
handled after kindergarten methods.
We have new principal in the high
school. and 1t is due him that he have
the hearty support OF Richmond peo-
pie in one OF the most arduous under
takings that falls TO the lot of man
holding public office. 1t is only
right that our school patrons should
concede to him good judgment and a
wise executive ability until it shall be
conclusively proven that he lacks
them; this is due Principal Knauff in
his own right, and even more, in def
erence to our school board who I'M
doubtedly took very serious thought
and painstakingly investigated his sue
cess, before appointing him to his pres
emit position.
To prohibit whispering in the R. H.
S. may sound arbitrary and childish to
the outsider, but the writer feels sure
that it is only mischievous, idle and
defiant whispering that is put under
the ban and subject to swift punish
ment, for the reason that it is an out.
ward symptom of inward disorder; the
spirit is not wholesome.
This is no write up for the principal,
who is entirely unknown to the writer.
but 1t is an appeal to the parents and
to the press to uphold the authority OF
our schools and to encourage proper
spirit of Difference and tractability in
our boys and girls.
Children need entertainment and
fun and good social times, lots of them,
and they have a right to them, but
never at the expense of the serious
work Of the school; as much right have
soldiers to engage in testing and horse.
play during drill, ignoring the control
of their superior officers, as have
school children to disregard the direc-
lions of their teachers during school
hours.
once heard a German friend say, in
discussing the military system of his
Empire, that while the army service
worked a hardship in many cases, 1t
made men out of some very unpromis-
ing material; that it was the prompt
obedience to orders, painstaking effort
to meet requirements, bearing personal
hardship uncomplainingly, that gave
made successful merchants, manufac-
turers and valuable workmen out of
men as a direct result of their three
years of military training. In turn,
the German father exacts obedience
and strict attention to business on
the part of his children in school; in
subordination, wadwling, and lack
of respect for authority are quickly
nipped in the bud, and the results are
plainly visible In the work Of the
child.
We have a magnificent school sys-
tenn and equipment in this country. but
we waste half its value from the fact
that the child is not held to strict &C.
count in the use Of his privileges; it is
like putting splendidly tempered
blade into the hands of a reckless
workman and allowing him to slash
and cut with it Unfortunately,
whereas it is capable of producing the
finest results in carving when the ef-
fort and training are back of it.
Every parent needs to realize that it
is not nearly so much the acquiring OF
a fact that child can carry home and
recite that counts, as it is the train
ing OF his mind and will in acquiring
the fact.
Getting the answer amounts to
nothing in comparison with the earn
est attitude of the child In his deter.
mination to solve the problem, his eff
fort at complete concentration OF
mind, his repeated attempts at reason
ing; the habit Of thought and Of con-
centration and of subordination to
rightful authority are what makes the
capable man and woman later on.
School boards and teachers can not
create this spirit in child, it must
have it's beginnings in the home, and
must be carefully fostered by the par.
ents throughout the school course; the
public press owes it as duty to the
community to speak up on every suit
able occasion for honest work in the
public schools and for subordination
to the school authorities. S. A. H.