The Washington herald., 1909-07-27
ByF. w. FITZPATRICK.

We have insisted upon free education.
education for Gil, compulsory education.
All sorts Of ologies and what-not have
been injected into our educational sys-
tens. and what IS the result?
IN the first place. our anxiety for So
called education. diversity Of accom-
plishments, has been such that our chill
dren have no idea Of thoroughness. They
cannot spell correctly, they knew little
Of any Of the fundamentals: they have
been taught 20 skim over the surface Of
things; a smattering of a subject has
been accepted as a satisfactory attain
ment; frivouty IS encouraged, a frlvolity
that sticks all through lie. In matters OF
the greatest importance-in marriage, IN
character-building, everywhere. Nothing
IA taken seriously. for no one IS taught
seriously or seriousness.
Then. too. so much Is attempted IN our
schools that the youngsters believe them
selves all candidates for college and high
or things. Ours is race Of embryo Pres
idents. Senators. Captains Of industry, %
directors. and managers We make no
more workers with Drawn and muscle,
craftsmen and mechanics. All believe
themselves above working with the hands
headwork only IS fashionable. and the
least OF that possible.
Our farms are abandoned. They young
! people flock 10 the cities. They cannot
will not, do manual work. They must
teach or be typewriters or petty clerks
49, 49, r..-,f.f-<- .t. tf-,, 7.l.- oo- ba
/ enrolled upon the lists Of the great. Oul
trade unions further complcate matters
1 by limiting the number of apprentices In
/ each trade and otherwise making those
/ trades hard or undesirable 20 get into.
Immigrants catch the fever upon ar
rival. They may have intended goine
upon the farms OF the West. but the lure
OF the city IS strong and they stay there
and. further. they soon learn 70 desuise
manual labor. The police force and such
/ genteeI occupations are the proper caper
To actusNr work IS but little short OF
| criminal Il viii not be long before ouy
/ hands VIII be mere rudimeutary. unused
| aPpendages. In our progress UP from
monkeydOm we have lost our Cauda
lsdornments by no longer having 10 swing
| from trees: our hands, Il would seem. are
/ also doomed.
The farm. the shop, the mine are as
much par; Of the state communal body a,
is the ONCE. the bank. or the store. The
state should not discriminate between
! these and help one at the expense Of The
other. 1t IS doing that now by its free
| education. It is pulling people away from
the farm and the work bench and fitting
| them exclusively for work requiring
/ scholastic attainments. All Of its grad,
/ schooling IS planned as preparatory fol
I high school and the high school is man
aged as a stepping stone 20 college.
The state Is really TO blame for existing
/ conditions, though II has erred in judg
ment and does not lack in good intent
! BY its excess Of education. so 20 speak
! IL has vulgarized the sciences. II ha:
/ tried 70 bring everything down 70 thi
/ lowest level Of comprehension. Il hal
made millions OF mediocritIes. people par
/ TALLY or dangerous little educated. but q
/ has given us few, dlstressingly few, bril-
liant minds and thorough scholars.
| Indeed, II has been cOntended that many
| Of our criminals have become such be
! cause OF compulsory education. They
| had 10 read and naturally turned to de-
| basi1E. demoraltzinE reading. that in turr
/ led them on into evil Had they beer
] compelled 70 work and not knowing how
| 20 read they might have turned out bet
1 ter,
Are we 70 face about and seek 10 re-
/ create a peasant. a laboring and unedu
| Gated class?
No; but II would seem that something
| could be done TO correct the wrong thai
! Is so apparent all around Us.
/ The state has gotten US into this pickle
TOW Il Is UP TO the state 20 get US out Of
| t. Let there be less education and morE
/ instruction in the primary grades. more
/ building, q training 20 get tht
/ child into the way Of learning and apply
! ing what is taught Let there be less kin
! dergarten and playful frills and a more
/ thorough grounding In the rudiments, the
three RS. II the child Is fitted by nature
/ for a professional career, he'll go on
| never fear; II he is not. why should thC
state force him into 1t and spend It: