Imperial Valley press., 1908-10-03

do nothing but amuse himself and
 the few idle companions. He must
 have vision. The great universe of problems waits for workers. He must determine what sort of structure he will rear. He must choose some prob. lem and attack it like a hero. He must set his life task and go to it with all his heart and mind and soul and strength.
 Here is a system built into the very constitution of the universe of mind and matter. To this inherent system we must adapt our educational sys- tems if we shall ever accomplish nor. nal and possible ends. Our present system of schools is not so adapted. but it is coming to be more and more so with passing years and ex- perience.
 We are learning. We have discov- cred that the place for learning Ian guages is where childhood gathers That the child can learn two or three languages at the same time with little or no added affort. We have been shamed into admission that no one has ever come to know Greek or Latin. German. French, or any other hNAh6 OA uCdh AhliBudSOt II lit Sbp preached 1t grammer end first. We have come to know that childhood is the period for accommodating the ma terial and learning how to use a few simple tools in the world of thought That grammar schools are the period for a widened search for material and a growing familiarity with more intellectual tools. We have come to t,o4 ;rl, f. Inc 1ng gf schooling the bulk of our citizenship ever gets, and that there is the place of final assembling of materials, the closer acquaintance with the imple- ments which go to fashion life for home relations, business activity and the wholesome appreciation of citi- Zenship.
 The college has come to be more widely recognized as that part of the system of education where Character is the main objective. It is here that the correlation of knowledge is discerned, tools and materials are brought together and simpler prob lens of life are pointed out and choices and decisions reached.
 We have come to know that the uni versity is the problem field. Here pure and applieu science, profession al and non-professional research, the physical and metaphysical, the ami mate and inanimate, the individual, social, racial, in short, the universe, composed of God, Nature, and Man, is arrayed before the builder and he is challenged to build any structure not calculated worthily to endure.
 The two decades past have witnes- sed most striking changes in methods of instruction. Who of us, who were teachers twenty years ago, could have seen the passing of text book memor- izing and class room recitation tor ture? Who of us dreamed of the mul- tiplication of libraries and laboratOr- ies, of accumulated specimens, sam- ples and fossils? Who then ever con ceived that high school pupils would be sent off to libraries on original and research, and that and initiative, individual ity and self-realization would be priZed above ready memoriZing and glib recitation Who of us would have believed possible such magnificent pro- vision for high school preparation as has been made by our neighboring county seat, San Diego?
 It is well for us of Imperial Valley that we have such an incentive to excellence immediately at hand, well for us that we shall be judged by com parison or contrast with so high a Our efforts in these days of crude beginnings are but the incen- tive to ourselves and our successors in establishing the educational equip ment of our unique empire. It is well for us to set our ideals high and that we toll together with steadfast per till the visions of the day are translated into the realities of the and our valley of unmeasured material possibilities shall be equally for it's sane and salutary provisions for the unfoldment and en- richment of the life of our best pro- duct, our little men and women.