The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-11-05
MESSAGE TO
SCHOOL TEACHERS
SUPERINTENDENT COTTON IN
BULLETIN SAYS TEACHING
IS TOO BOOKISH.
Relations Between School Education
and Other Forms of Learning
Not Close Enough.

School Education and the Worlds
Work" is the title of the second
monthly bulletin of the year, issued
to school teachers of the State, by
Fassett A. Cotton, State S,sperintend-
ent OF Public Instruction "The great
est criticism that can now be made
upon our schools, city, town and coun-
try, Mr.. Cotton says, is that no
tangible vital relations exist between
school education and other essential
forms of education"
Conditions of living now, Mr.. Cot
ton says, are different from what they
were formerly The notions of work
and bread winning are entirely rev.
olutfonized The army OF women
earning living in almost every field
OF industry would present as novel
spectacle to our forefathers as the
network of railways, nterurbans and
telephone systems of the present day"
Formerly, it is stated, children in the
country went to school only a few
months in the winter and it was not
the school alone, but the school, the
farm, and the home, all three, that
welded the influence over the child
ren Speaking of the present school
system, Mr.. Cotton says:
Greater Call Upon School
IF the home and farm no longer
train the children efficiency, there is
the greater cali upon the school to
take up the work so cast off, But the
school has not assumed the response
bility nor met the new demand and it
can not as organized at present The
great majority OF the children in
school today will shortly need to be-
come bread-winners, and they will
have TO work with their hands. They
will take up every form of industry.
and farm, factory, mine and shop will
demand skilled labor 1t is doubtful
if rhe schools of Town, city or country
are doing the best Things that can be
done for these children. No impracti-
cal thing, nothing than raises impos-
siblc ideals and false hopes, nothing
that ibelittles honest work and K ssens
efficiency should have time and place
in the schools The nature and need
OF the particular child muse determine
what shall be done Tie nature OF the
community life of the child must be
taken into account in determining
means and methods. Even the pos
s7bie and probable future of the child
must have something to do with the
way to proceed. 1t would be absolute
folly to train all boys and girls in
classic learning and TO give them the
eNtravagant tastes of your fine gen
tleman and lady if this were possible
This is a practical workaday world.
and bread and butter cut larger fig-
ure than fine feelings.
Education Too Bookish.
Education has been and is for the
head. and not for the head and hand.
1t has prepared for college instead of
for living. 1t has been too bookish.
adapted only to those who can follow
a long educational career 1t has look
ed toward the careers of lawyers.
preachers, doctors, teachers and lead
are md ~ ara &C not a,aurrh of "a, &C n
positions TO go round 1t has prepar-
ed the bosses and has not thought OF
skilled labor in the ranks In this
sense it has been practical, bun it has
not met the needs of the people, the
overwh Ginning majority of whom mus
continue TO work with their hands
We must make more adequate pro
vision in our schools for the educa-
tion of those who must begin early
to earn their living"
Mr.. Cotton then makes the point
that the life of/the community must
determine the nature OF the education
and the mode of ITS procedure In a
rural community he says it is assum-
ed that a large majority OF the child
rem will follow the pursuits of their
parents. Mr.. Cotton makes strong
plea for a system of agricultural edu-
cation and for efficient men and WON
en- to carry il out A part Of the bull
letin is devoted to the advantages TO
be gained frOm a system OF industrial
education.