The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-01-15
THE DISCIPLINED HAND.

i
Something is wrong with educa-
tion that makes forty dollar clerk
of a boy, who might have been a
forty thousand dollar farmer" says a
writer in the Clarksville Leaf-Chron-
icle, and in that sentence is con-
tanned the budding spirit of the
twentieth century.
1t is not the difference in the
amount of money the boy makes that
counts, but the difference in his use
fitness to society. II a boy, who
could make a forty thousand dollar
farmer" Is forty dollar clerk" II
Is proof that he would have per,
formed his greatest service to society
las farmer, and therein is the wrong
done.
Service, service, Is the call of reli-
gion, humanity and patriotism. Why
should a man, who is deft with his
hands and has true eye and me-
chanical ingenuity, be made a miser-
able failure Of a lawyer or doctor,
compelled by his very lack OF qualifi-
cations for success in either career to
commit wrong or butcher his fellow
man? Not only does such a perver-
sion of natures purpose lessen q
mans opportunity and capacity for
service, but is puts him in a position.
where he has to become, not mega
tive quantity, but an instrument of
actual harm TO society.
Is it not as high toned and re-
spectacle to build houses. and shoe
horses and make machines. as II is
TO live by ones wits? And that d
he way ninety-nine per cent OF the
aside from those engaged
n manual occupation. do live.
This is branching OF from the sub
ect of drafting boys from the farms
o the city; but it is only an amplifi-
alton of the Inherent defect of our
educational system. Why should not
BOYS be educated in our schools to !
become good artisans and farmers. as
we'll as professional menu Some day
iouths will be taught manual skill as !
veil as nimbleness of wit in all our
public schools. II requires a better
quality OF brains to construct a deli ]
ate piece OF mechanism than 70 con- {
ugate a Greek verb. The boy. who s
ONES out of school with knowledge |
If higher mathematics. literature,
lncient history and a smattering of
science, and cannot drive a nail or 1
aw a board straight. is not well edu- a
,ated. His hand and eye are not Z
rained to accuracy. The baby learns I
o walk when II has disciplined it,
'eet to obey the brain that com /
hands. When hand and foot and eye |
and vocal organs have been discip-
lined TO obey in the same way. the {
youth is better equipped to face life's |
problems.
Education was originally for the
few, whose natural inclination was
away from mechanics and toward
speculative philosophy, aud OF course.
they applied themselves to science
and art and literature. When edu-
cation became general, instead of
adapting the curricula to the needs
Of the people. the ambitions Of T.
parents was stimulated to making .
their boys SCHOLARS" and so general
education. intended to benefit the |
masses, has created artificial social I
barriers between professions and
business and trade. and set boys out '
Of their natural spheres in the mids, a
of professional environments to 4
which they never can adjust them b
selves.
When manual training and practi- {
cal application of science to the COM a
non things of life become estab- c
ished in the curricula of the public v
society generally will be v
boys. who love me- v
,hanics. once getting their hands on v
tools, will never loose their grip, and Il
parental hopes of scholar" will be n
dashed. and instead parental pride In
A first class, well educated mechaniL q
Or farmer will be awakened. Scions r,
Of the house of prosperity will join s
the ranks of workers, and youths b
from the huts. as they do now. will
take their places at the forum or the &
bar, and society will adjust itself [,
properly. Then we will come to give
a man his rightful place in the word. o
according to the service he renders D
mankind and his country. la
other changes will follow. too. In d
the social and business world. when n
educated men take to the work for I
which nature fitted them. and begin ii
to demand for their trade its just a
rights and recognition; but that is a ii
effect to be allowed to follow
In its natural order of sequence. 4,
Kx-S.-I.. K~..l- ~