La Junta tribune., 1909-09-04

and expressed III the widely diverg-
ant opinions held as to the proper
and ultimate aim of all educational
ly differing and conflicting interests.
(ere is the demand, strong.voiced,
for a practical education; preparation
for business life and bread winning;
the demand for purely cultural train.
ing, preparation for college and the
full development OF the mind and char
acter; all these through a curriculum
which is not fitted to either end
singly, nor to all the ends Jointly.
The assignment is in the first place
unreasonable: not that the public
schools are unwilling to undertake
such feat, for in fact the fault is
often that they are too willing; but
that the limitations make the at
tainment OF such standards impos.
sible The child. with his capacity
for learning, for doing, is the means
at hand; process and principle can
never do 1t. Education can never be
expected to supply new tissues and
new capacities. 1t should and can
only develop the latent abilities of
the individual child.
One Is reminded OF the story OF the
two men who came to stream too
wide to leSp across. and too deep and
swift to wade with safety. A plank
was found aud Immediately the two
fell to Quarreling over the point at
which the plank should be placed to
effect crossing. From words they
came to blows. After becoming thor
oughly exhaustD it was suggested
that after all 1t would be best to
test the plank. when 1t was found too
short TO reach across at any point.
The application Of this simple story
y obvious.
The college critic sets \ standard
OF what is necessary In scholarship
and working power that the college
course may be well undertaken, and
fails to recognize the fact that the
standard imposed Is excessive In sub
ject matter and impossible OF accom-
pliShment with the means at hand.
fhe man of affairs with business
ideas and practical experience as
sumes that the public school should
give a preparation which guarantees a
scholarship and power to think In
real, problems as they are presented.
overlooking the fact that nowhere am
at no time In the past have the public
schools ever been able to do this. The
college critic and the business man
have failed to measure the plank:
the school life OF the child coupled
with It's limitations will not permit
It's accomplishment.
Nelth.r were so trained through
public school experience and neither
had he capacity or ability In child
hod to do Il. Both. like the fond
parent who constantly holds before
his own mlschievous boy the most ex.
eellent department OF his own boy
hood days. probably receive a polite
hearing. but neither are believed. by
either the boy or the public. The
college critic came from the college
Meming with defects: In measure
dependent and helpless; his present
state Of efficiency and perfection Is
the result Of experience; close ap'
plication to the work at hand; days
OF study; countless mistakes. and ui'
Innate success. He has learned by
doing. So with the business man.
He may love to make himself believe
that he was ut the outset Of hM busi'
hess career the posscssor OF the Keen
analytical mind that characterizes his
present business management: that
his mind was stored with the tech
Meal Information necessary TO his
business success. The facts are that
At tho outset be Was just like the
average boy and girl Of today whose
weaknesses and faults are attributed
to present educational processes; IKE
them he WAS the uncertain possessor
Of limited knowledge and experience.
Hard work. hard knocks and careful
study Of business methods In actual
business life has made him the cap
able master Of finance. The. riddle
presented the modern school is to
ovsflsap oil these various experiences
and turn out the finished scholar the
msstsrful captain Of industry. by the
simple turn Of the wrist when the d.
ploma b handed the graduate.
Between these two extremes the
educational right OF way has been
servsyed, Many times, and too often